Historic Building on Johns Island, Charleston SC 1730

This vintage photograph captures a historic structure located on Johns Island in Charleston County, South Carolina. The building, constructed in 1730 by John Fenwick, replaced an earlier log house and is representative of the architectural styles of the period. Its design reflects the influences of early Southern plantation architecture, characterized by expansive gardens and palm trees that frame the landscape.

The image is part of the Carnegie Survey of the Architecture of the South, a comprehensive documentation of Southern buildings and their environments. This survey aimed to preserve the architectural heritage of the region and is housed in the Library of Congress. The photograph was acquired from the estate of Frances Benjamin Johnston, a notable photographer whose work provides valuable insights into early 20th-century American life.

This work was published in the 1938 book Plantations of the Carolina Low Country by Samuel Gaillard Stoney. It stands as an important record of Charlestons rich history and the enduring legacy of its plantations.