William Aiken House
WILLIAM AIKEN HOUSE
BUILT BETWEEN 1807 AND 1811. THE EAST WING WAS
ADDED AFTER 1831. RESIDENCE OF WILLIAM AIKEN, FIRST
PRESIDENT (1828-1831) OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CANAL
AND RAILROAD COMPANY. THIS COMPANY INAUGURATED THE
AMERICAN STEAM RAILROAD ERA AT CHARLESTON. CHRISTMAS
DAY 1830, BY USING FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THIS
CONTINENT A STEAM LOCOMOTIVE IN REGULAR SERVICE TO
PULL A TRAIN OF CARS ON A TRACK. IT WAS ALSO THE
FIRST IN THIS COUNTRY TO CARRY THE MAIL. THE
PROPERTY WAS INHERITED BY GOVERNOR WILLIAM AIKEN, JR.,
WHO SOLD IT IN 1863 TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA RAILROAD
COMPANY, WHICH LATER BECAME A PART OF THE SOUTHERN
RAILWAY SYSTEM.
APPROVED BY THE
HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF CHARLESTON, S.C.
Submitted by ykarps