Charleston Historic District

The city of Charles Town was founded in 1670, with the heart of the city laid out on the peninsula between the Ashley and cooper Rivers. Over 300 years later and this is where the historic district now resides. The city has always been a “hub” of southeastern commerce, and its continued importance throughout centuries of American history makes Charleston one of the best examples of high-quality historical architecture.

The historic district was not formally declared as a National Historic Landmark until 1960. It contains 2,800 historic buildings, including cobblestone streets and historic homes. In one stroll through the city, you can see the progression of eight different architectural styles: Colonial, Georgian, Federal, Classic Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Victorian, and Art Deco.

Charleston is well-known for its “single houses,” which are typically one room in width, built closely to the street, with an entrance on the side.

Since most Charleston homes do not have a front yard, many homes have a “Charleston Style” entry – when entering from the street, you open a door and walk directly into onto the front porch. Standing on the porch, or piazza, you wait at the building's actual front door, before being allowed to enter the home.

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16 Legare Street

"Amarinthea Elliott, plantress, built this house c.1795. The three and one-half story frame house is simple in detail with the features transitional between Georgian and Federal, typical of houses built in the period after the Revolution." --Samuel Gaillard Stoney, This Is Charleston (1976)

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165 Tradd Street

Currently listed for sale. 2 bedrooms, 2.5 bath, 2000 sq. feet.
$1.35 million
"Charming circa 1870 ''South of Broad'' Charleston Single house on quiet end of historic Tradd Street. This home was beautifully renovated with the footprint expanded in 2006- then it was completely updated again from 2015-2017 by the current owners. Notable exterior features include double screened piazzas, a lovely walled English Garden and fountain designed by renowned Charleston landscape architect Robert Chesnut, off-street parking, storm windows and new gutters.The outside copper lanterns were designed by the late John Gantt, who designed many of the downtown Charleston gas lights. First floor features include a formal living room and dining room with beautiful original hardwood floors."
Click through the pictures below to see the interior.

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6 Water Street

 "Captain Francis W. Saltus, Sr. was a successful Charleston ship owner, wharf owner, and cotton factor. In the South, most cotton planters relied on cotton factors (also known as commission merchants or cotton brokers) to sell their crops for them.
Saltus later co-owned an extensive hardware and ship chandlery with his sons.

He built this two and one half story Federal style single house. The frame structure rests on a raised basement and features a closed return box cornice and a gable roof with an elaborate central pediment flanked by two dormer windows. Double piazzas supported by slender columns span the east façade, shallow arches highlight the first floor piazza, as does the central doorway which is capped with a semi-elliptical transom typical of the period...." -- from the marker on the house by the Preservation Society of Charleston

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78 Church Street

This historic home is known as the Dubose Heyward House. It was once a modest two-story structure, but has since been combined with a neighboring home to create one unit -- both of which are post-revolutionary. This smaller home belonged to Dubose Heyward (1885–1940), author of Porgy, one of the first works to portray Southern African-Americans in a positive light. The house was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971.

It was last listed in 2012. The description:
"Built in 1790, the Dubose Heyward house combines two post-revolutionary houses into a single unit. This impeccably renovated home has been transformed into a true Charleston retreat with private courtyard, salt water pool, and recently detached guest house." 
Front of house picture grabbed from Google Maps (sorry!)