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The name, Rainbow Row, is derived from the different exterior pastel paint colors of these buildings. The buildings in this section of East Bay Street are architecturally significant for their intactness and as a surviving example of early to mid-18th century warf side construction. They were originally built as combination business (ground floor) and residence (stories above) when this area served as Charleston's waterfront district in the early colonial days. Most of Rainbow Row buildings were built shortly after the great fire of 1740, which leveled most of Charleston's waterfront. 99/101 East Bay St. (forefront, right in sketch): was built circa 1740 by Col. Othniel Beale (who built the city's harbor fortifications) for his family and contains an open central passage on the ground floor divided by two shop spaces. 97 East Bay St., also circa 1740, had its nineteenth century storefront removed and the arch on the north of the front was filled in with a Neoclassical Revival fanlight doorway and balcony added. 95 East Bay St., circa 1740, is an example of Flemish construction with its curvilinear gable roof. 93 East Bay St., circa 1782-87, built to replace an earlier shop and residence destroyed by fire. 91 East Bay St., circa 1778, received extensive damage during the siege of the city in 1864. |
