The Largest House in South Carolina: 4 Biggest Mansions You Should Know
The first time I stood in front of 16 Meeting Street in Charleston, I knew this story needed telling. In this guide, I’m going to explain four of South Carolina’s biggest and most talked-about houses.
But out of all four Largest House in South Carolina, only one truly holds the title of the largest house in South Carolina — the Williams Mansion. At rivon home, we cover stories like this one. Let’s start with the record holder, then move through the rest.
Quick Answer: The Largest House in South Carolina
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| House Name | Williams Mansion (also called the Calhoun Mansion) |
| Location | 16 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC |
| Size | 24,000 square feet |
| Rooms | 30 main rooms |
| Title | Largest single-family residence in downtown Charleston |
| Built | 1876 |
| Tours | Open to the public, daily |
| Ownership History | Changed hands several times since 1876 |
Where These Largest House in South Carolina Are Located
These four Largest House in South Carolina sit in different corners of the state. The Williams Mansion is in downtown Charleston, right on Meeting Street. Boone Hall is just northeast in Mount Pleasant, a short drive across the harbor.
Tidalholm sits further south in Beaufort, along the coast. Fort Hill is inland, on Clemson University’s campus in the Upstate. Together, they stretch from the Lowcountry coast to the foothills near Clemson.
My Visit to All Four Largest House in South Carolina
As an architect from rivonhome. Me and My Friend visited all four of these Largest House in South Carolina, and each one left a mark. Williams Mansion in Charleston stopped me cold under that 75-foot domed ceiling. Fort Hill on Clemson’s campus felt calm, almost untouched by time.
Tidalholm in Beaufort stood quiet along the river, private but still striking from the street. Boone Hall’s long oak-lined drive in Mount Pleasant made the whole trip worth it. Four houses, four different stories, one unforgettable road trip across the Lowcountry.
1. Williams Mansion (Calhoun Mansion) — Charleston
This is the largest house in South Carolina by living space. George W. Williams, a Charleston merchant and banker, built it in 1876 for about $200,000. Plans came from architect W.P. Russell, with the Devereux Brothers as contractors. The cornerstone was laid in April 1875.
- Location: 16 Meeting St., Charleston, SC
- Size: 24,000 square feet, 30 main rooms
- Price: Sold for $220,000 in 1976; resold in 2004 for an undisclosed sum after being listed at $6.5 million
- Owner: Privately owned by Howard H. Stahl since the 2000s
The house includes a ballroom with a 45-foot-high ceiling and a stairwell that rises to a 75-foot domed ceiling. The main hall runs 50 feet long. A glass skylight over the music room adds soft natural light throughout the day.
Largest House in South Carolina earned its old name from Patrick Calhoun, grandson of statesman John C. Calhoun, who married into the Williams family. In 2020, it officially returned to its original name after a nearby Calhoun monument was removed from Marion Square.
A Tiffany Touch Few Visitors Notice
Not many guests know this, but some of the mansion’s original decorative painting and lighting fixtures were designed and installed by Louis Comfort Tiffany in the late 1800s. His work still shows up in select rooms today, adding a rare, collectible layer to an already grand house. It’s a small detail, but one worth looking for on your next tour.
2. Fort Hill — Clemson
Fort Hill isn’t the biggest mansion in South Carolina by square footage, but it carries deep history. It was home to John C. Calhoun, the 7th Vice President of the United States, from 1825 to 1850. The house now sits at the center of Clemson University’s campus.
- Location: Clemson University campus, Pickens County, SC
- Size: 14 rooms, enlarged from an original 4-room structure
- Price: Never sold — willed to the State of South Carolina
- Owner: Clemson University (public, museum status)
The Calhouns expanded the small four-room house into its current fourteen-room size, adding a portico, porches, and a new east-facing entrance. Thomas Green Clemson, Calhoun’s son-in-law, later willed the property to the state, on the condition it stays preserved forever.
No incident of fire, theft, or damage is on record here. Fort Hill’s biggest event was legal, not physical: a will stipulation that saved it from demolition. It has never been sold on the open market and remains one of the most protected Largest House in South Carolina in the state.
3. Tidalholm — The Big Chill House, Beaufort
Tidalholm, built in 1853 by planter Edgar Fripp, sits along the Beaufort River. It’s often mentioned alongside the biggest house in South Carolina lists, though it’s smaller in size. Locals call it “The Big Chill House,” named for the 1983 film shot there. It also appeared in The Great Santini in 1979.
- Location: 1 Laurens Street, Beaufort, SC
- Size: Roughly 7,300–10,000 square feet, 7 bedrooms
- Price: Sold in 2017 for $1.76 million
- Owner: John and Katie Tashjian, private residence
During the Civil War, Union forces seized Beaufort and turned Tidalholm into a hospital. It also survived the Great Sea Islands Hurricane of 1893, which damaged the roofline and forced a rebuild from a twin-gable design to the single roof seen today.
