Name/Title
2 Bedon's Alley (Humphrey Sommers' Tenement)Entry/Object ID
BEDONS.002.001Scope and Content
Constructed ca. 1778. After the 1778 fire, wealthy contractor Humphrey Sommers, a subcontractor of St. Michael's Church, built the 3-story stucco building at 2 Bedon's Alley as a tenement with shops on the first floor and a residence above. By 1788, it was occupied by Scottish merchant James Gregorie as a store and residence. This area was at that time the center of the city's retail trade and full of activity. It was bequeathed to Gregorie's daughter, Ann Olney Sommers. Previously on the site was the residence of Joseph Boone, according to the Crisp May of 1704. The site had been the back portion Town Lot No. 7 of the Grand Modell, granted originally to Richard Tradd, who in 1688 sold this portion to William Dunlap and John Alexander, who purchased Dunlap's interest in 1697 and by his will, devised the property to his widow, Mrs. Ann Alexander, and his daughter by the same name. The widow Alexander then married Joseph Boone, who purchased the daughter's interest. The tenement had deteriorated into a slum when it was bought in 1928 by James Conners. At that time, the entrance was on 18 Tradd Street, where the east window is now.
Three files contain documentation of the easement on the property including related correspondence and Confirmation of Understanding; Part I certification (National Register); easement appraisal report and IRS form 8283; FOHG house history (1968) and interior furnishings information; narrative history from SCHS (1971); house history from Information for Guides of Historic Charleston; handwritten notes about the house; newspaper article (1975 DYKYC, 2013 Mercury); source documentation compiled by Sarah Fick in preparation for Part I certification application (source list, tax assessor records, 1852 real estate notice, 1861 census listing, 1882 block plat, city directory listings, Sanborn maps, 1973 SC Architectural Inventory sheet, earthquake damage assessment, will of Humphrey Sommers, "A Short History of 16 Tradd Street" by Virginia Gourdin."); Historic Charleston Properties "History Features" real estate description.
Files may eventually contain annual inspection reports, requests for alterations, and correspondence related to the management of the property. See Easement Manager's working files for more information
See Easement Documentation Photo Files for easement donation photographs (Exh. B to Deed of Conservation Easement). No inspection photographs on file (see Easement Manager).Collection
Historic Charleston Foundation Property RecordsAcquisition
Accession
BEDONS.002.Source or Donor
2 Bedon's Alley (Humphrey Sommers' Tenement)Acquisition Method
Collected by StaffLexicon
Search Terms
Bedon's Alley, Easement Property, Historic buildings--South Carolina--CharlestonArchive Details
Archive Size/Extent
1 Gift Folder
1 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, 2023Location
Container
PF Box 7Shelf
Prop File Shelves, Property File ShelvesRoom
Margaretta P. Childs ArchivesBuilding
Missroon HouseCategory
PermanentRelationships
Related Entries
Notes
BEDONS.002.002
Related Units of Description: See also Easement Manager's working files for more information.Related Publications
Notes
Buildings of Charleston (see Abstract), pg. 54Created By
admin@catalogit.appCreate Date
September 6, 2005Updated By
admin@catalogit.appUpdate Date
February 17, 2023