The William Vanderhorst House was used as the first post office in Charleston, South Carolina before 1753.[1] Eleazer Philips was the first postmaster of Charleston to have a dedicated office for the handling of the mail, and he used 54 Tradd Street for that purpose.[1] Earlier postmasters handled the mail in their own houses.[1] The house was used as a post office until after 1791 when Peter Bacot relocated the operation to 84 Broad Street.[2]
The house was built by William Vanderhorst about 1740 on property inherited by his wife from her grandfather.[3]