William Enston Home

The William Enston Home, located at 900 King St., Charleston, South Carolina, is a complex of many buildings all constructed in the same general Romanesque Revival style. William Enston was a prosperous furniture maker, merchant, and steamship magnate who left his fortune for the creation of a home for the elderly. He died in 1860 leaving a fortune valued at $1 million, but the Civil War reduced its value to half that amount. The City of Charleston received the proceeds of the estate in 1886 following the death of Mr. Enston's widow. In 1887, twenty-seven years after the death of Enston, W.B.W. Howe, Jr. designed the complex of two-story brick cottages according to Enston's instructions. Originally, the residents had to be aged 45 to 75 and of "good honest character."

Twenty-four cottages were constructed in 1887 along with a memorial chapel at the center with a campanile style tower. An infirmary was added in 1931 and later converted into a superintendent's home. Additional cottages were added in the early 20th century, but the design remained very near the original. In 2006, construction was undertaken on a series of additional cottages which were meant to complete the plan for the community. Unfortunately, the design of the newest cottages was merely lightly influenced by the original design; the new cottages, located at the southern edge of the property, are quite distinct in appearance.

Sources

* Robert P. Stockton, "Information for Guides of Historic Charleston, South Carolina" 312-13 (1985).

External links

* [http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/charleston/ Historic Charleston's Religious and Community Buildings, a National Park Service "Discover Our Shared Heritage" Travel Itinerary]