City Directories and History: This large example of a “mosquito cottage” was built in the 1840’s. The ground floor originally contained the kitchen and storage rooms. The second and third floors were living and sleeping quarters for the owner’s family. The attractive porch with square columns and flight of descending stairs divides toward the ground level. The interior has a beautiful staircase, mantels, wainscoting and trim. [Courtesy Chamber of Commerce]
Click on the More Information > link to find additional data on Osmond Thompson.
Informative link: National Register, Greek Revival Architecture, Margaret Alling Tombstone
The Meng house on Washington Street was built in the late 1840’s by Mr. Osmond W. Thompson.

Mr. and Mrs. O.R. Thompson’s elegant photograph, the builders of this impressive house.
This house is constructed of heart pine with wooden pegs used instead of nails. The handsome paneled staircase, newel post, wide plank floors, double windows, and high ceilings are typical of the antebellum period. A R&R contributor, Mr. John Withers wrote in Nov., 2013, “….residence of O.R. Thompson and Eliza Ann Barkley. Your great great-grandparents would have lived in this house through the Civil War and the births of the Mary Grey, Walter Lowry, Margaret and Nancy Stevenson generation. My grandmother was the fourth child of Mary Grey Thompson and spent most of her life in South Carolina and North Carolina.

Image of the Meng house ca. 1970’s.
The original house consisted of four large rooms and a wide hallway on the second floor, used as living quarters; the kitchen and service rooms were in the basement. In later years the north wing was added. The present owner, Mr. Bernard B. Meng, completely restored the basement in 1940, converting it into a commodious apartment, now occupied by members of the family.
Plantation Heritage, p. 167, claims this house design was illustrated in Godey’s Fashion Magazine and for that reason, it became highly popular throughout the region.
Click on the More Information > link found below the picture column for additional data or pictures.
Also see link: Fairfield County History / Sites and Structures
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