Name/Title
92 Tradd Street (Dewar-Lee-Pringle House)Entry/Object ID
TRADD.092.1Scope and Content
Constructed ca. 1762; altered ca. 1850. Charles Dewar built this house shortly after purchasing the lot in 1762. The Dewar family sold the property in 1835 to Eliza Seymour Lee, daughter of the famous Charleston cook Sally Seymour and wife of John Lee. The Lees were prominent members of Charleston's Free African-American elite. They first operated Lee's Boarding House and then in 1847 took over operation of the world-renowned Jones's Hotel. This hotel, located in the Mansion House on Broad Street, had been famous for its service since its founding in 1816 by the free black Jehu Jones. During the Lees' ownership the house was remodeled in a mix of Greek Revival and Egyptian Revival styles. The latter influence can particularly be seen in the decorative window surrounds on the facade. The house began with a single-house plan, but this has been somewhat altered by enclosed piazzas and a penthouse addition. The Lees remained in the house until after the Civil War. In 1873 it was sold to Ernest Pringle, a president of the Bank of South Carolina. His descendants have occupied the dwelling ever since. (Poston, Buildings of Charleston.)
Three files contain documentation of the easement on the property including related correspondence and Confirmation of Understanding; Part I certification (National Register); appraisal (letter); annual inspection reports, requests for alterations, and correspondence related to the management of the property; FOHG house histories (2008, 2012); SC Historical Society tour house histories (1968, 2012); brief narrative history (unattributed, undated), with excerpt from "Black Slaveowners: Free Black Slave Masters in South Carolina" (Larry Koger, 1986); illustration (drawing) of the house (unattributed, undated); archaeological reports (1999 and 2000); graduate student report (year) on the history of the building/property, which includes historical and chain-of-title research, maps, photos, and other supporting documentation (Laura Beth Ingle, 2009).
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.Collection
Historic Charleston Foundation Property RecordsAcquisition
Accession
TRADD.092.Source or Donor
92 Tradd Street (Dewar-Lee-Pringle House)Acquisition Method
Collected by StaffLexicon
Search Terms
Tradd Street, Easement Property, African American history / Black history, 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, 2023Relationships
Related Entries
Notes
TRADD.092.2, TRADD.092.3, TRADD.092.4
Related Units of Description: Easement Manager's working filesRelated Publications
Notes
Buildings of Charleston (see Abstract), pg. 282Created By
admin@catalogit.appCreate Date
June 13, 2012Updated By
admin@catalogit.appUpdate Date
February 17, 2023