Ansonborough in Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

The Joseph Manigault House

Photographed By Mike Stroud, December 18, 2011

1. The Joseph Manigault House Marker

Inscription. An outstanding example of the Adam Style of architecture in plan, interior detail, and decoration. The house was designed by Gabriel Manigault, Charleston's most famous amateur architect, for his brother Joseph Manigault, who acquired the lot in 1802 and built the house a short time later.
The lot, which was part of a tract formerly known as Wraggsborough, had belonged to Joseph Manigault's mother, Mrs. Peter Manigault, to whom it had come by inheritance from her father Joseph Wragg.

Erected 1953 by The City of Charleston, S.C.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the National Historic Landmarks series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1802.

Location. 32° 47.313′ N, 79° 56.126′ W. Marker is in Charleston, South Carolina, in Charleston County. It is in Ansonborough. Marker is at the intersection of Meeting Street and Ashmead Place, on the right when traveling north on Meeting Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 350 Meeting Street, Charleston SC 29401, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Charleston Museum's Joseph Manigault House (within shouting distance of this marker); Wragg Square (within shouting distance of this marker);

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Federal Building (within shouting distance of this marker); The Civil War Submarine, H.L. Hunley (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Wade Hampton Monument (about 400 feet away); Dates of Historical Interest (about 500 feet away); The 1780 Siege of Charleston (about 500 feet away); Passengers and Products (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Charleston.

Regarding The Joseph Manigault House. National Register of Historic Places:
Manigault, Joseph, House *** (added 1973 - - #73001688)
350 Meeting St. , Charleston
♦ Historic Significance: Architecture/Engineering
♦ Architect, builder, or engineer: Manigault,Gabriel
♦ Architectural Style: Early Republic, Other
♦ Area of Significance: Architecture
♦ Period of Significance: 1750-1799
♦ Historic Function: Domestic

One of the finest examples of the Adam style in America, the Joseph Manigault house reflects the architect’s taste for the classic style. Particularly of note is the small and refined scale

The Joseph Manigault House Marker seen along Meeting Street at Ashmead Place image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mike Stroud, December 18, 2011

2. The Joseph Manigault House Marker seen along Meeting Street at Ashmead Place

of the detail in mantels, door and window mouldings, and cornices at wall and ceiling angles. Robert Adam was the first architect using this classic vocabulary to make a distinction between the scale of temples and the smaller scale appropriate to domestic architecture. The house was designed by Gabriel Manigault for his brother Joseph, and built in 1790. The designer Manigault had studied in Geneva and London before the Revolution. He came back to Charleston before the war
and designed several buildings in the city after the war. The house is patterned as a parallelogram, its right angled severity broken effectively by a stairwell bow on the north wall, a bowed piazza to the west, and offset wide porches on the south where the formal garden affords a pleasant view toward the domed gate house. The wooden columns of the portico are mounted on stone plinths to prevent rot and between the subflooring and the heart-pine flooring is a layer of lime to discourage insects. Heavy pine rafters support the slate roof. Listed in the National Register November 7, 1973; Designated a National Historic Landmark November 7, 1973. (South Carolina Department of Archives and History)

Also see . . . Joseph Manigault House, The Charleston Museum entry. ..reflects the lifestyle of both a wealthy, rice-planting family and the slaves

The Joseph Manigault House image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mike Stroud, December 18, 2011

3. The Joseph Manigault House

who also lived there. ... (Submitted on December 22, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)

Additional commentary.
1. The Joseph Manigault House,
built in 1803, is a premier example of Adam-style or Federal architecture. Designed by gentleman architect Gabriel Manigault for his brother Joseph, the house is one of the most distinguished in the city, capturing the lifestyle of a wealthy, rice-planting family. The interior reflects an outstanding collection of American, English and French furnishings of the period. A charming Gate Temple is the focus of the period Garden.
In 1920, the house was threatened with demolition to make way for a gas station. In response, a group of
Charlestonians organized a preservation group which would become the Preservation Society of Charleston.

— Submitted December 22, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.

The Joseph Manigault House and Gate Temple, as mentioned image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mike Stroud, December 18, 2011

4. The Joseph Manigault House and Gate Temple, as mentioned

The Joseph Manigault House Gate Temple image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mike Stroud, December 18, 2011

5. The Joseph Manigault House Gate Temple

The Joseph Manigault House Front door seen from the Gate Temple image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mike Stroud, December 18, 2011

6. The Joseph Manigault House Front door seen from the Gate Temple

National Register Plaque is seen at right

The Joseph Manigault House National Register of Historic Places: National Historic Landmark image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mike Stroud, December 18, 2011

7. The Joseph Manigault House National Register of Historic Places: National Historic Landmark

Joseph Manigault House (#73001688) Listed in the National Register November 7, 1973; Designated a National Historic Landmark November 7, 1973.

The Joseph Manigault House, Meeting Street image. Click for full size.

SC Dept of Archives and History, Will Hamilton, January 12, 2007

8. The Joseph Manigault House, Meeting Street

Historic American Buildings Survey, Charles N. Bayless, circa 1977

9. The Joseph Manigault House

Historic American Engineering Record Habs SC,10-CHAR,21-6

Gabriel Manigault, house designer image. Click for full size.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Jeremiah Theus, circa 1757

10. Gabriel Manigault, house designer

Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 22, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 1,113 times since then and 50 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on December 22, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 10. submitted on January 2, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.