White House (Rock Hill, South Carolina)

The White Home in Rock Hill, South Carolina is a small historical museum. Five generations of the White family lived in the house between 1837 and 2005. Over the years, the home transformed from a one room cottage into an eighteen room, two story house. It is located in the Reid Street-North Confederate Avenue Area Historic District.The White Home offers guided and self-guided tours, a gift shop featuring local artists and writers, and meeting space for special events. The museum is owned and operated by the organization Historic Rock Hill which purchased and restored the house. Historic Rock Hill's headquarters are located on the second floor.Early HistoryThe White Home was originally built in 1837, but has undergone extensive renovations and expansions since then. George Pendleton White and Ann Hutchison White purchased the land from Alexander Templeton Black and moved into the original one-room cabin in 1837. They started out with 153 acres of land. George and Ann began to make additions to the one-room cottage soon after their arrival.After George's death on February 25, 1849, Ann continued making renovations until the cottage became a large two-story home. To sustain herself and her four small children Ann rented rooms to boarders, particularly during the Civil War, who often paid her in furniture as they fled from the approaching Union Army. Ann was able to afford the building project because of a considerable inheritance left to her by her older brother, Hiram Hutchison.Aside from paying boarders, Ann had a room set aside - the "Prophet's Chamber" - for travelling ministers passing through Rock Hill. Ann White was also renowned for her generous participation in the community, including donations to schools and the building of Rock Hill's first Presbyterian Church.