George Washington Slept Here Too - Heyward-Washington House

This home was built in 1772, as the town home of Founding Father Thomas Hayward, Jr., one of the South Carolina’s four signers of the Declaration of Independence. A patriot leader and artillery officer with the South Carolina militia during the American Revolutionary War, he was captured when the British took Charleston in 1780 and was exiled to St. Augustine, Florida. The City rented this house for George Washington’s use during the President’s week long Charleston stay in 1791, and it has traditionally been called the “Hayward-Washington House”. The house was sold to John Grimke in 1794. It was then acquired by Mrs. Margaret Munro who operated the property as a boarding house. Margaret’s granddaughter, Elizabeth was left the house and lived there with her husband until the Union bombardment at the onset of the Civil War, when she fled the city. The property changed hands several time before being acquired by the museum in 1929, and the following year was opened as Charleston’s first historic house museum, and was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1978.

Here is what caught my eye; I hope you enjoy!

The street-facing facade of the main Georgian-style double house.

Part of the kitchen building in the rear.

The back facade of the main house

Today the walled gardens are planted in the space once occupied by the houses’s former enslaved work yard.

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A Short History of Charleston

By Rosen, Robert N.

History Lover's Guide to Charleston, A (History & Guide)

By Downey, Christopher Byrd

Historic Charleston and the Lowcountry

Gibbs Smith

Looking back at the house from the gardens you will see the kitchen / laundry building on the left and the carriage shed on the right.

These next few images are of the interior the the kitchen building, the only 1740’s kitchen building open to the public in Charleston.

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The laundry area

The kitchen / laundry building with enslaved quarter on the second floor

The main house dining room

The staircase to the second floor

This archway marks the entry from the public rooms to the private areas of the house.

Two of the bedrooms

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A ‘necessary’ in the bedroom

The Drawing Room

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The withdrawing room

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This is a Holmes-Edwards bookcase located in the withdrawing room. It is considered one of the finest examples of American colonial furniture.

What you should know:

• Restrooms are available.

• On the street parking is available, some metered; check posted parking regulations signs. There are also paid parking garages nearby.

• House and grounds are self-guided.

• You could spend 1 - 1.5 hours here.

• Tickets can be purchased on-line or in-preson. You might want to purchase an Essential Charleston Passport which will get you into eight historical Charleston attractions. This can be purchased on-line, and will save you a couple of bucks.

Location: 87 Church Street, Charleston, SC 29403

For more information: Heywood-Washington House