Robert William Roper House

A grand vision, a statement of arrival. That’s what Robert William Roper, a prominent cotton planter, had in mind when he commissioned his magnificent Greek Revival home in 1838. The Robert William Roper House, located at 9 East Battery Street, was designed to be the first Charleston landmark visible to ships approaching from the sea. Imagine, back then, the pristine view from this spot, unobstructed by other buildings, with the harbor stretching out before you. The Robert William Roper House was a beacon, a testament to Roper’s wealth and ambition. He wanted his home to be a symbol of Charleston’s prominence. The Robert William Roper House truly stands as a testament to grandeur. Eighteen-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, and those imposing two-story Ionic columns dominate the façade. The scale is monumental, a hallmark of the Greek Revival style. Originally, the Robert William Roper House was even more isolated. For a decade after its construction, nothing stood between it and the harbor. This made it the first and most prominent structure visible to seafaring visitors. It truly was a grand entrance to Charleston. While the architect’s identity remains a mystery, the grandeur speaks for itself. Some attribute the design to Edward B. White, the architect of Charleston’s Market Hall and French Huguenot Church. Others suggest Charles Friedrich Reichardt, known for his monumental colonnades. Regardless of the architect, the design withstood a significant historical event. In 1864, a Union shell struck the porch during the Civil War. Later, the Confederates, retreating from Charleston, detonated a cannon at the intersection of East and South Battery. A 500-pound piece of that cannon lodged itself in the attic of the Robert William Roper House. Incredibly, it remains there to this day. The Robert William Roper House has passed through many hands. Solomon R. Guggenheim, the art patron and museum founder, owned the house from 1929 to the 1940s. It’s intriguing to imagine him here, perhaps contemplating his next great art acquisition. Then, in 1968, the house was acquired by Richard H. Jenrette, a Wall Street financier and renowned preservationist. He undertook a meticulous restoration in the early 1980s, returning the Robert William Roper House to its former glory. Now under the care of the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation, the Robert William Roper House stands as a symbol of Charleston’s enduring elegance.