Branford-Horry House

Branford-Horry House, in Charleston, South Carolina, is widely held to be one of the grandest historic homes in one of the nation's oldest cities. Built for a wealth Charleston planter and later sold to the namesake of one of the state's largest counties, it has withstood nearly 250 years and a high speed car crash.

Standing three stories tall at 59 Meeting Street in Charleston, South Carolina, Branford-Horry House is considered one of the greatest examples of Georgian architecture in the state. The house was built between 1765 and 1767 for William Branford. Branford was a wealthy Charleston planter. He sold the house, prior to is death, to his son-in-law, Thomas Horry. Horry's son Elias inherited the home upon Thomas Horry's death. Branford-Horry House stayed in the Horry family until 1853.

The house is a three-story Georgian townhouse, also called a "double house." It is primarily constructed of brick with stucco covered walls. It is five bays wide and has a two story piazza. The piazza extends over the public sidewalk.

The house withstood a strange incident in 1988 when a speeding car crashed into it, collapsing two columnns and slamming one into the front door.

It has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1970.

"The Charleston Home: Past Perfect," Charlestonmag.com, accessed Dec. 9, 2014, http://charlestonmag.com/features/past_perfect "Branford-Horry House," South Carolina Department of Archives and History, accessed Dec 7, 2014, http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/charleston/S10817710025/