City of Charleston Tour Guide Test
Questions and Answers
122 Broad Street - Answer-Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
Constructed c.1890-1907; renovated 1980s; restored 1994-95, addition of steeple 2010
Patterned after German Gothic churches of the 14th century
Patrick C. Keely & Decimus C. Barbot, architects
Henry L. Cade (died), then Henry Oliver, builders
Site of Vauxhall Gardens, a post-Revolutionary "circus" for plays & entertainments
Purchased by Bishop John England, 1st of Diocese (SC, NC, & GA then), in 1821;
dedicated wooden chapel in 1821
St. Finbar's & St. John's, 1st cathedral, designed by Patrick Charles Keely, Brooklyn-
based architect, student of Pugin; constructed 1850-54 & destroyed in the great fire of
1861; fire insurance lapsed thru oversight, before fire, which also destroyed rectory &
Seminary Library of 17,000 volumes
Congregation worshiped at Hibernian Hall for a time ; in 1869, Pro-Cathedral was built
at 105 Queen St., as an interim
John McKeegan left $48,832 to start rebuilding of Cathedral; ruins of old one removed
to build present one 1890-1907 with same overall form & similar dimensions but
different detailing
Constructed of CT brownstone, with star-shaped indentations on surface; Keely also
designed altars & episcopal throne in interior; stained glass made by Meyer & Company
of Munich; gates & fence, which date from the 1850s, of a simple design
119 Broad Street - Answer-Morton Waring House
Constructed 1803-07; renovated c. 1890-1900
Adamesque
Morton Waring, factor, bought from Ann Middleton in 1803
Embargo Acts of Jefferson's administration hurt Waring, who split lot into 3, selling 2 to
the Freemason's Hall Co.
Sold 3rd lot with this house in 1811 to Mordecai Cohen, who came as a poor Polish
peddler becoming a merchant, real estate broker, & banker
Loaned his gold dinner service for Lafayette dinner in 1825
By 1830 Cohen 2nd wealthiest man in SC; lost most of his $ in Fire of 1838
John L. Hedley bought 1844 & sold 1851 to William B. Smith, factor & merchant, whose
daughter married I.K. Heyward, who faced the street front in marble c. 1900
Bought in 1957 by Diocese of Charleston for offices
180 Broad Street - Answer-Cooper-O'Connor House
Constructed 1850s
Greek Revival
3-story wooden house
Prison for Union officers during the Civil War
,In retaliation, Pres. Lincoln moved 600 Confederate prisoners Ft. Deleware to Morris
Island, Confederates were bombing
Federal bombing hurt every house on block, didn't touch #180
Mayor George Cunningham, former butcher, bought it after war
Now condominiums
Bull Street - Answer-William Bull, native SC, was Lt. Gov. during the royal period
Best remembered for sounding the alarm when he came across the participants of the
Stono Slave Rebellion in 1739
His son, William Bull, II, was Lt. Gov. 1755-76 & made peace with the Indians in 1761,
ending the French & Indian War in SC
12 Bull Street - Answer-Hugh P. Cameron House
Constructed c. 1851; altered 1890s
Interior remodeled in Colonial Revival in 1890s
Built by crockery merchant, Hugh P. Cameron
Unusual floor plan - 2 front parlors, small room, & stair hall in the rear with an entrance
in a pavilion on the east side
David Bentschner, subsequent owner, has initials in gate
C of C bought in 1972 as faculty housing; currently the Albert Simons, Jr. Center for
Historic Preservation
18 Bull Street - Answer-William Blacklock House
Constructed 1800; restored 1973
One of the nation's most important Federal houses
Interior fine Adam woodwork & plasterwork
Gothic Revival outbuildings
Gabriel Manigualt, possible architect
2-story brick on a high brick basement; 18" thick Charleston grey bricks laid in Flemish
bond, accented in stone trim
William Blacklock was on the building committee for City Hall
He built this as a suburban retreat
Emil H. Jahnz, German consul, lived here in 1916
Fraternity house, boarding house, & apartments over time
Dr. Maxcy Harrelson got a demo permit in 1958, but never used
Restored 1971 by C of C & Richard H. Jenrette, philanthropist
Named a National Historic Landmark in 1974
Currently C of C's alumni house
51 Bull Street - Answer-Holy Trinity Reformed Episcopal Church
Constructed c. 1880
Wellers & Gleason, contractors
Black members left Protestant Episcopal Church & were admitted into Reformed
Episcopal Church in 1874
In 1875, they organized until this name; acquired lot in 1876
Building completed in 3 weeks for $1000
,Cornerstone laid by Rt. Rev. Peter Fayssoux Stevens, 1st bishop of the Reformed
Episcopal Church in SC
56 Bull Street - Answer-Denmark Vesey House
Constructed 1820-60
Greek Revival
1-story frame Freedman's cottage
Said to be home of Vesey c. 1821-22
A native of the West Indies, he came as a slave, but bought freedom in 1800 with lottery
$, then was prosperous carpenter
Alleged leader of slave rebellion in 1822; hung with 34 slaves
4 white men were imprisoned; few black churches closed
Accused of writing Santo Domingan black revolutionaries & enlisting 6,000 blacks into
the plot
National Historic Landmark
99 Bull Street - Answer-Francis Warrington Dawson House
Constructed c.1854; altered c.1887; rehabilitated 1984
Home of Capt. Warrington Dawson, British-born editor of News & Courier, honored by
Pope for his edltorials against dueling & credited with coining the New South slogan,
"Bring the mills to the cotton"; promoted "fusion" during Reconstruction, urging whites to
elect qualified Republicans rather than boycott polls; shot to death in 1889 by Dr.
