Whitehall
National Register Listing
Street Address:
310 W. Earle St., Greenville, SC (Greenville County)
NRHP Nomination
Record Number:
S10817723002
Description and Narrative:
One of Greenville’s oldest residences, Whitehall is an interesting example of the cool, breeze-acclimated summer homes favored by South Carolina’s first summer vacationers, escaping from the lowcountry heat and humidity to the cooler “high hills” of the upcountry. 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 South Carolina’s most prominent families, son of Arthur Middleton (signer of the Declaration of Independence), was himself a president of the Continental Congress, a U.S. Senator, a member of the S.C. House of Representatives and Governor of South Carolina as well as one-time Minister to Russia. Whitehall served as Middleton’s summer home until 1820, when it was sold to George Washington Earle, son of Elias T. Earle. A simple white frame structure with shuttered windows, the most distinctive features of the house 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 eighteenth century when they discovered that piazzas added to existing houses formed cool, outdoor 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 the upcountry summer houses like Whitehall. Listed in the National Register August 5, 1969.
Period of Significance:
1813
Level of Significance:
State
Area of Significance:
Politics/Government;Architecture;Landscape Architecture
National Register Determination:
listed
Date of Certification:
August 5 1969
