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All 208 Charleston Attractions »

Edmondston-Alston House

21 East Battery, Charleston, SC 29401
843-722-7171
Ranked #30 of 82 attractions in Charleston
4.5 of 5 stars 84 Reviews
Type: Historic Sites, Museums
Activities: Group tours/walking tour
Owner description: Of Charleston's many fine house museums, only the Edmondston-Alston House (constructed in 1825 and enhanced in 1838) commands a magnificent view of... more » Owner description: Of Charleston's many fine house museums, only the Edmondston-Alston House (constructed in 1825 and enhanced in 1838) commands a magnificent view of Charleston Harbor. From its piazza, General P. T. Beauregard watched the fierce bombardment of Ft. Sumter on April 12, 1861, signaling the start of the Civil War. And on December 11 of the same year, the house gave refuge to General Robert E. Lee the night a wide-spreading fire threatened his safety in a Charleston hotel.Much like the Middleton Place House Museum, the collection at the Edmondston-Alston House Museum consists of pieces that belonged to the family, reflecting not only family history but American history. Despite the ravages of the Civil War, the Earthquake of 1886 and numerous hurricanes, the Alston family pieces remain in place much as they have for over 150 years. Notable in the collection is an original print of the Ordinance of Secession, portraits, dining room table, gas lights, mirror and exquisite interior woodwork. « less
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84 reviews from our community

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Date Rating
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
2 reviews
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 26 May 2012 NEW

Edmondston-Alston House 21 East Battery, Charleston, SC 29401 A trip to the Edmonston-Alston House is well worth it while visiting Charleston, S.C. The house is very refined with many original pieces. It is a beautiful house full of history. It is stratecially located so that one can see Fort Sumter from the second floor library. Our guide Ms. Arlena Withers... More

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Texas
Top Contributor
171 reviews 171 reviews
Reviews in 84 cities Reviews in 84 cities
98 helpful votes 98 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 May 2012

Park your car at the Visitors Center and get a Heritage Passport. Ride the free bus south. This home is near the seawall. Gen. Beauregard watched the assault on Fort Sumter from here. I enjoyed the piazzas and Joggling board.

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See 11 more reviews by TexansAlso for Charleston
Dallas, Texas
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 May 2012

Excellent house to tour in charleston. A must. Fabulous tour guide !

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See 5 more reviews by Karen1949622 for Charleston
Gloucester, Virginia, United States
Senior Reviewer
9 reviews 9 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 May 2012

This tour was a pleasant surprise on our trip to Charleston. We "stumbled" on it as we took our own walking tour, decided to take the guided tour, and were glad we did. Tour guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating. We really felt the history and learned a lot about the development and legacy of Charleston and the famil(ies) who... More

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See 4 more reviews by Betty D for Charleston
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 May 2012

Big bucks went in to this house long ago. Spacious rooms, a three-story free-standing circular stairway, and great docents make this a must visit while in Charleston.

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See 2 more reviews by CuriousOne39 for Charleston
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 1 May 2012 via mobile

Fascinating historic home with original furnishings. David Brown, our guide was just as fresh and knowledgable on his last tour of the day as we could wish. He went above and beyond helping very weary tourists get back to their hotel. Thank you!

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See 2 more reviews by Karenchrst59 for Charleston
HOU
Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 30 April 2012

Great History, Great Spot, Bit pricey for what we saw, Tour Guide was a bit course ...

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See 4 more reviews by Dwane R for Charleston
Maryland
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
13 helpful votes 13 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 April 2012

A friend who lives in Charleston recommended that we see this home. The tour guide was very informative, and it is a lovely home. I cannot compare it to the other house tours, because we only had time to do this one. I hope to go back to Charleston to see more.

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Houston, Texas
Senior Contributor
45 reviews 45 reviews
Reviews in 19 cities Reviews in 19 cities
10 helpful votes 10 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 April 2012

Fantastic to be able to take the house tour which was very well guided. The guide's knowledge and presentation was excellent. The house is beautifully preserved and furnished and is just wonderful. The views off the balcony out to Ft Sumpter are great too.

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See 9 more reviews by 2kiwinomads for Charleston
Schaefferstown
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 April 2012
1
person found this review helpful

This is a grand (in every sense of the word) house overlooking the Battery that exemplifies the lifestyle of wealthy Charlestonians before the war. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable...and, like everyone we met in Charleston, was extremely friendly and courteous.

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See 4 more reviews by herstoryprof for Charleston

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