Reading Georgetown’s Architecture: A Walking Guide to the Historic District

Georgetown has more 200-year-old homes than Charleston. That fact surprises almost everyone who hears it, and it’s the single best reason to walk this town slowly.

More than 250 historic homes stand in and around the downtown district, with more than 60 listed on the National Register of Historic Places — all within easy walking distance of the Harborwalk.

What you’re looking at. The wealth that built these houses came from rice. The 1850s were the most profitable decade the planters ever saw, and the architecture reflects a town that had money and expected to keep it. Georgian and Federal forms, raised foundations against flooding, deep porches and tall windows built for a climate with no air conditioning.

The Kaminski House (1003 Front Street) is the one you can go inside. Built around 1769, Georgian in form, sitting on a bluff with a long lawn running toward the Sampit River. Tours run on a set schedule.

The Town Clock (633 Front Street) went up in 1857 on the Old Market Building, which dates to 1842 and had earlier served as a court and jail. It was the first building in Georgetown added to the National Register.

How to walk it. Start on Front Street and work outward along the residential blocks. The live oaks and Spanish moss are not incidental — they’re a significant part of why these streets photograph the way they do. Allow two hours minimum and wear real shoes.

A note on respect. Most of these houses are private homes. Photograph from the sidewalk.