Chesnut Cottage Bed & Breakfast
This is low country. This is where diverse wildlife flourishes. This is Congaree National Park, and it’s within reach from the ever-charming Chesnut Cottage Bed & Breakfast.
You know that feeling you get when you're spending the night at the home of a dear friend? As soon as you get there, you're a little giddy. You instantly feel right at home. You're comfortable enough to walk the halls in your socks. And there's a welcoming warmth that wraps itself around you, puts you at ease, makes you feel pampered, taken care of, and so glad you decided to stay.
That's the feeling you get when you're a guest at the Chesnut Cottage Bed & Breakfast of Columbia, South Carolina. A historical home turned beautiful B&B by one intuition-driven visionary, Mary Sparrow. The aesthetic of the Chesnut Cottage is classic Southern sophistication meets old-world charm. Picture cozy alcoves, luxurious white linens, four-post beds with draped canopies, and built-in shelves showcasing a breadth of bygone books and antiques. The property was built in 1850 by Mary Boykin Chesnut and her husband, Senator James Chesnut Jr., who hosted guests such as John Manning, Former Governor of South Carolina, Former President of the Confederate States, Jefferson Davis and his wife Varina, and Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his son Custis.
When I arrived in November 2019, I was welcomed by the laughter of lovely ladies, mellow classical music playing softly in the background, and a one-of-a-kind cat named Patty Cakes. I was delighted to be there. I stood beside the dining room table, introducing myself to these women who couldn't have been more eager to hear about me and my mission to see and write about all 50 states and the mom-and-pop shops that keep them charming. They were so engaged, and I was so engaged, I almost didn't notice that little Miss Patty Cakes had climbed up onto the table next to me and was reaching for me with her tiny, gentle paw as if to say, "Come closer and pet me please!" Mary's guests gasped and laughed when they noticed, I melted and immediately moved closer to pet sweet Patty Cakes, and Mary was completely floored. She couldn't take her eyes off Patty Cakes, "She has NEVER jumped up on the table like that—I have never seen her do that ever! She's not usually like this with people—and here she is begging you to pet her." Needless to say, I was feeling right at home right away at the Chesnut Cottage.
We all chatted for a while, Patty Cakes basked in the glory of me, and I basked in the glory of her––two independent creatures getting along famously. When the other guests headed to bed, Mary took me around to give me the lay of the land. When she bought the property, Mary found a treasure trove of Civil War artifacts in the backyard. Cannonballs, bottles that once held medicine, bitter, soda, lager, wine, and other intriguing artifacts, are all kept safe in an elegant pine-paneled bar in the basement. And that's where I found the first signs that I was destined to be a guest at the Chesnut Cottage. Mary kept a collection of vintage records down there, and right on top were The Beatles and Linda Ronstadt––I am a long-time Beatles lover and a newfound Linda fan. "You're welcome to play them anytime!" Mary told me.
Before she turned in for the night, Mary showed me the kitchen and told me to help myself if I needed anything. "It's just us tonight, so if you need anything, just shout," further adding to that cherished feeling of staying with a dear friend. It was so warm and cozy—even comforting. And there was even something vaguely familiar about it.
As I walked back to my front-of-the-house room, I thought of the rich history of this home. Man, if these walls could talk, I thought to myself. Some of the house's iconic stories can be read in the books that line the walls of the room I spent the night in. And the room I chose just so happened to be none other than Mary Boykin's study. I learned that Mary B. was a revolutionary writer. Lightyears ahead of her time, she was a progressive thinker completely unafraid to speak her mind. Mary B. was a housewife who hated being one, hated that her husband was out to work and that she wasn't, and she hated that her family enslaved people.
And from what Mary Sparrow shared with me, Mary Boykin's writing was similar to my own, at least in her original diary, because it was scattered and not chronologically synchronized. That's very much how my work is before I blend it into the cohesive manner you read it in today. In her study––my sleeping quarters for the night––there was a replica of the kind of desk Mary B. would've used for writing, and it smelled of history and importance. I admired it and the collection of books resting on the floor-to-ceiling bookcase that lined the west wall. A book entitled "Woman of Courage" caught my eye, and I pulled that and Mary Boykin's diary into bed for the night. I fell asleep, hoping that somehow she knows how important she was and how her legacy lives on. How her words, no matter how scattered or seemingly chaotic, are still influential more than a century later.
But the stories of the Chesnut Cottage are best heard firsthand from none other than Mary Sparrow. I can just picture her facial reaction and hand gestures if I were to tell her this out loud, but the truth is, I'd be doing this story a disservice by not sharing that spending time with Mary is at least half the reason I'll return to the Chesnut Cottage. The accommodations were luxurious—perfect, even. And the history enchanted me from the moment I arrived to the moment I very reluctantly left. But what truly made my experience so memorable was being in the presence of Mary S. I could've talked to her all day. In fact, I spent much of my last day talking to her, finding myself in complete awe of her stories, her journey, and the fountain of meaningful, archival information that she is.
Mary is fascinated—and got me fascinated—by the life of Mary Boykin Chesnut. I'm paraphrasing, but I can recall Mary Sparrow telling me how she's been making connections for herself and others since she bought and revived the historic home turned exquisite inn. And she made so many connections for me during my stay as well. What kind of connections? Well, I guess for me, they were mostly signs that I was right where I was supposed to be when I was supposed to be there. I love feeling that throughout my travels.
Like how Patty Cakes behaved with me like she never had with anyone before and how we discovered alluring similarities between Mary Boykin and me. "You know, one of Mary's dresses is on display in that mansion around the corner. She was very petite, very small—I've never met anyone who'd fit it quite like you. And isn't that intriguing? You staying in her study, you both being writers—about the same height, probably the same dress size." I got the chills in the best way.
I left feeling empowered like I'd learned so much about history, the South, and two incredible women I had so much in common with. I left feeling like I knew myself better. I went off to spread the good vibes all around downtown Columbia, thanking vets who were participating in the Veterans Day parade and smiling at everyone I saw. My time at the inn brings back the warmest, fondest memories.
I'd love nothing more than to hear how you enjoy your stay there. Now that the world has opened back up, this is the place to get away to. Whether you're local and thinking about taking a staycation or you're branching out for the first road trip of the year, put the Chesnut Cottage Bed & Breakfast of Columbia, South Carolina, at the top of your list.
Stay for the 5-star accommodations, stay to experience the perfect blend of Dixie charm and chic boutique hotel. Stay to wake up to the best homemade breakfast you've had in years. Stay for the stories, the warmth, the hospitality, and the magic that Mary brings. You will be so glad you're there.
And the inn is just half an hour away from the tallest trees in the Eastern United States that tower over the vast wetlands of Congaree National Park. Take a hike along the over-the-swamp boardwalk and watch for wildlife in this enchanting forest for the perfect day trip from the Chesnut Cottage.
