If you've ever visited or live here in Charleston, I'm sure you've heard of/have seen the long line of pastel colored houses along East Bay and the Battery downtown. People from all around come to see what is called Rainbow Row to admire its beauty. While all can make the assumption that there is history behind these houses, I've done some digging to figure out what exactly that history is.
So, what exactly is Rainbow Row?
Well, these houses were not always the bright and vibrant pastels that they are now. The Georgian style homes each have their own stories that are actually quite interesting. First constructed around 1740, these houses were used by merchants who would run their businesses on the ground floor while living above. Following the Civil War, downtown Charleston was quite run down and was considered by most, the slums. So how did it transform into the beautiful aesthetic it is today?
Well, it was all made possible when Dorothy Porcher Legge and her husband Judge Lionel Legge invested in the homes in 1931. Soon after, Dorothy decided to paint all of the houses a light pastel pink, to brighten up the area giving it a Caribbean vibe, making it look nicer! Once people began residing in the houses on the street, different pastels became part of the 'row' that we all know and love today.
There are many myths behind the purpose of each individual colored home! One being that the homes were painted certain colors so that drunk sailors could remember which house was theirs after a night out. Another was that the colors represented the types of goods that the merchants sold. The last one that people often believe is that the houses were colored in light pastels so that their houses stayed cooler in the hot Charleston summers. I'll let you decide which you believe. 😊
Each house has its own history, however there is a city ordinance to keep those pastel colors in tact.
🏠 Number 79-81
🔨 Built around the mid-19th century.
🌈 Known as the most modern structure on Rainbow Row.
🏠 Number 83- The William Stone House
🔨 Built in 1784 by a Tory merchant who fled America during the Revolutionary War.
🌈 Has experienced only minor restorations over the years.
🏠 Number 87- The James Gordon House
🔨 Built in 1778, but was completely destroyed by a fire and wasn't rebuilt until 1792 by James Gordon. Was then purchased in the 1920s by Susan Pringle.
🌈This house still has its original stucco finish and is a bright and cheerful yellow!
🏠 Number 89- The Deas-Tunno House
🔨 Four stories, built sometime around 1770. Was originally used for commercial purposes while the owner lived upstairs,
🌈 Unique because it has a small side garden and extensive outbuildings that used to be used as slave quarters and a warehouse.
🏠 Number 91- Inglis Arch House
🔨 Originally built in 1778 however after a fire was rebuilt in 1782.
🌈 Has gone through a series of owners, however John McGowan is the one who renovated it and gave it the characteristics it has today!
🏠 Number 93- The James Cook House
🔨 Built in 1778
🌈 Restored and has a charming kitchen and dining room on the first floor, and a drawing room and library on the second.
🏠 Number 95
🔨 Somewhat of a mystery, but is similar to the style of Othniel Beale. Owned by statesman Charles Cotesworth Pinckney,
🌈 Renovated by NY playwright John McGowan in 1938 and is now a pastel green with a Flemish gable roof line.
🏠 Number 97-101- Col. Othniel Beale's House
🔨 97 originally purchased by Othniel Beale, who also built the adjoining houses in 1740.
🌈 99-101 was renovated by Judge Lionel Legge and his wife Dorothy in 1931.
🏠 Number 103- The Joseph Dulles House
🔨Built in 1787 by an ancestor of John Forster Dulles
🌈 A beautiful purple color!
🏠 Number 105- The Dutarque- Guida House
🔨First acquired by Lewis Dutarque in 1778
🌈Next owner was Giovanni Domenico Guida, who added an iron Victorian storefront.
🏠 Number 107- The John Blake Building
🔨Purchased in 1791.
🌈 The house has had many restorations that have made the house look much different than its original.
Photo: Getty Images