On my last post, I wrote about the relaxing trip we took to Hilton Head Island on the coast of South Carolina early in November. The weather was great except for one day that was cold, 54 degrees, and rainy. We planned a house tour that day to stay inside. Come join us!
We drove about 30 minutes from Hilton Head to historic Bluffton, SC, to visit beautiful Rose Hill Mansion. It was built in 1858. The history is incredible and well documented so visit this website,
www.RoseHillMansion.com for the background. I just wanted to share some pictures we took with you.
The house is a 10,000 square-foot Gothic Revival that borders an inland waterway at the back. The front yard is several acres. Oh, the house looks so romantic with the Spanish moss blowing in the cold wind! The owners live upstairs and the tour is of the downstairs areas.
The ceiling on the porches are in a barrel shape to keep the air cool.
The owners lived in the gardener's cottage for three years while the house was renovated. Yes, you can rent the cottage!
When you enter the wide double doors, this beautiful staircase is the first thing you see. Yes, you can rent the house for weddings!
This table and gorgeous rug is at the bottom of the stairs!
The furniture was bought by the current owners to complement the house.
Next are pictures of the office. This is my favorite room.
Next is the ladies parlor!
It was about this time in the tour when the guide reminded us of The Great Depression when squatters lived in the house. In each room was a family with no electricity or running water. Families even kept their chickens in their room. .
Now, the dining room....where we were served wonderful refreshments: pound cakes, cobblers, pimento cheeses, etc.
There was a sun room off the dining room and a men's parlor that was huge! After I ate a few refreshments, I forgot to take many pictures:-). Here are a few pictures of some of the large furniture in the men's parlor.
Now for the rest of the story. During the civil war, Union forces occupied Hilton Head. When they fired on Bluffton, they spared Rose Hill. History says they didn't burn the house because the troops thought it looked like a church. In fact, the same architect designed the
Church of the Cross in Bluffton. But others say no. Dr. John Kirk, the builder of both Rose Hill and the Church of the Cross, was a beloved doctor who took care of both Confederate and Union troops who were wounded.
A beautiful day in the low country....Thank you for joining us!
Love,
Lottie
