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George Mathews House

Coordinates: 32°46′21.91″N 79°55′46.63″W / 32.7727528°N 79.9296194°W / 32.7727528; -79.9296194
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The George Mathews House at 37 Church Street, Charleston, South Carolina

The George Mathews House is an 18th-century house at 37 Church Street, Charleston, South Carolina. George Mathews had purchased the lot in 1743; by 1768 when the executors of his estate sold the property, the sales price (and construction details of the house) strongly suggest that Mathews had the house built during his ownership.[1] The floor plan of the house is an asymmetrical variation of a Charleston double house that is similar to (but a mirror image of) the nearby George Eveleigh House.[1] The entrance to the house was moved from its Church Street facade to the southern facade when the piazzas were added.[1] A separate kitchen house exists in the rear.[1]

A popular story of Charleston folklore tells that the house was once home to John Vanderhorst, a sea captain who kept his money safe by hiding it in plain sight in a water barrel on the front of the house. The story, however, cannot possibly be true since Captain Vanderhorst died before the house was even built.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Stockton, Robert P. (August 14, 1978). "18th Century Home Retains Georgian Look". News and Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. pp. B1. Retrieved April 18, 2016.

32°46′21.91″N 79°55′46.63″W / 32.7727528°N 79.9296194°W / 32.7727528; -79.9296194