Inside a 187-Year-Old Home with Major Civil War Ties

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[00:00:00]This home has a direct connection to the start of the Civil War. Today we are at 30 Anson Street or commonly known as the Edward McCrady House. Now, this home was built in 1848. If you look right down there, you get to Market Street. This is on a rare double lot. This is a fantastic house. Just wait till you guys see this. I can't wait to show you. But let's talk about this house by the numbers before we get into all of that.

[00:00:23]Again, 30 Anson Street. This is listed for $4,200,000.

[00:00:27]That's right, $4.2 million. as it is on a rare double lot in the Ansenboroough neighborhood is 4,158 square ft with four bedrooms and two full three full bathrooms and two halfbs. I mean, look at that with the double piazas. Absolutely gorgeous.

[00:00:43]Let's head in. Now, apart from the double lot, one of the first things you do notice about this house is it's all brick construction is a Charleston single. Now, this usually isn't very common, especially when we get south abroad, but here in Anenboroough, little history. So there was a massive fire that burned about 1100 or more acres in Anenboro in 1838 about 11 years before this home was built. So if there was anything on this lot prior to this house it was rubble and ash. Now when the rebuilding happened there was law enacted and then loans and rebuilding incentives to build in brick in case there was another fire. So hence you have these homes. So that is why we have all of these beautiful brick homes in the Ansenboroough neighborhood is because it burned. What up? Before we go any further, like these are original floors here and this house is just so cool. Just wait till you see it. Um downstairs has been redone and it's a little bit more modern but still has some history to it. So stick around for that. So here we are. Whatever was here before burned and then in 1839, this lot is acquired by Edward McCrady.

[00:01:54]So Edward McCrady was born in 1802 in Charleston, graduated from Yale College, class of 1820. And he was one of Charleston's most educated men. He was an attorney. He was the US District Attorney for South Carolina. He was a state legislature.

[00:02:09]and he is the grandson of the original Edward McCrady who owned mccrady's long room tavern on East Bay Street where President George Washington dined in 1791 when he visited Charleston. But back to our Edward mccrady we're talking about. So in the 30s he actually opposed nullification and aligned with Jackson and not Calhoun. However, through the 40s and 50s that shifted firmly towards southern rights and states rights and that's when they built this house. So him and his wife raised their 14 children here. Yes, they had 14 children. Now a kind kind of a cool story after they built this house was there was a newspaper article in um 1960 August 28th that it said strayed on Sunday morning from the premises 30 Anson Street a white curled-haired little pup. The finder will be rewarded by leaving him at the above place. Now, that kind of is the complete opposite of our next story about this house because a few months later, December 17th through the 20th of 1860, we have the ordinance of secession. Now, the South Carolina secession convention open and then it moved to Charleston. And on December 20th, the delegates vote 169 to zero and South Carolina becomes the first state to leave the union. Edward McCrady was in that room and he signed the ordinance probably walked right back to this house. So that was kind of what started the Civil War. And then as we know just not long after that, just a few miles from this house out into the harbor, we have the first shots of the Civil War. During the Civil War, Edward McCradi stayed in the city and Edward McCradi Jr. One of his sons served as a Confederate officer with the first South Carolina Infantry and he fought in the Battle of Antiotam in 1862. Now, it was the bloodiest single day of the entire war. And another son of his, John McCrady, also served on the Confederate forces. After the war, McCrades serves his last public role in the South Carolina legislature from 1864 to 1865.

[00:04:18]Now, after that, for about 20 years, there's not much that happens until we get to 1886. And if you remember from my other videos, that was when the great earthquake happens with the about 7.3 magnitude most powerful earthquake in recorded history on the eastern coast of the United States. And 80% of all structural damage is to brick buildings.

[00:04:38]Exactly what this is, remember? So, half the city's brick roofs were demolished, roofs were cracked, it was it was a mess. And then we have in the Charleston news and courier 31 days after the earthquake a building permit says 30 Anson Street the north wall to the extension of the main house to be taken down to the level of the top of second story. The rear building to also be taken down. So we have two major structural demolitions ordered. The north wall of the house extension reduced to the second story level and the entire rear building to be taken down. So almost certainly earthquake damage because it was so soon after that. But the main house did survive. It was just reduced in form. And then two years later, September 9th, 1888, news and courier says for sale house 30 Anson Street, large lot, flower gardens, fruit trees. So after 50 years of being in the mccrady family, Edward mccrady is 86 years old and the house goes up for sale. Now, McCrady would live for four more years after this, passing away November 16th, 1892 at the age of 90.

[00:05:49]And the family that purchases the home are the Chamberlains. Now, the South Carolina Historical Society records it as after 12 changes of residence, the family purchased 30 Anson Street in 1888. So, by all accounts, this is their 13th home in Charleston. Now, this is William Chamberlain who purchased the house. He was born in England, but he was raised in Charleston. And his wife is from a prominent German origin Charleston family that had been active since the 1970s. Her name was Emily Spicer, just 10 years after they purchased the home. Their daughter Lizzy dies at the age of 22. And before you guys ask, I don't know if her spirit still haunts this place. So use your imagination. Let me know what you think down in the comments. The property most likely stayed in the Chamberlain family until we have a deed transfer in 1951.

[00:06:40]And that was for both 48 and 30 Anson Street. They sold together for a whopping $3,000.

[00:06:46]And in the 1950s, the Anenboroough neighborhood hits rock bottom. The houses that have been in families for 100 plus years are sitting vacant. There is demolition by neglect with roofs falling, porches rotting, and 30 Anen Street is right in the middle of all of this. We don't know exactly where, but it's there. And then as we get in the late 50s, the Historic Charleston Foundation launches Anenboroough Rehabilitation Project. And it's the first preservation revolving fund in the United States. And they bought blighted properties, stabilized them, and resells them with protective covenants that require preservation. Over 12 years, 60 plus structures were saved. And then in 1984, we have an ad for a fully restored 30 Anson Street that has gone on the market. The house was saved. It is here as you see it. You can purchase a piece of history. So, let me know down in the comments what you think about this house and the history. And it does have that connection to the actual start of the Civil War, which is so cool. And if you haven't subscribed yet, go ahead and hit that subscribe button, drop me a comment, and my name is Bill Olsson. I'm a real estate agent here in Charleston.

[00:07:55]I love showing off these historic homes, telling their stories. If you're in the market to buy or sell a home, please reach out to me. I would love to have a chat with you. And please check out this video right here. I think you're going to love it. It's one of the oldest homes in all of Charleston.