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 historical place. It's also used for weddings and events today. For a long time, five generations of the White family lived here, from 1837 until 2005. The house started as a small one-room cottage. Over many years, it grew into a big two-story house with eighteen rooms! It's part of the Reid Street-North Confederate Avenue Area Historic District.
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The White Home: A Look Back
The White Home was first built in 1837. But it has been changed and made bigger many times 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 large piece of land, about 153 acres. George and Ann quickly began adding rooms to their small cottage.
After George passed away in 1849, Ann kept making changes. She turned the cottage into a large two-story home. To support herself and her four young children, Ann rented rooms. She often had boarders, especially during the Civil War. Sometimes, people paid her with furniture as they fled from the Union Army. Ann also received 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 for traveling ministers who passed through Rock Hill. Ann White was also known for being very generous. She gave money to schools and helped build Rock Hill's first Presbyterian Church.
How the White Home Grew
The White Home started as a simple one-room cottage. It is thought to have been 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 was built even before the main house.
After her husband died, Ann White managed the family's money. Because of the laws at the time, she had to keep very careful records. She saved every receipt for things she bought. These 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 got bigger, a room called "the Prophet's Chamber" was added. This room was on the second floor. It was set aside especially 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 changes to how the house looked, starting in 1859. One big change was adding a front porch in 1859.
Work on a new part of the house, called the annex, began around 1869. It was finished around 1871. Ann White had lightning rods put on the house in 1870. Gutters were added 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 home until 2005. Then, Historic Rock Hill bought the house and three acres of land. Historic Rock Hill is a group that saves and restores old homes. They worked on the house from 2006 to 2010. The White Home opened as a museum in 2010.
The White Family's Role in Rock Hill
The White family was very involved in Rock Hill. They were active even before it became an official town.
The Railroad's Arrival
George Pendleton White strongly supported bringing the new railroad line through Rock Hill. This line was planned to go from Charlotte to Columbia. In 1848, he signed a contract with the Charlotte and South Carolina Railroad Company. His job was to prepare part of the land for the railroad tracks.
Rock Hill Academy
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. Because of this, many people called the school the Pine Grove Academy. It was about 250 yards from the White Home. By 1856, 60 boys attended the school. Before this, students went to Ebenezer Academy. In 1856, 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 family members, like James Spratt White, wanted the town to be incorporated. But 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 town. Ann wanted to avoid the extra taxes that would come with incorporation.
Some residents sent a petition asking for the town to be incorporated. In response, several important residents sent a counter-petition against it. Seven people, who owned most of the land, gave reasons for opposing it. They worried about the cost of fixing muddy streets. They didn't see any good reasons for it. They also feared that bad leaders might get on the town council. And they worried about high taxes. But the state government decided to incorporate the 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 plantation near the Catawba River. Ann Hutchison married George Pendleton White in 1837. They were the first owners of the White Home property.
Ann White was known as a "woman of strong conviction and decisive action." One story says she stopped a bad shop from opening near her home. She rode a mule a long way and bought all the land. This way, she got rid of unwanted neighbors.
During the Civil War, Ann took in people who were fleeing from war. 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 make money. One person who bought land from her was Edwin Ruthven Mills in 1872. He led a group of soldiers from Rock Hill during the Civil War.
Ann White was one of seven people who signed the petition against Rock Hill becoming a town in 1870. These seven people owned most of the land that would be part of the new town. This meant they would pay most of the taxes. They lost this fight, and the town became official in 1870. 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 York County. 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. During the fight over the town's incorporation, he agreed with his mother. He was one of the seven people who signed the petition against incorporation in 1870.
Historic Rock Hill
Historic Rock Hill is a non-profit group. They own, restored, and manage the White Home. Their main 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, South Carolina." They also want to make the historic areas better places to live. They work to save important historical buildings in Rock Hill. They also teach people about Rock Hill's history. They collect old documents, photos, and personal stories.
Historic Rock Hill bought the White Home in 2005. They spent five years restoring the property. Today, it has exhibits about the White family and Rock Hill's history.
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 need to make an appointment to visit.
