Historic home enthusiast and collector Richard H. Jenrette recently donated Millford Plantation to Classical American Homes Preservation Trust, a non-profit corporation he founded in 1993. Jenrette had restored the mansion and gardens to showcase the collection of Duncan Phyfe furniture that he reassembled and returned to the house. The mansion was built in 1839-41 by John Laurence Manning, the 22 year old son of a South Carolina Governor and later Governor himself, and his wife Susan Frances Hampton, daughter of General Wade Hampton, 1st. The grand house with colossal Corinthian columns was designed by architect Nathaniel Potter, who also designed a similiar mansion Millwood for Susan's brother Colonel Wade Hampton 2nd near Columbia, S.C. Located on 400 acres, Millford will be open to the public on the first Saturday of every month.
Classical American Homes Preservation Trust was founded to preserve, protect and open to the public examples of American residential classical architecture, fine arts and antiques from the first half of the 19th century. Some of Mr Jenrette's other homes have been visited by The Devoted Classicist and will be featured in future posts.
