Hampton-Preston Mansion and Gardens

The Hampton-Preston Mansion was home to many people since 1818, most notably the Hampton and Preston families, and had many uses over the years, including private residence, governor’s mansion, Union Army headquarters, convent, educational institutions and commercial space. Built by Ainsley and Sarah Hall, they sold the house in 1823 to Wade Hampton I. The house passed through the Hampton and Preston families, who were forced to sell the estate after the Civil War. Mother-daughter duo Mary Cantey Hampton and Caroline Hampton Preston transformed the grounds into regionally-acclaimed antebellum gardens containing a remarkable collection of native varieties and plants from around the world. Inside, period rooms explore the history of the house and Columbia from the 1810s through the 1910s, featuring many family belongings. The award-winning exhibit Home to Many People explores the institution of urban slavery and documents the evolution of the property from 1818 to the present.