Built 1808 Opened 1808 Added to NRHP 18 December 1970 | NRHP Reference # 70000602 Area 8,000 m² | |
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Location 191 Cedar Spring Rd., Spartanburg, South Carolina Similar Molly's Rock Picnic Area, Fairfield County Museum, Rosemary Hall, Old Courthouse Theatre, Abbeville Opera House | ||
Foster's Tavern is an upcountry 19th century historic landmark building in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, located at 191 Cedar Springs Road at the intersection of the old Pickneyville and Georgia roads (highways 56 and 295). In private ownership as of May 2010, the building is considered the oldest brick house in Spartanburg South Carolina and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1970.
History
Foster's Tavern was built by Anthony Foster, with construction beginning in 1801 and taking seven years or more to complete. The house is made of locally made bricks and features tied chimneys (separate chimneys joined by a wall or facade) at each end of a gable roof, hand carved woodwork including bowed mantels and stair scrollwork, blown-glass windowpanes, soapstone hearths, cattle-hair plaster and original shutter pintles. The portico with its fanlight was added in 1845 and the porches about 1915.
Foster's Tavern housed John C. Calhoun and Bishop Asbury on their travels through the area, with the southeast corner room on the second floor traditionally called the John C. Calhoun Room. Guest always moved when Calhoun came to stay.