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Robert Schmitt at work on windows and sashes (provided photo), McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture rendering of completed alumni house; how the weathered Dawkins dwelling looks today (Preservation South Carolina) |
Schmitt, 74,
sank a lot of money, passion and knowledge into restoring the stately Nathaniel Gist Jr. house outside of Union (Gist was first cousin of Confederate Brig.
Gen. States Rights Gist).
Now Schmitt
is helping repair windows at Union’s Dawkins House, a residence at the center of an interesting chapter in
Civil War history. Union briefly served as the capital of the state after
Columbia fell to Union forces in 1865.
The nonprofit Preservation South Carolina is working with
partners to restore the dilapidated dwelling into an alumni and corporate
events center for the University of South Carolina-Union.
Schmitt is removing old glazing and replacing any rot (Preservation South Carolina) |
“These old
windows were put together with mortise and pins and wooden pegs. That makes them
reasonably easy to work on,” he said in a recent interview. “I like to preserve
as much as the original as I can.”
Not
surprisingly, the windows are much more substantial than modern ones.
“Part of that
reason is the material they were made of. You can’t get that type of lumber
anymore,” said Schmitt, adding the old yellow pine was heavy because of high
rosin content.
Schmitt is
working in the house’s yard in a “between” stage of the Judge Thomas Dawkins house
restoration. The $300,000 state-funded Phase 1 shored up the building.
This fall,
Preservation South Carolina (PSC) and the campus will launch a campaign to
raise up to $1 million for the next phase. No state or federal funds are
currently available, officials said. “Credible interest has already been expressed by potential corporate
sponsors to participate in the funding,” said PSC.
Bill Comer, a Union native and head of the PSC’s Dawkins House rehab project, said Schmitt is taking good care of the windows, which have Roman numerals (right) that the original carpenters used to number each sash.
“He thinks
about all the people who have looked through that pane,” Comer said of Schmitt.
'Putting the bones back in' deteriorated house
PSC just featured
an update on the project in its September newsletter, sharing a rendering of
what the property will look like after restoration is complete. Those stopping
by the house -- purchased by PSC in 2023 -- will note there is a long way to go, with support beams in place
and the roof sagging. Hurricane Helene in September 2024 caused further damage.
Phase 2 will
be much more extensive and expensive, enabling PSC to hand over the house to
the university for finishing and customization. Joanna Rothell, director of
outreach and preservation for PSC, said Phase 2 will include:
-- Installation
of new piers on concrete footings in the crawlspace;
--
Strengthening of porch, first and second floor framings, the roof system and all
walls;
--
Installation of the required framing for a new interior staircase where the
original historic, spiral staircase was located in the central hall. This will
entail strengthening the floors and walls in this area, including any necessary
new footings in the crawlspace.
“We are
putting the bones back in it where the bones should be,” said Comer.
PSC said It will
measure the Gist staircase for creating construction drawings.
When Judge Dawkins built his residence in 1845, he expanded upon a pre-existing, two-story structure,” the organization said in its newsletter.
“Further
examination has revealed that the materials used in the construction of the
older portion of the house dates closer to 1760, rather than the previously
estimated 1800s.”
Governor had to run to keep from hiding
The Dawkins House, on North Church Street, was nicknamed “The
Shrubs” and was occupied by Judge Dawkins and his English-born wife Mary
Poulton Dawkins. The 1850 Federal slave schedule indicates they
owned about 30 enslaved persons before the war.
The property is best known for several weeks in spring 1865.
South Carolina already was the symbol
of the South’s rebellion. Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman and his troops entered the state from Georgia with
an eye on a full prosecution of the war. While they are behind some fires that
ravaged Columbia, others were caused by other parties.
Union was a
community with a small business district and nearby plantations.
From about Feb. 15, 1865, until sometime in March or early April, Magrath ran
the state from the Dawkins
House. He apparently worked in an informal library near the
drawing room. Chaos ruled across South Carolina.
According to
histories and local legend, Magrath and his subordinates burned possibly
incriminating documents and correspondence in the fireplaces. (The building
served as South Carolina's capitol while the city was briefly
is capital.)
Comer said
Magrath’s stint in Union is not well-known or covered in textbooks.
“Also, per a University of South Carolina Southern studies professor
with whom I spoke recently, not many documents exist about that period … which
I suspect is because most government documents were burned in the house’s eight
fireplaces to avoid the identification of Confederate operatives who would be captured
and tried for treason.”
Looking to Wofford for inspiration
Annie Smith,
USC-Union marketing and development director, previously told the Picket an
alumni association was being established to enhance
recruiting efforts, develop a community between current, former and future
students, and to provide outside funding and resources.
Given the age
of the Dawkins House and wear, any college or community events will need to occur on
the main floor. The upstairs won’t be able to handle large crowds, so it likely
will be office space, according to PSC.
Looking for
ideas and inspiration, a team of campus officials in July toured the alumni
house (left) at Wofford College in nearby Spartanburg. The Kilgo-Clinkscales House previously was a dwelling
for campus leaders at Wofford.
“The Wofford Alumni house was stunning and (has
a) very similar layout to Dawkins,” said Smith. “The visit gave us a
helpful look at how another institution transformed a historic residence into a
vibrant and usable location. We came away with great ideas about how our space
can serve multiple purposes -- welcoming alumni, community events, space for corporations
to meet and more.”