1202 Broad Street – Bishop Davis House

“A Camden architectural masterpiece built as a Charleston single house.”

City Directories and History:  1913 – W.A. Hinson, W.J. Trapp, 1925 – J.D. Sinclair, 1941 – Ida Baker, 1964 – W. Bratton Deloach Insurance

Bishop Davis House –  The Bishop Davis house is a classic example of a Charleston single house. The three-story brick structure is situated sideways to the street, and there are only two rooms to each floor. For many years, this was the home of the Right Reverend Thomas Frederick Davis, Bishop of South Carolina, 1853-1870. [Courtesy of the Camden Tour Book]

It appears this home was constructed by a planter named William Daniel who owned a large farm between Camden and Liberty Hill, where he is buried. He had purchased the lot in 1817 for $900. He died in 1837 and the house and lot were sold for the sum of $4,000, described as, “the premises occupied by William Daniel in his lifetime and for some years after his death by his widow, Elinor Daniel.”

The property was acquired by Chapman Levy who after moving to Mississippi sold the property again in 1843 to James R. McKain, a druggist and mayor of Camden. Following Mr. McKain’s death in a riverboat drowning, the property was sold in 1854 to the Rev. T.F. Davis, the rector at Grace Episcopal Church. Upon his rise to Bishop David the Camden Episcopal Seminary was established across the street from the home. The seminary was destroyed by fire during the Civil War. By 1903 the house was the home of T.H. Clarke and L.B. Clarke. The house was later used by Norman M. Fohl as a charming antique shop. Much of the information provided here was gathered by Henry Savage, Jr.

This outstanding structure, pictured below in B&W, was recorded as part of the Historic America Building Survey in circa 1940 as one of the regions most important.

Click on the More Information > link found below the picture column for additional data or pictures.

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