By: Jessica O’Connor
Walterboro’s Historic District contains a number of stunning homes, each with a unique, rich history. Cecilia Chafin, along with her husband, David Eames, and son, Alex Eames, have made it their mission to utilize three of these stunning buildings in an effort to provide upscale, niche living options for the town’s residents.
Ms. Chafin, who was born and raised in the Atlanta area, discovered the three properties (Albert House, Salk Place, and Hampton House) through a friend of a friend. Initially drawn to the beauty of these historic structures, she soon found that the people of Walterboro held a special appeal to her as well.
“I got to know some of the people, and I really liked the people I dealt with there,” she said. “Good, solid people. And that’s hard to find.”
Ms. Chafin saw the opportunity to provide housing options through the three properties, although the market would be very unique.
“It’s a niche market,” she explained. “It’s for specific people who like a blend of very modern and very old. If the floor isn’t perfect-it’s charm! No, we’re not going to make it perfect, because then it wouldn’t have that charm.”
Each of the Chafin/Eames properties has its own story, and has been meticulously renovated in accordance with the guidelines of the Historic Preservation Commission. The Commission must approve everything that is done to the exterior of the homes, from paint colors to the type of windows and roofing materials. These guidelines serve to protect the integrity of the homes’ historic value.
Hampton House
150 year old Hampton House, which is a short walk to the Colleton County Museum and Farmer’s Market, has the appearance of a quintessential plantation home.
“The big porch, the old southern mansion look, appealed to me,” Ms. Chafin said. “I’ve been known to sit out on that porch, in both the rocking chair and the swing.”
The home boasts four apartments, complete with updated kitchens and bathrooms, along with a common area. The units combine modern luxury with rugged beauty and high ceilings.
Ms. Chafin noted that the residents of Hampton House enjoy being able to interact with their neighbors while still maintaining the privacy of their own personal space. Formerly home of USC Salkehatchie’s women’s volleyball team, the property has a history of encouraging camaraderie and friendship.
Everything in Hampton House has been kept as close to original as possible, including features like the very thin doors requiring specially made hardware to accommodate them..
Albert House and Salk Place
Albert House is situated across the street from the Colleton County Museum, a short walking distance from all the hottest shopping and dining spots on Main Street. Its prime location is indicative of its role in the earlier days of Walterboro. It is currently listed in the National Historical Society. Before becoming home to 8 chic apartments, Albert House was a hotel.
Formerly known as the Cooper-Reed Hotel, Hotel Albert, and the Lord Colleton Hotel, the property was at one time owned by the Wichman family. The hotel’s dining room was a popular venue for dinner parties, and it’s said that the building was one of the first in town to have steam heat in every room.
Ms. Chafin explained that the apartments contained within Albert House all still contain some of the characteristics of hotel guest rooms from the property’s past. They also contain all the modern conveniences while maintaining the charm of an older historic building.
“They’re old hotel rooms, so the halls are really wide,” she said. “Each entrance has a transom window above it. The transoms actually operate-you can open them up to have air flow through. Some doorways inside the apartments also still have transom windows because they used to be entrances to hotel rooms.”
The elegant lettering, paired with a traditional pineapple, on the building’s common area window was reproduced from a photo of the property taken some 50 years ago, in an effort to keep the appearance as authentic as possible.
“That’s where I learned about the pineapple,” Ms. Chafin said. “There’s a stylized pineapple on that glass. In the old days, a pineapple meant hospitality.”
The lobby is as functional as it is eye-catching, offering an extra layer of protection and privacy for the property’s residents.
Adjacent to the Albert House property, Salk Place is owned by Ms. Chafin’s son, Alex Eames. With high ceilings, a clawfoot tub, and hardwood floors, Salk Place also retains many features that could have been found in its years as a working hotel.
Ms. Chafin has been involved in real estate and property management since 2006. Although she owns others, she has a soft spot for her Walterboro properties.
“The buildings in Walterboro are the oldest things we own, and the coolest,” she relayed with a smile in her voice. “Finding a cool old southern building took me back to my roots.”
The Chafin/Eames family is currently working on the commercial area in the downstairs portion of Albert House. The downstairs space is around 8,000 square feet in total, so upgrading it is somewhat of a daunting task. Nevertheless, Ms. Chafin hopes that providing appealing commercial spaces for rent will bring new businesses to Walterboro.
“We want to offer good, clean, upgraded spaces for commercial clientele,” she said emphatically. “We need to encourage businesses to open in Walterboro. We need more employers. I would encourage the city to offer some incentives to get more good, high-paying employers in town.”
To learn more about Ms. Chafin’s properties, you can visit them on the web at:
https://salkplace.com, https://alberthouseapartments.com, https://hamptonhousesalk.com
Information in this article was provided in part by Around Walterboro, by Sherry Cawley.
