South of Broad in Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Stevens-Lather House
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Birthplace of Preservation
Stevens-Lather House. Built c. 1843, this was home to the family of Samuel and Mary Stevens. In 1870, Col. Richard Lathers bought the home and had architect John Henry Devereux make major alterations in the Second Empire style. Lathers was a pro-slavery Unionist who worked in N.Y. before the Civil War. Hoping to promote sectional reconciliation, he hosted joint gatherings of prominent white southerners and northerners before selling the house in 1874.
Birthplace of Preservation. On April 21, 1920, a group of citizens gathered here under the leadership of Susan Pringle Frost and formed the Society for the Preservation of Old Dwellings, the first locally based historic preservation group in the U.S. The society was instrumental to the creation of the nation's first historic district in 1931. In 1956, the group was renamed the Preservation Society of Charleston to reflect a widening mission.
Erected 2020 by South Carolina Department of Archives and History; sponsored by the Preservation Society of Charleston. (Marker Number 10-116.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture
this page online
Location. 32° 46.226′ N, 79° 55.853′ W. Marker is in Charleston, South Carolina, in Charleston County. It is in South of Broad. It is on South Battery Street west of Meeting Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 20 S Battery St, Charleston SC 29401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Historic Charleston and in the Lowcountry. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Civil War Torpedo Boatmen Memorial (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Still On Patrol (about 300 feet
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), May 21, 2026
2. Birthplace of Preservation side of the marker
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), May 21, 2026
3. Stevens-Lather House / Birthplace of Preservation Marker in front of the house
Credits. This page was last revised on May 27, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 27, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 16 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 27, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
