“A Charleston favorite and one of the most historic.”
City Directories and History: DEAS-TUNNO HOUSE
Constructed circa 1780-87
“The Scottish merchant George Seaman owned this property. It passed from him to his friend David Deas and then to Deas’s nephew John Deas Jr., married to Seaman’s step-daughter. Seaman’s tenement was destroyed in 1778, and Deas rebuilt the Revolution. Adam Tunno, who rose to be one of Charleston’s richest merchants, bought the property in 1787. Tunno, called the “King of the Scotch in Charleston,” served as steward of the St. Andrew’s Society until his death in 1834. One story retains its original fenestration and interior on its upper floors. A stone-lined cellar, possibly used for wine and spirits, survives under the structure. The lower story was remodeled with a garage and service addition to the south in 1936 with the assistance of the Charleston restoration firm of Simons and Lapham. Tunno’s property stretched to Bedon’s Alley, and his extensive outbuildings, including slave quarters and former warehouses, today comprise some of the most valued restored residences on the alley.”
Information from: The Buildings of Charleston – J.H. Poston for the Historic Charleston Foundation, 1997
Other sources: Charleston Tax Payers of Charleston, SC in 1860-61, Dwelling Houses of Charleston by Alice R.H. Smith – 1917, Charleston 1861 Census Schedule, and a 1872 Bird’s Eye View of Charleston, S.C. The Hist. Charleston Foundation may also have additional data at: Past Perfect
Preservation Art at Work: Courtesy of Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art: Rick Rhodes – photographer, Ronald Ramsey artist – preservationist, 2017. (For the last several decades, native Charlestonian Ronald Wayne Ramsey has focused on meticulously documenting historical buildings—particularly those slated for demolition—in his hometown. As old buildings in the historically-minded city become condemned and readied for demolition, he secrets himself inside and liberates various seemingly mundane objects from their impending destruction. Such objects, like hinges, shutter dogs, decorative ironwork, doorknobs, and other ubiquitous building artifacts gain new relevance once they become part of his salvaged collection, which traces architectural styles from Charleston’s rich architectural legacy. Along with these objects, Ramsey creates fastidiously detailed drawings of old building facades in the city. Text from the Ahead of the Wrecking Ball Exhibit – 2017)
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