55 Church Street (Benjamin Phillips House)

Archive

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Historic Charleston Foundation

55 Church Street

55 Church Street

Name/Title

55 Church Street (Benjamin Phillips House)

Entry/Object ID

CHURCH.055.1

Scope and Content

Constructed ca. 1818; converted to apartments ca. 1952; restored to residence 1987. This is a 3½ story weatherboarded frame house built by a Charleston merchant in the late-Neoclassical style on the site of the 18th century townhouse of an Ashley River planter. It is notable for its unusual plan, which is an early divergence from the Charleston single house. The arched and fanlighted front door leads to a side passage which provides access to a front room, probably originally for business, and thence to the rest of the building with its residential spaces. Although passing through a succession of prominent resident owners including the physician and scientist Dr. Thomas Y. Simons from 1835-47, the building became a boardinghouse and then apartments before a recent restoration. The garden at the rear has received acclaim as modern interpretation of the classic town garden of 18th century Charleston. (Poston, Buildings of Charleston.) Files contain documentation of the easement on the property including related correspondence and Confirmation of Understanding; easement appraisal report; Part I certification (National Register); annual inspection reports, requests for alterations, and correspondence related to the management of the property; FOHG house history; other narrative histories including detailed report by Robert Stockton; articles about the house and garden; handwritten (staff?) research notes (scant); copy of measured drawing of first floor. See Easement Documentation Photo Files for easement donation photographs (Exh. B to Deed of Conservation Easement) and Covenant/Easement Inspection Photo Files for inspection photography (undated).

Collection

Historic Charleston Foundation Property Records

Acquisition

Accession

CHURCH.055.

Source or Donor

55 Church Street (Benjamin Phillips House)

Acquisition Method

Collected by Staff

Lexicon

Search Terms

Church Street, Easement Property, Historic buildings--South Carolina--Charleston

Legacy Lexicon

Object Name

Property File

Archive Details

Archive Size/Extent

1 Gift Folder 1 Management Folder 1 History/Miscellaneous 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 24

Shelf

Prop File Shelves, Property File Shelves

Room

Margaretta P. Childs Archives

Building

Missroon House

Category

Permanent

Relationships

Related Entries

Notes

2011.015.52, 2011.022.107a-c, 2015.011.1, CHURCH.055.2a-c, CHURCH.055.3 Related Units of Description: Easement Manager's working files Preservation Consultants files (Part I and/or Part II applications and/or photos and/or miscellaneous documentation), 2011.022.1

Related Publications

Notes

Buildings of Charleston (see Abstract), pg. 67

Created By

admin@catalogit.app

Create Date

January 3, 2007

Updated By

admin@catalogit.app

Update Date

February 16, 2023