Name/Title
2 Amherst Street (Presqu'ile)Entry/Object ID
AMHERST.002.001Scope and Content
Constructed ca. 1802, attributed to Jacob Belser, who purchased the property in 1802. A three-story stucco over brick house with a two-story piazza on the east, west, and south sides. Has unusual floor plan of two rooms per floor with a rear projecting stairhall with a circular staircase. Endgabled roof is pedimented with a fanlight on the south, and palladian windows in both the east and west gable ends. Noted for its rich neoclassical interior ornamentation. Located on lot 64 of the Village of Hampstead which was subdivided and developed by Henry Laurens in 1770. Purchased in 1840 by Henry Grimke, who added an expansive addition. Remained in the Grimke family until 1907. Historic Charleston Foundation acquired the house in 1962 through the Revolving Fund. Also known as the Christopher Belser House.
Two files contain: documentation of the covenant on the property; correspondence and other documentation related to the sale and management of the property; documentation related to HCF's purchase and rehabilitation of the property; annual inspection reports; requests for alterations; Part I certification application (National Register); house history from Architectural Guide to Charleston; house history from Vernacular Architecture of Charleston; brief house history (HCF, ca. 1960s); SC Historical Society house history (1963); chain-of-title/historical research notes; Historic American Buildings (HABS) (June 1962); reduced-size photocopy of HABS drawing; newspaper articles (including 1979 DYKYC); photocopies of miscellaneous photos (undated, unattributed); photocopy of HCF easement information card (TMS number, year of construction, significant resident(s), deed research, deed restrictions, measurements, and tax information).
See Covenant/Easement Inspection Photo Files for inspection photography.
No inspection photographs on file (see Easement Manager).Collection
Historic Charleston Foundation Property RecordsAcquisition
Accession
AMHERST.002.Source or Donor
2 Amherst Street (Presqu'ile)Acquisition Method
Collected by StaffLexicon
Search Terms
Amherst Street, Covenant Property, Presquile, Before and after, National Register of Historic Places, Hampstead Village, East Side, Revolving Fund (HCF), Historic buildings--South Carolina--Charleston, Historic buildings--South Carolina--Charleston--Conservation and restorationArchive Details
Archive Size/Extent
1 Covenant/Management Folder
1 History/Miscellaneous FolderArchive Notes
Finding Aids: Index to Property Files
Level of Description: FolderLocation
Location
Shelf
Property File ShelvesRoom
Margaretta P. Childs ArchivesBuilding
Missroon HouseCategory
PermanentDate
February 7, 2023Notes
PF Box 2Relationships
Related Entries
Notes
AMHERST.002.002, AMHERST.002.003, AMHERST.002.004a-o
Related Units of Description: See also Easement Manager's working files for more information.Interpretative Labels
Label Type
Online CatalogLabel
Constructed ca. 1802, attributed to Jacob Belser, who purchased the property in 1802. A three-story stucco over brick house with a two-story piazza on the east, west, and south sides. Has unusual floor plan of two rooms per floor with a rear projecting stairhall with a circular staircase. Endgabled roof is pedimented with a fanlight on the south, and palladian windows in both the east and west gable ends. Noted for its rich neoclassical interior ornamentation. Located on lot 64 of the Village of Hampstead which was subdivided and developed by Henry Laurens in 1770. Purchased in 1840 by Henry Grimke, who added an expansive addition. Remained in the Grimke family until 1907. Historic Charleston Foundation acquired the house in 1962 through the Revolving Fund. Also known as the Christopher Belser House.
Two files contain: documentation of the covenant on the property; correspondence and other documentation related to the sale and management of the property; documentation related to HCF's purchase and rehabilitation of the property; annual inspection reports; requests for alterations; Part I certification application (National Register); house history from Architectural Guide to Charleston; house history from Vernacular Architecture of Charleston; brief house history (HCF, ca. 1960s); SC Historical Society house history (1963); chain-of-title/historical research notes; Historic American Buildings (HABS) (June 1962); reduced-size photocopy of HABS drawing; newspaper articles (including 1979 DYKYC); photocopies of miscellaneous photos (undated, unattributed); photocopy of HCF easement information card (TMS number, year of construction, significant resident(s), deed research, deed restrictions, measurements, and tax information).Created By
admin@catalogit.appCreate Date
May 27, 2004Updated By
sferguson@historiccharleston.orgUpdate Date
May 25, 2023