White House (Rock Hill, South Carolina) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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White Home
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | 258 E. White St., Rock Hill, South Carolina |
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| Area | 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) |
| Built | 1837 |
| Website | http://thewhitehomerockhill.com/ |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000176 |
| Added to NRHP | December 3, 1969 |
The White Home in Rock Hill, South Carolina is a special old house. It is now a museum and a popular place for events like weddings. For over 160 years, five generations of the White family lived here. They called it home from 1837 until 2005. This historic house started as a small, one-room cabin. Over time, it grew into a large, two-story house with eighteen rooms. You can find it in the Reid Street-North Confederate Avenue Area Historic District.
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The White Home: A Growing House
The White Home was first built in 1837. But it has changed a lot since then! George Pendleton White and Ann Hutchison White bought the land in 1837. They moved into the original one-room cabin. They started with a big piece of land, about 153 acres. George and Ann quickly began adding more rooms to their small home.
After George passed away in 1849, Ann continued to make changes. She turned the cottage into a large, two-story house. To support herself and her four young children, Ann rented rooms to people. Many of these boarders stayed during the Civil War. They sometimes paid Ann with furniture as they left areas where the Union Army was approaching. Ann also got money from her older brother, Hiram Hutchison. This helped her pay for more building projects in the 1870s.
Ann had a special room called the "Prophet's Chamber." This room was always ready for traveling ministers. Ann White was also known for being very kind and helpful in her community. She gave money to schools and helped build Rock Hill's first Presbyterian Church.
How the House Changed Over Time
The White Home began as a simple one-room cottage. People believe it was built just before the White family bought the land. There is also a separate log cabin behind the main house. This cabin was later used as a kitchen for the boarding house. It is even older than the main house.
After her husband died, Ann White took charge of the family's money. She had to keep very careful records of everything she bought. These old receipts were found in the attic when the White Home became a museum. They tell us what Ann bought, where she bought it, and how much it cost.
In 1849, as the house grew, a room called "the Prophet's Chamber" was added. This special room on the second floor was for visiting ministers.
Ann's brother, Hiram Hutchison, passed away in 1856. He left a lot of money to Ann. She used this money to make more additions to the White Home. She also made some beautiful changes starting in 1859. One big change was adding a front porch in 1859.
Work on a new section, called the annex, started around 1869. It was finished around 1871. Ann White also added lightning rods to the house in 1870. Gutters were put in place in November 1871. The first known photo of the home was taken in 1872.
The White Home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. The White family lived in the house until 2005. Then, Historic Rock Hill bought the house and three acres of land. Historic Rock Hill is a group that helps save old homes. They worked hard to fix up the house from 2006 to 2010. The White Home opened as a museum in 2010.
The White Family and Rock Hill
The White family was very important to Rock Hill. They were involved in the community even before it became an official town.
Building the Railroad
George Pendleton White really wanted the new Charlotte to Columbia train line to go through Rock Hill. In 1848, he got a contract from the Charlotte and South Carolina Railroad Company. His job was to dig and prepare part of the railroad track.
Rock Hill's First School
Rock Hill's first school opened in September 1854. It was built on land that Ann Hutchison White gave. The land had many pine trees. So, many people called the school the Pine Grove Academy. It was about 250 yards from the White Home. By 1856, the school had 60 boy students. Later, a Pine Grove Academy for girls also opened.
Rock Hill Becomes a Town
Rock Hill officially became a town on February 26, 1870. This was the third time people in the area tried to make it a town.
The White family had different ideas about this. Some, like James Spratt White, wanted the town to be official. Others, like Ann Hutchison White and her son A. H. White, were against it. The White family owned a lot of the land that would become part of the new town. Ann wanted to avoid paying extra taxes that would come with being a town.
Some people who owned land sent a letter saying they did not want the town to be official. They worried about the cost of fixing muddy streets. They also feared that bad leaders might get on the town council. And they were concerned about high taxes. But the state government decided to make Rock Hill a town anyway.
Important People from the White Home
George Pendleton White (1801-1849)
George Pendleton White was the first owner of the White Home. The house is named after his family. George was a Scots-Irish Presbyterian. He married Ann Hutchison in 1837. George worked as a tailor. He passed away in 1849 from pneumonia. He got sick while working on the new railroad line.
Ann Hutchison White (1805-1880)
Ann Hutchison White was born in 1805. She was one of sixteen children! Her family lived on a large farm near the Catawba River. Ann married George Pendleton White in 1837. They were the first owners of the White Home.
Ann White was known as a "woman of strong conviction." This means she was very determined. One story says she stopped a shop she didn't like from opening near her home. She rode a mule a long way to buy the land herself!
During the Civil War, Ann took in people who were escaping from war-torn areas. Some visitors left heavy furniture behind because they could not travel with it.
After the Civil War, Ann White sold parts of the family's land to earn money. Ann White was one of seven people who signed a letter against Rock Hill becoming a town in 1870. They owned most of the land that would be in the new town. So, they would have to pay most of the taxes. But they lost, and Rock Hill became a town. Ann White passed away in 1880.
James Spratt White
James Spratt White was the son of George and Ann White. He fought in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. In 1865, he wrote to his sister Mary. He was worried that General Sherman would march into their area. He was relieved when Sherman went in a different direction.
Andrew Hutchison White
Andrew Hutchison White was another son of George and Ann White. After the Civil War, he became a businessman. He agreed with his mother about not wanting Rock Hill to become a town. He was one of the seven people who signed the letter against it in 1870.
Historic Rock Hill: Saving History
Historic Rock Hill is a non-profit group. They own, fixed up, and now manage the White Home. Their office is also on the second floor of the building. Historic Rock Hill's goal is to "preserve and protect the historic resources of Rock Hill." This means they work to save important old buildings in the town. They also teach people about Rock Hill's history. They collect old papers, photos, and personal stories.
Historic Rock Hill bought the White Home in 2005. They spent five years making it beautiful again. Today, the museum has exhibits about the White family and the history of Rock Hill.
The White Home Today
Today, the White Home is mostly used for weddings and other events. If you want to learn about its history, Historic Rock Hill offers tours. You can take a self-guided tour by making an appointment.
