The history of Charleston's largest home - The Williams Mansion

The Williams Mansion c. 1870

The mansion was constructed in the early 1870s by George Walton Williams, a wealthy Charleston businessman, banker, and Confederate supporter. Williams had made his fortune in wholesale groceries and later in finance, and he spared no expense in building a residence that would reflect his success. Completed in 1876, the mansion was the grandest home in Charleston at the time, costing an estimated $200,000—a staggering sum for the era.

Designed in the Italianate style, the house rises three full stories, with a raised basement and a massive cupola crowning the roofline. Its scale and ornamentation set it apart from the traditional antebellum townhouses of Charleston. The façade features Corinthian columns, arched windows, elaborate cornices, and an imposing presence on Meeting Street. Inside, the mansion contained over 35 rooms, a grand ballroom, a music room, and a dining hall that could seat dozens of guests. The ceilings soared to 14 feet, and the home was outfitted with the finest imported wood, marble, and crystal. Gas lighting, indoor plumbing, and other modern innovations made it one of the most advanced residences in the city.

The Williams family occupied the mansion only briefly. After George Walton Williams’s financial decline in the late 19th century, the house was sold and passed through several owners. Its connection to the Calhoun family—descendants of the powerful South Carolina statesman John C. Calhoun—led to its popular name, the Calhoun Mansion. Throughout the 20th century, however, the home fell into disrepair. At one point, it was even used as a boarding house, far from its original grandeur.

By the mid-20th century, preservationists began to recognize the importance of saving the structure. In 1972, the mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Later, the home was purchased by preservation-minded owners who undertook extensive renovations to restore it to its former magnificence. For several decades, it was opened to the public as a museum, allowing visitors to marvel at its elaborate interiors and learn about Charleston’s Gilded Age history.

The Williams Mansion also gained attention as a filming location for movies and television shows, further cementing its reputation as one of Charleston’s architectural icons. In 2018, the home was returned to private ownership and is no longer open for regular tours, though its striking presence continues to dominate Meeting Street.

Today, the Williams Mansion remains a symbol of Charleston’s resilience and grandeur. It tells the story of a city rebuilding itself after the Civil War, of fortunes made and lost, and of the importance of historic preservation in safeguarding Charleston’s unique heritage. While most of Charleston’s homes reflect its colonial and antebellum past, the Williams Mansion offers a rare glimpse into the opulence of the late 19th century—a reminder of the city’s ability to reinvent itself while holding tightly to its history.