Thomas B. McDow during an argument over Dr. McDow's alleged inappropriate
attention to young Frenchwoman in Dawson's employ.
Front of house altered after severe damage in earthquake; interior contains mixture of
woodwork typical of 1840s & 1890s
101-09 Bull Street - Answer-Bee's Row
Constructed 1853-54; partially restored & rehabilitated 1980s
Italianate
Built between 1849 & 1854 for Sarah Smith
During Civil War, William C. Bee & Co. moved stores to row, beyond range of Federal
guns; shoppers went to "Bee Block," or "Bee Store," to buy items brought by blockade
runners. The Distinguished by its terra cotta pediments, cast iron fences & elaborate
interior plasterwork
Adger's Wharf - Answer-Infilled land east of East Bay Street
Originally owned by Robert Tradd, 1st English child born in S.C.
Bought by James Adger & Co. in the 1830s and 40s
Southern terminus of the 1st steamship line to New York
Now incorporated into Waterfront Park
Alexander Street - Answer-Originally from Boundary St. (Calhoun) to Chapel St.
Laid as a part of Mazyckborough in 1786, named for developer, Alexander Mazyck
East end of Judith St., in Wraggsborough, became part of Alexander St. in the 1880s
Middle St., in Middlesex, became part of Alexander St. in 1903
, Gaillard Auditorium interrupts the street
80 Alexander Street - Answer-Liberty Tree Marker
Christopher Gadsden 1st for for colonial independence here under a live oak tree
Led a group called the "Sons of Liberty"
British cut down the tree & burned the stump to prevent its becoming a Patriot shrine
during the 1780-82 occupation
Judge William Johnson retrieved the root and had it made into cane heads, one of
which was given to Thomas Jefferson
153 Alexander Street - Answer-Memorial Missionary Baptist Church
Constructed c. 1886; renovated mid-1970s
Black members of First Baptist Church purchased this site for a burial ground in 1818
After the war, black Baptists separated amicably from First Baptist Church's white
congregation and in 1868 the burial site was transferred to them
A new congregation was formed in 1886 & present building built
2 Amherst Street - Answer-Presqu'ile (Presk-eel) - French for Peninsula
Constructed c. 1802-08; Adamesque
The house was built on a finger of high land jutting into marsh
Jacob Besler, attorney and state senator 1812-15, built it
Interior is carved wood and a spiral staircase
Acquired by Henry Grimke, brother of Sarah and Angelina Grimke (famous
abolitionists), in 1840
He added square, 3-story wing in Greek Revival at the rear
23-31 Ann Street - Answer-Camden & Tower Depots
Constructed 1849-50
Edward C. Jones, architect
Designed for the S.C. Railroad
Camden Depot included both freight and passenger depots
Tower Depot (23 Ann St. & 36 John St.) was 1-story brick, which was destroyed in
earthquake. Included 2 pairs of crenelated Gothic Revival gates (pair on Ann St. still
remain)
Currently a hub for CARTA and the Charleston Visitors Center
32-40 Ann Street - Answer-S.C. Rail Road Company Freight Depot
Cast iron keystones of each arch over the doorways of this former warehouse contains
a palmetto tree under the encircling initials "S.C.R.R." with the date 1857 beneath
Curved roof line, brick pilasters, rose windows in the gable ends
Similar in style and construction to the freight depot on John St.
Currently the Music Farm & Charleston School of Law
Anson Street - Answer-Laid out in 1745-46 as part of Ansonborough
Originally between George & Centurion (now part of Society St) By city ordinance, in
1805, Charles, Quince, & Scarborough became part of Anson Street
