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Georgetown SC Historic homes For Sale

Southern Legacy

By Carey Nikonchuk

Built in 1825, The Charlotte Atkinson House sits graciously in the center of historic downtown Georgetown, South Carolina, amid a sense of nostalgia reminiscent of days gone by. However old it may be, it is also new in many ways, updated with modern features that include a home theater system and a security system.

Like the house, Georgetown's history is quaint and deep. The third oldest city in South Carolina, Georgetown was founded in 1729 by Elisha Screven; it was incorporated in 1802 and again in 1892. The town was established as a port of entry, and, although there were several rice plantations in the area, its main source of wealth was derived from indigo, a dye-producing plant that was grown on the Carolina coast throughout the 18th century. Many planters built homes in Georgetown so they would have a place to stay while conducting business at the port or for social activities. An excellent example is the Charlotte Atkinson House, which has withstood the test of time, as well as the occupation of Union troops in Georgetown in February of 1865.

The 4,700-square-foot home, built in the Federal style of architecture, is made of black cypress with a slate roof. With four bedrooms and four full baths, it is a typical "double house," with rooms on either side of the main centered entrance. The original staircase features turned newel posts and balusters. Despite extensive renovations by the current owners, much of the home's original woodwork has been retained. The mantels in the front rooms on the first floor were crafted for nearby Rosemont Plantation, which was at one time a productive rice plantation on the Black River in Georgetown County. The main house on the plantation burned in 1895, and only the foundation of the home remains on the property today.

Records of ownership of the Charlotte Atkinson House are scant at best. The earliest known proprietor was Charlotte J. Atkinson, for whom the home is named. She sold it in 1864 to her niece's husband, Steven W. Rouquie.

Little else has been recorded about who has owned the property through the years, but it is known that the home has hosted several functions of the Winyah Indigo Society, founded by King George II in 1758 and still active today in Georgetown. The group, an aristocratic society of planters originally aimed at promoting the trade of indigo, operates out of a building just across the street from the Charlotte Atkinson House.

The current owner of the Charlotte Atkinson House is Phillip Lammonds, a real estate agent and musician. Lammonds has used the home to promote his love for music; many artists have recorded there, including Darius Rucker of Hootie and the Blowfish. Lammonds purchased the home approximately five years ago and completed a "total restoration and refit" of the property.

This Georgetown SC home for sale is priced at $1.2 million, listed with Sotheby's International Realty through Lammonds.

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