The Blake Tenement (1760-1772), 6-8 Courthouse Square, Charleston, SC

"Architecturally and aesthetically valuable to the city are Daniel Blake’s Tenements dating from 1760-1772. One of the few examples in Charleston of English bond brickwork, this early double house has spacious dimensions and is distinguished for the beautifully executed woodwork in principal rooms and for its notable wrought iron steps and porch railings. Located on historic Court House Square, the building helps complete the character of the entire area, and it takes on added significance as the western boundary of a proposed courthouse park. The building covers the entire width of the lot with a barrel vaulted pedestrian passage at ground level extending down the center of the building from the street to the yard at the rear. There are, on both sides of the passage, service entrances to the basement of each dwelling as well as windows for ventilation. The two south rooms in the basement probably served as kitchens; each has a large open fireplace. On the south front of the building the brickwork is laid in Flemish bond; the sides and rear are laid in English bond. The floor plans of the two dwellings mirror each other and repeat on all three floors, consisting of a large south room, then a stair hall the full width of the building, and then a north room not quite as deep as the front room. Listed in the National Register August 25, 1970." --http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/charleston/S10817710019/

"The Blake tenements were owned for many years by St. Michael’s Episcopal Church before being purchased in 1967 by the County of Charleston for use as offices." --http://www.preservationsociety.org/program_award_detail.asp?caID=13 (see for more information on the building's renovation and preservation work)

A detail of the steps and first floor facade can be seen here: www.flickr.com/photos/hunky_punk/28875668893.

Note: The widely-used plural (Blake [or Blake's] Tenements) is a misnomer. A tenement is a multi-family dwelling. It refers to the building, not the units it includes. The marker below the porch (which can be clearly seen by enlarging the image) says "Blake Tenement." It was placed there by the County of Charleston, which owns and occupies the building, and the county refers to it officially only as the "Blake Tenement" or "Blake Tenement Building."

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Taken in: United States / South Carolina / Charleston (show map)

Taken on: March 20, 2012

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