Cherrydale (Greenville, South Carolina) facts for kids
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Cherrydale
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Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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Cherrydale in its new location
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| Location | 1500 Poinsett Hwy., Greenville, South Carolina |
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| Area | 20 acres (8.1 ha) |
| Built | 1840 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001702 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | June 17, 1976 |
| Removed from NRHP | December 8, 2005 |
Cherrydale is a special historic house located in Greenville County, South Carolina. Today, it serves as the main office for the Furman University alumni association. It is also a popular place for small dinners and parties.
This large, two-story building is about 4,960 square feet. It has eleven rooms, eight cozy fireplaces, and five bathrooms.
Contents
The Story of Cherrydale
How Cherrydale Began
Around 1852 to 1857, a man named George Washington Green built a simple, one-story farmhouse. This original farmhouse is now the back part of Cherrydale. It was built at the bottom of Piney Mountain in Greenville County.
The Furman Family's Home
In 1857, Mr. Green sold the house and the land around it. The new owner was James Clement Furman (1809-1891). He was a Baptist clergyman and the very first president of Furman University. The university was named after his father.
Before 1860, James Furman and his wife, Mary Glen Davis Furman, made big changes to the house. They added four new rooms. They also built a new front entrance with a porch and four tall columns. These columns were in the Greek Revival style, which was popular for grand buildings.
The Furmans named their newly improved home "Cherrydale." People in Greenville also sometimes called it Furman Hall. In the 1860s, the house was part of a huge 1,200-acre farm. This farm grew corn, cotton, peaches, apples, and cherries. It was the main way the Furman family earned money during the Civil War.
A New Chapter for Cherrydale
After Mary Furman passed away in 1911, the house went to the Furman children. Mamie Furman Goldsmith lived there until the mid-1930s. After she moved out, the house was used to store farm tools.
In 1939, Mamie Goldsmith sold Cherrydale to Eugene E. Stone III (1916-2004). He was a well-known textile manufacturer. At first, Mr. Stone planned to tear down the house to build a clothing factory. But his wife, Allene Wyman "Linky" Stone (1912-1998), convinced him to save and fix up the house instead. Cherrydale was in bad shape at the time. It didn't have modern plumbing, central heating, or electricity.
Moving a Historic House
Later, after Mr. Stone bought a company called Umbro International, he renovated Cherrydale again in 1997. He wanted to use it as a special guest house for his company. However, the next year, Umbro closed all its factories in the U.S. A company that builds shopping centers, AIG Baker, then bought the Cherrydale property.
The Stone family then gave Cherrydale to Furman University as a gift. On March 7–8, 1999, the university faced a big challenge. They moved the entire house more than three miles north to their campus. The campus is located off Poinsett Highway (U.S. 276).
Cherrydale's Historic Status
Cherrydale was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 17, 1976. This register lists important historic buildings across the country. However, after the house was moved, it was removed from the list on December 8, 2005.
Usually, buildings that are moved from their original spot are taken off the National Register. But the Greenville County Historic Preservation Commission has argued that Cherrydale should be an exception. They believe it was moved after it had already become historically important. They also say that Cherrydale still looks very much like it did in its historic past.
