51 Meeting St
Charleston, SC 29401, USA

National Register of Historic Places - Nathaniel Russell House

Statement of Significant:

This beautiful example of Adam architecture in America was built shortly before 1809, in one of Charleston's happiest eras. Its owner, Nathaniel Russell, one of the city's principal merchants, spent the then great sum of 80,000 upon it.

The house is a lovely picture of its times, set in a spacious garden, its graceful design heightened by the richly contrasting materials of the exterior, and the delicate details of the interior.

Rated as "Nationally Important" in the survey This is Charleston, the Nathaniel Russell House is also featured in The Octagon Library of Early American Architecture. Vol. I. Charleston, S.C., published by the Press of the American Institute of Architects, Inc.

It is operated as a house museum by Historic Charleston Foundation, which makes its headquarters here.

The house is an exercise in ellipses. The subtle curves appear in the plans of rooms, of the astonishing flying stair, and in the balconies about the middle story. Ellipses repeat also in the principal windows and doorways, and one frames the monogram of Nathaniel Russell in the balcony railing above the entrance.
Statement of Significant:

This beautiful example of Adam architecture in America was built shortly before 1809, in one of Charleston's happiest eras. Its owner, Nathaniel Russell, one of the city's principal merchants, spent the then great sum of 80,000 upon it.

The house is a lovely picture of its times, set in a spacious garden, its graceful design heightened by the richly contrasting materials of the exterior, and the delicate details of the interior.

Rated as "Nationally Important" in the survey This is Charleston, the Nathaniel Russell House is also featured in The Octagon Library of Early American Architecture. Vol. I. Charleston, S.C., published by the Press of the American Institute of Architects, Inc.

It is operated as a house museum by Historic Charleston Foundation, which makes its headquarters here.

The house is an exercise in ellipses. The subtle curves appear in the plans of rooms, of the astonishing flying stair, and in the balconies about the middle story. Ellipses repeat also in the principal windows and doorways, and one frames the monogram of Nathaniel Russell in the balcony railing above the entrance.

Nathaniel Russell House, 51 Meeting St Charleston, Charleston County, SC

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For additional documentation, see also HALS SC-12 (Nathaniel Russell House)

Nathaniel Russell House, Dependencies, 51 Meeting St Charleston, Charleston County, SC

HABS SC-145-A