O'Donnell House

The O'Donnell House is one of the most striking historic homes in Sumter. It was originally built around 1840 by Major John Haynsworth and his wife, Mary DeLorme, in the Italianate style. It was later renovated into its current Classical Revival appearance. It now operates as a wedding and event venue. The most notable features of the house is the semi-circular two-story porch with Corinthian columns that support an elaborate cornice. The house is named after Neill and Kate O'Donnell, who acquired it around 1900. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

John Haynsworth built the house on South Main Street around 1840. The next owner was successful mercantile business owner, William Bogin, who bought it in 1860. His second daughter, Kate, married Ireland native Neil O'Donnell, who worked for Bogin as a clerk. When Bogin died, Kate inherited the house around 1900 (Neil also took over the mercantile business). The O'Donnells moved the house to its present location sometime within the next five years. In 1905, they hired noted South Carolina architect Frank Pierce Milburn to redesign the house into the Classical Revival style.

The O'Donnell's did not have children and willed the house to the Sister of Our Lady of Mercy in the late 1930s. The Sisters used the house as a school and orphanage until 1961. It then operated as a funeral home until 1988 when it was up for sale. In 1993, the house was a sold to a grocery store company that wanted to demolish it to make room for a new store. However, local senior citizens organized to save the old home and converted it into a senior center. Eventually, the senior center moved out and the house was briefly used as a temporary library during the renovation of the Sumter County Library. An antique store operated in the house for some time before the house became an event venue in 2009.

"History." The O'Donnell House. Accessed June 2, 2021. http://www.theodonnellhouse.com/wordpress/?page_id=4.

"O'Donnell House." SC Picture Project. Accessed June 2, 2021. https://www.scpictureproject.org/sumter-county/odonnell-house.html.

Richardsonian, Katherine H. "O'Donnell House." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. April 25, 1996. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/bf6b2577-4226-4a10-ad83-79ac64144235.