Today’s mystery photo will test your history acumen. Describe this photo to yourself, and maybe an idea will pop into your head. Send your answer to this teaser to [email protected], and include your hometown.
George Graf, Palmyra, Va. said: “The historic Admiral’s House, also known as Quarters A, in Charleston was in a state of disrepair and has been fully restored. The house was built in 1905 to house admirals in the Navy. It’s the second oldest building on the Navy Shipyard and one of the grandest. The structure was inhabited in the 1940s during World War II and in 1996, when the base shut down, the surrounding area quickly declined. The North Charleston’s Finance Committee voted to pay a company $350,000 to redesign the interior and its furnishings in hopes of transforming it from a military dwelling to a Bed and Breakfast.” The photo came from Rebecca Baumann of Lilburn.
Also recognizing the scene were Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C. and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas. Peel added: “The City of North Charleston now owns the property and manages it as public space around Riverfront Park. Today, the Admiral’s House is available for weddings and special events, including overnight stays.
“While the Admiral’s House appears as a “typical Southern home”, its uniqueness may be derived from the fact that this early 20th century house was not inhabited by your usual Southern homeowner, plantation family, or wealthy business merchants, but by U.S. Navy commandants. The very first person to live in the Admiral’s House was Edwin Halderman Longnecker (1844–1923), who, ironically, was a captain when he first moved into the house in 1905. He did, however, achieve the rank of Rear Admiral by the time he retired from the Navy in 1910…