White Hall
Historic Property
Street Address:
310 West Earle Street, Greenville, SC (Greenville County)
Site Number:
631 (8-2-24)
Date Surveyed:
circa 1981
Category:
Building
Construction Date:
circa 1813
Historic Use:
Residential/Domestic
Current Use:
Residential/Domestic
Architect or Builder:
Henry Middleton
Number of Stories:
2
Exterior Walls Materials:
Clapboard
Foundation Materials:
Brick Piers
Roof Shape:
Gable
Roof Materials:
Comp.
National Register Determination:
listed
Signficant Architectural Features:
Simple white frame structure with shuttered windows. Most distinctive features are the wide first and second story galleries, or piazzas, which serve as cool and shady breezeways. The Barbadian style of architecture was adopted by Charlestonians in the 18th century when they discovered that piazzas added to existing houses formed cool, out-of-doors, summer living rooms. In time, the piazzas became an integral part of every newly constructed dwelling in Charleston and the planters used similar designs in their up country summer houses like Whitehall. The original banisters of Whitehall's upper piazza were replaced in later years by the second owners, the Earle family. The house is located on a park-like lot abundantly shaded with old trees.;Increasingly rare in the SC Piedmont are country homes like Whitehall, unusual for its date, condition and in site location. One of Greenville's two residences, Whitehall is an interesting example of the cool, breeze-acclimated summer homes favored by SC's summer vacationers, escaping from low-country heat and humidity to the cooler "high hills" of the up-country. ;2 story; 9/9 lights, 5 bay; transom with 4 lights; 2 story wraparound porch; 1st floor pillars; 2nd floor turned posts and balusters; shutters (original); 2nd floor 9/6 lights; 2 brick exterior end chimneys; 1 interior brick chimney; addition in rear; garage.
Alterations:
Rear addition;Porch pillars
Historical Information:
Whitehall has significant historical significance because of the number of prominent men -- both national and local -- associated with it. The house stands on part of a 1000 acre tract originally belonging to Virginian born pioneer Elias T. Earle, who began acquiring lands as a Piedmont settler in the late 1780s. Whitehall was built as a summer residence by Charlestonian Henry Middleton on land purchased from Elias T. Earle in 1813. Middleton, a member of one of SC's most prominent families, son of Arthur Middleton (signer of the Declaration of Independence), was himself a House of Representatives and Governor of SC as well as one time Minister to Russia. He also owned the Middleton Gardens at Charleston, said to be America's "first landscaped garden." Whitehall served as Middleton's summer home until 1820, when it was sold to George Washington Earle, son of Elias T. Earle. George Washington Earle was Greenville attorney, clerk of court, and the ancestor of Whitehall's present owner. He was responsible for adding large holdings to the Earle property. Location of an official marker here attests to local and state regard for the house's historical significance.
Survey:
The Historic Resources of Greenville, SC (1981)
Archives Location:
Box 6, Series 108042, Survey of historic resources (county by county data on surface properties), circa 1971-2014
