5 Bedon's Alley (William Cunnington House)

Archive

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Historic Charleston Foundation

5 Bedon's Alley

5 Bedon's Alley

Name/Title

5 Bedon's Alley (William Cunnington House)

Entry/Object ID

BEDONS.005.001

Scope and Content

Constructed ca. 1779. This house is unusual in that it was constructed during the Revolution; built of bricks made by a local brickmaker named Moore whose product was considered worth mentioning in an advertisement for the sale of the property in 1784. Capt. Anthony Toomer, a noted local builder, was the contractor. William James Cunnington, a prosperous merchant, built a single house, 2 bays wide and used it both as a "countinghouse" or office on the first floor and elegant residence above. George Whitfield, who purchased the property in 1794, added the 3-story south wing in 1794 and redecorated the house in the then popular Adamesque style. Whitfield retained the property until 1820. William Doran, owner of a stevedoring business, and his descendants retained the property from 1857 to 1980. During the bombardment of the city by Federal guns during the Civil War, Doran opened the house to refugees, as it has thick walls. Tradition holds that America's oldest musical organization, the St. Cecilia Society, was founded in this building. File contains FOHG house history (1993); newspaper article "House Built During Revolution" dated 4/7/1980 (DYKYC); house history from Information for Guides of Historic Charleston.

Collection

Historic Charleston Foundation Property Records

Acquisition

Accession

BEDONS.005.

Source or Donor

5 Bedon's Alley (William Cunnington House)

Acquisition Method

Collected by Staff

Lexicon

Search Terms

Bedon's Alley, Historic buildings--South Carolina--Charleston

Legacy Lexicon

Object Name

Property File

Archive Details

Archive Size/Extent

1 File Folder

Archive Notes

Finding Aids: Index to Property Files. Level of Description: Folder

Location

Location

Shelf

Property File Shelves

Room

Margaretta P. Childs Archives

Building

Missroon House

Category

Permanent

Date

February 7, 2023

Location

Container

PF Box 7

Shelf

Prop File Shelves, Property File Shelves

Room

Margaretta P. Childs Archives

Building

Missroon House

Category

Permanent

Relationships

Related Entries

Notes

BEDONS.005.002, BEDONS.005.003

Related Publications

Notes

Buildings of Charleston (see Abstract), pg. 54

Created By

admin@catalogit.app

Create Date

September 6, 2005

Updated By

admin@catalogit.app

Update Date

February 16, 2023