Designed in 1889 and built on land donated by William Enston, a wealthy Charleston trader who had immigrated from England, the William Enston Home was intended as a planned community for the elderly on the outskirts of the city itself.

"The Home was to be modeled on similar British institutions, specifically one Enston was familiar with in his native Canterbury. Enston specified that the complex be comprised of neat and convenient two-story brick cottages with at least eight acres of land. He also stipulated that potential residents be the old and sick, from 45 to 75 years old, of "good honest character," and not suffering from "lunacy." ( http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/charleston/ens.htm )

Most of the houses and the common buildings date from 1889 with some added in 1930. Today the city housing authority is adding a number of similarly styled brick homes. This is currently used as low income housing.