Robert William Roper House
Historic house in South Carolina. Added to the National Register in 1973, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
The Robert William Roper House is an early-nineteenth-century house of architectural importance located at 9 East Battery in Charleston, South Carolina. It was built on land purchased in May 1838 by Robert W. Roper, a state legislator from the parish of St. Paul's, and a prominent member of the South Carolina Agricultural Society, whose income derived from his position as a cotton planter and slave holder. The house is considered to be an exemplar of Greek Revival architecture, built on a monumental scale. Although there are now two houses between Roper House and White Point Garden to the south, for a decade after its construction nothing stood between the house and the harbor beyond, making it the first and most prominent house to be seen by visitors approaching Charleston by sea.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Register name | Roper, Robert William, House |
| Property type | Building |
| Address | 9 E. Battery St., Charleston, SC |
| County | Charleston County |
| Listed | Nov 7, 1973 |
| Listed for | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Reference number | 73001692 |
| Type of place | single-family detached home |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 building |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 9 E. Battery St., Charleston, SC |
| Coordinates | 32.7710° N, 79.9284° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Charleston | 111 listed places in Charleston → · walking tours → |
| Nearest national park unit | Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park · 4 miles · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | Buck Hall Recreation Area 28 miles |
Explore
Drawings & photographs
Measured drawings and photographs from the Library of Congress. Public domain. All 1 record ↗
Map
Nearby in Charleston County
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Local history books for Charleston
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
The Huguenot Church in CharlestonMargaret Middleton Rivers Eastman and Richard Donohoe & Maurice Eugenie Horne Thompson, 2018Find at Bookshop.org
St. Philip's Church of CharlestonDorothy Middleton Anderson and Margaret Middleton Rivers Eastman, 2015Find at Bookshop.org
Guidebooks to historic places in South Carolina
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Robert William Roper House listed on the National Register?
Nov 7, 1973. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Can I visit Robert William Roper House?
Yes. Robert William Roper House is recorded as open to the public.
Source: Wikidata
Where is Robert William Roper House?
9 E. Battery St., Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina. The nearest national park unit is Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, 4 miles away.
Source: Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
Are there historic photographs or drawings of Robert William Roper House?
Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.
Source: Library of Congress
Where is the nomination form for Robert William Roper House?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near Robert William Roper House?
One federal campground is within reach, Buck Hall Recreation Area, 28 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at Robert William Roper House?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Is there a wildfire near Robert William Roper House right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-10-17, nearest C-74 Fm Rx, 30 miles away.
Source: Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 73001692. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.