Some may recognize the Old Village Historic District in Mount Pleasant by its extravagant historic homes, stunning views of the Charleston Harbor from Alhambra Hall, or even the neighborhood’s infamous Pitt Street, which was even featured on the latest Netflix hit “Outer Banks.”
But did you know that situated in Old Village is the oldest home in Mount Pleasant, which is actually the home that gave Mount Pleasant its name?
Built in 1755 on 67 acres of land by Charleston City Treasurer Jacob Motte, the Hibben House served as headquarters for the British during the Revolutionary War. Motte called the land that this home was situated on Mount Pleasant, which, as you can guess, gave way to the name of the town today.
Rumor has it that General William Moultrie (yes, the one Fort Moultrie is named after) and others were held captive in this home during the war. Yet, William Moultrie isn’t the only prominent person said to have been in the Hibben House. The General’s memoirs also place Lord Cornwallis and General Patterson in this home during June of 1780.
In 1803, the plantation changed hands from Jacob Motte to James Hibben, who would go on to design the entire village of Mount Pleasant. Once the plantation was purchased, Hibben divided the land into 35 separate lots on five streets, which became the town. Fun fact: after subdividing the land, Hibben decided to provide 10 of his children plots of land. (He had 12 kids in total, but two did not survive to maturity.)
Amongst other influential historical individuals to reside at 111 Hibben Street falls Petrona Royall McIver, who served as historian for the town of Mount Pleasant and even published a book called “History of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina” in 1960.
Whew, have you had enough of today’s history lesson? Let’s fast forward through the 200-something years of history that we touched on to take a look at the home today.
The Hibben House is now a frequent stop on the list for tourists, especially Segway tours that ride by the house numerous times per day. Whether it be the hundreds of years of history within the walls of the home or its well-preserved original details – such as the grandeur rectangular columns with recessed paneling and the hipped metal roof – this home is sure to catch your eye.