Largest House in South Carolina changed hands several times through the 1900s before John and Katie Tashjian bought it in 2017 for $1.76 million. It’s privately owned now, not open for tours, though you can view it from the street in Beaufort’s historic Old Point neighborhood.
4. Boone Hall Plantation — Mount Pleasant
Boone Hall is one of South Carolina’s oldest working plantations, dating to 1681, and often comes up in searches for the largest estate in South Carolina. The current mansion, however, was only built in 1936, making it the fourth house to stand on this same spot in Mount Pleasant.
- Location: Mount Pleasant, Charleston County, SC
- Size: About 10,000 square feet, Colonial Revival style
- Price: Original land sold for $12,000 in 1811; later sale prices undisclosed
- Owner: McRae family, since 1955
The first two houses built here didn’t survive. One was destroyed by fire, the next by a hurricane, long before the current mansion existed. The Stone family demolished the third, decaying house in 1935 and built the brick mansion that still stands today.
Ownership changed often in the 20th century — from the Stones, to a Georgian prince, to Dr. Henry Deas, and finally to the McRae family in 1955. It’s still owned by the McRaes today, open for tours, and not listed for sale.
Which Largest House in South Carolina Were Sold, and Which Were Never Sold?
Out of these four houses, three have changed hands on the open market, and one never has:
- Williams Mansion (Charleston): Sold in 1976, sold again in 2004. Not currently listed for sale.
- Tidalholm (Beaufort): Sold in 2017 to John and Katie Tashjian. Not currently listed for sale.
- Boone Hall Plantation (Mount Pleasant): Land first sold in 1811, then resold several more times. Not currently listed for sale.
- Fort Hill (Clemson): Never sold. Willed directly to the State of South Carolina and now owned by Clemson University.
None of these four houses is currently on the market. All are privately owned or held by an institution, so if you want to see the largest home in SC, a tour is your best option, not a real estate listing.
Did Anything Happen at Williams Mansion After it got sold?
Yes, this house has a rough past. After Patrick Calhoun lost his fortune in the 1929 stock market crash, the mansion was sold at auction to pay off his debts. It later sat empty and was condemned by the city in 1972.
Local attorney Gedney Howe bought the condemned home in 1976 for $220,000 and spent nearly $5 million restoring it over 25 years. It sold again in 2004 for an undisclosed price, after being listed at $6.5 million. It’s privately owned today and not for sale.
Sale Price Comparison
| House | Known Sale Price | Year Sold |
|---|---|---|
| Williams (Calhoun) Mansion | $220,000 (later resold, undisclosed) | 1976 / 2004 |
| Tidalholm (Big Chill House) | $1,760,000 | 2017 |
| Boone Hall Plantation | $12,000 (original land sale) | 1811 |
| Fort Hill | Never sold — willed to the state | N/A |
Based on documented figures, Tidalholm holds the highest confirmed sale price on this list at $1.76 million in 2017. The Williams Mansion’s real value is likely higher today, though its most recent 2004 sale price was never made public.
Other South Carolina Homes Worth Mentioning
Beyond these four historic Largest House in South Carolina is also home to some seriously impressive modern estates, several tied to well-known names. While none rival the largest house in South Carolina in historic value, Kiawah Island, just off the coast near Charleston, has become a favorite spot for celebrities looking for a quiet, luxury retreat.
- Jay Leno: Owns an 11,000-square-foot home on Kiawah Island with a home theater and private art gallery
- Bill Murray: Owns a beachfront property on Kiawah Island with direct access to the famous Ocean Course
- Other notable visitors/owners: George Clooney, Reese Witherspoon, and former President Bill Clinton
- Biggest sale: A former Vanderhorst family property (owners of most of Kiawah Island for ~200 years) sold for $20.5 million
These Largest House in South Carolina aren’t as historic as the Williams Mansion or Boone Hall, but they show how South Carolina’s reputation for grand living continues today, just with a more modern, celebrity-driven twist.
South Carolina vs. North Carolina: Don’t Get Them Mixed Up
Many people search for the largest house in South Carolina, and the two get mixed up often. North Carolina’s biggest home is the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, built by George Vanderbilt (1889-1895) at 175,000 square feet with 250 rooms — the largest privately owned house in the U.S.
South Carolina’s Williams Mansion, by comparison, is 24,000 square feet with 35 rooms. If your search brought you here by mistake, remember: South Carolina’s biggest house is the Williams Mansion in Charleston, not anything in North Carolina.
Final Thoughts
The largest house in South Carolina isn’t just about square footage. It’s about the story behind each wall, each sale, and each owner. The Williams Mansion holds the size record, but Fort Hill, Tidalholm, and Boone Hall each add their own chapter to the state’s architectural history.
If grand old Largest House in South Carolina inspire your own design taste, browse more ideas on our Home Decor page. For deeper historical records on these properties, the National Register of Historic Places and Clemson University’s history archive are great places to dig further.
