Cedar Springs Historic District – Abbeville County, SC – The Frazier-Pressly House, circa 1856 is truly a unique antebellum home – it’s made up of 3 octagon wings! I saw a photo of the house, and had to find it! There aren’t a lot of antebellum octagon houses that remain, this style was popular in the 1850s. This house has quite a story to tell!
The area served as a stagecoach junction, and was a prosperous farming community – it straddles Abbeville and Greenwood County. Captain James W. Frazier had this unique home built between 1852-1856. Situated far back from the road, it’s hard to get a sense of how large this home is – yet it’s only 11 rooms! The 3 story center section of the house once had a widow’s walk on it. The house is brick, with stucco over it.
Each part of the 3 octagons is one room, connected by a hallway that runs behind them, so there are 11 large rooms in this house. I noticed there were 2 sets of doors on the 3 story part of the house. According to some, the 3rd floor of the house was used as a ballroom in antebellum days.
When Captain Frazier died in 1875, his daughter Tallulah and husband Dr. Joseph Lowry Pressly moved into the house. At that time, the 3rd floor served as Dr Pressly’s office. The Pressly’s had 7 children, and their son, Charles Payson Pressly was a diplomat. He served in Europe for President Cleveland for years, and was then appointed by President Woodrow Wilson to be the American Vice Consul General in Paris during World War 1. The family was well-known in the area, and when Tallulah Pressly passed away in 1919, it was covered in multiple newspapers in the area.
Over the years, the Frazier-Pressly House went into a long decline. These photos from 1980 show the poor condition of the house at that time – but they also give us a peek inside this grand home!
The house is part of the Cedar Springs Historic District, and more photos are available here – including the old stagecoach inn and the antebellum Cedar Springs ARP Church from 1853.
Fortunately, the Frazier-Pressly House has been in the process of restoration for several years, and returning to it’s original splendor.
Thanks so much for reading the blog, appreciate it!
Amazing!