Situated on 1.5 acres of land in the heart of the historic district in downtown Cheraw, South Carolina, the Matheson Home, as it has been known locally, has a rich history spanning more than 200 years. Constructed prior to 1810 through the combined efforts of the Masons of Chatham (Cheraw) and the Old Cheraw Academical Society, it was first used as the Cheraw Academy, a school for boys. In 1828, the Presbyterian Church held its first service there and used the upstairs as its headquarters from 1828 until 1832. In 1835, John Matheson, an immigrant from Scotland, purchased the home. Three years later, the Academy moved and the home became a private residence known as the Matheson Home. In March 1865, it briefly became the official Union Headquarters for General William Tecumseh Sherman on his infamous march through the South. In 1960, Mr. and Mrs. John F. Matheson of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, gave the home to the Town of Cheraw and it was converted into the Public Library. It remained a library until 1998 when the town built a modern library and sold the property to a private individual. It has remained a private residence since that time.