W.H. Hite Building; Oakview Inn

Historic Property

Alternate Name:

Pettas Package Store

Street Address:

328 Park Ave. SE, Aiken, SC (Aiken County)

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Site Number:

03_1475

Control Number:

U/03/1475

Date Surveyed:

October 28 2009

Category:

Building

Construction Date:

1902

Alteration Date:

1905

Historic Use:

Commerce/Trade

Current Use:

Vacant/Not In Use

Historic Core Shape:

Rectangular

Architect or Builder:

W. H. Hite, building contractor

Number of Stories:

2

Construction Method:

masonry

Exterior Walls Materials:

Stucco

Foundation Materials:

Not Visible

National Register Determination:

contributes to eligible district;

Signficant Architectural Features:

Decorative brickwork on parapet, cornice and above windows; quoins at corners of the two building sections; orig. 6/6 and 2/2 windows present; appears that a balcony was removed from front elevation as a historic door is located on 2nd level. Prev. SHPO No. 266

Alterations:

Rear section constructed in 1905; Windows altered on rear section - Mid-20th; storefronts altered on rear section - Later 20th C

Historical Information:

Faces site of an early passenger train depot (shown on 1889 maps), and is just west of the large depot built on Union St. at Park Ave. ca. 1895. The Park Avenue Hotel, the "first tourist hotel in Aiken" faced the Park Avenue depot until burning about 1896. The block was_x000D_ _x000D_ vacant in 1899 except a few residences along Fairfield Street, and_x000D_ rebuilding began soon after. This corner building was constructed in stages, ca. 1902 (front) and ca. 1905 (rear section along Union Street). In 1904 it housed a grocer and a meat market, with a hotel on the second floor. In 1909 two groceries operated here; the rear was vacant excel a restaurant at the north end, facing the new Southern Railway Passenger Depot. By 1918 the Union Street storefronts were filled with a meat market, tailor, and the restaurant. 1925 and_x000D_ 1935 maps show the second level as "Oakview Hotel". W. H. Hite was a building contractor, who built St. Mary Help of Christians Church ca. 1904

Source of Historical Information:

90 Years in Aiken County; Sanborn maps

Survey:

City of Aiken Historic Resources Survey, Aiken County, South Carolina. May 2010

Quadrangle Name:

Aiken

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