Blake Tenements Explained

Blake Tenements
Location:2--4 Courthouse Sq., Charleston, South Carolina
Coordinates:32.7767°N -79.9319°W
Built:1760
Added:August 25, 1970
Refnum:70000572

The Blake Tenements were built between 1760 and 1772 by Daniel Blake,[1] a planter from Newington Plantation on the Ashley River.[2] [3] The building was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. The building was renovated for use as an annex to a nearby county office building in 1969.[4]

Architecture

The double tenement is three and one-half stories of brick on a high brick basement. The brickwork is laid in Flemish bond on the facade with English bond on the sides. The building was acquired by Charleston County in 1967 and used for county offices.

The building is located on Lot 313 of the original plan of the City of Charleston, land which was granted in 1698 to Gov. Joseph Blake, the great-grandfather of the builder. Today, the lot is known as 6 & 8 Courthouse Square.

After Hurricane Hugo, the building was closed and later restored along with the next door historic Charleston County Courthouse.[5]

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. News: Blake's Tenements Built In 1700s . Charleston News & Courier . October 16, 1978 . November 16, 2013 . Stockton, Robert . B1.
  2. Web site: Fant . Mrs. James W. . Blake Tenements . National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory . June 23, 1970 . 11 June 2012.
  3. Web site: Blake Tenements, Charleston County (2-4 Courthouse Square, Charleston) . National Register Properties in South Carolina . South Carolina Department of Archives and History . 11 June 2012.
  4. News: Blake Tenement Renovation Set. May 24, 2013. Charleston News & Courier. June 26, 1969. 2B.
  5. News: Old meets new in Blake Tenement. May 24, 2013. Charleston Post & Courier. August 30, 2004. 1B. Robert Behre.