“Freedman Mr. Duckett builds a beautiful home for his family.”
City Directories and History 1918 – Charles H. Duckett, 1948 – Mattie Duckett, 1975- Vacant, This was the long-term home of Charlie Duckett, a African American
lumber dealer in downtown Laurens, S.C. The house is attributed to African American contractor, Mr. Columbus White (1857-1945), of Laurens, S.C. who had a close working relationship with Mr. Duckett.
The Charles H. Duckett House is significant to the areas of architecture, black history, and commerce for its association with Charlie Duckett (1860-1947), a prominent black Laurens businessman. Mr. Duckett built the house ca. 1892 as his private residence and continued to live there for the rest of his life. He was a carpenter, contractor, and lumber dealer in Laurens during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In addition to the lumberyard, Duckett operated a funeral home. He took an active part in the civic affairs of Laurens and in the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. The Charles H. Duckett House is a vernacular, one-story, frame residence with a partial basement. The L-shaped house, a Folk Victorian style, has a low-pitch, hip roof of standing seam metal and a boxed cornice. The exterior is sheathed in beaded weatherboarding, accented by corner pilasters and a water table. The house is outstanding in its level of ornamentation. Distinctive features include sawn and perforated porch details, paneled ceilings, ornate mantels, wainscoting, carved door and window surrounds, and an Eastlake front door. The home is located in a residential neighborhood that has been associated with the black community of Laurens since its development. Listed in the National Register November 19, 1986. [Courtesy of the SC Dept. of Archives and History]
Stay Connected
Explore history, houses, and stories across S.C. Your membership provides you with updates on regional topics, information on historic research, preservation, and monthly feature articles. But remember R&R wants to hear from you and assist in preserving your own family genealogy and memorabilia.
Visit the Southern Queries – Forum to receive assistance in answering questions, discuss genealogy, and enjoy exploring preservation topics with other members. Also listed are several history and genealogical researchers for hire.
User comments welcome — post at the bottom of this page.
Please enjoy this structure and all those listed in Roots and Recall. But remember each is private property. So view them from a distance or from a public area such as the sidewalk or public road.
Do you have information to share and preserve? Family, school, church, or other older photos and stories are welcome. Send them digitally through the “Share Your Story” link, so they too might be posted on Roots and Recall.
User comments always welcome - please post at the bottom of this page.
Share Your Comments & Feedback: