Historic Home in Charleston Hits the Market for $4.75 Million
Charleston, South Carolina – A more than 200-year-old home has recently been put up for sale for $4.75 million. Located in the Ansonborough neighborhood of downtown Charleston, this historic residence was built in 1808 and stands as one of the oldest homes in the area. The Ansonborough neighborhood notably suffered from a devastating fire in 1838, but this particular street was fortunate enough to escape the blaze.
Listing agent Ruthie Ravenel, representing Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty, highlighted the house’s uniqueness. “Most of Ansonborough is brick because of the date of the fire, but this home is wood, which is pretty unique,” Ravenel explained. Currently, the home is listed for sale after Keith and Theresa Sanders purchased it in 2016 for $1.95 million.
History and Transformation
The Sanders family was drawn to the home due to its aesthetic charm, neighborhood walkability, and the potential for garden space in the backyard. As they settled in, the couple began to appreciate the home’s rich history. “We had a sense of its history, but it wasn’t until the first year of ownership that the house started to reveal its many gifts,” said Theresa Sanders.
This home is known as the Adams-Ingraham House, named after its original owner, Irish merchant John Strong Adams, and the prominent Ingraham family, which owned the property for much of the 1800s. During their ownership, the Sanderses discovered Sarah Eve’s diary online, which she found via the Duke University Libraries. Struggling with the handwriting, Theresa sought help from a historian to decode it. “I’ve since had her diary bound in leather, and we have it in the living room beneath the portraits of the original owners, which I found through the National Portrait Gallery,” she shared.
Excavation Uncovers History
During the Covid pandemic, the Sanderses decided to enhance the backyard by renovating the original carriage house and adding a swimming pool. Their digging revealed a fascinating collection of 19th-century artifacts, including broken China, a porcelain doll, coins, and even the leather soles of shoes likely belonging to the enslaved individuals who lived in the carriage house.
“In the 1800s, they didn’t have city trash service, so people just put all of their trash into privies, and they would rotate the privies every couple of years,” Theresa explained. The couple has kept all the found items and hopes to include them in the home’s sales agreement with future owners. “Houses like this, you really don’t own them. You are their custodians or guardians for the time that you have them,” she noted.
Home Details and Future Potential
This historic home spans around 3,600 square feet, retaining much of its original charm, including the front porch staircase, door hardware, and wrought-iron gate. However, a fire in the 1970s damaged the upstairs piazza, which could potentially be recreated by the next owner as there are no easements on the property.
The property features a total of six bedrooms, five full bathrooms, and two partial baths between the main house and the carriage house. The carriage house, now renovated, serves as a guest house but could also be converted into two separate rental units.
As the sale of such a significant historic home unfolds, it underscores the interconnectedness of Charleston’s past and its real estate market, inviting potential buyers to not just acquire a house, but to embrace a piece of history.
