Vance-Maxwell House
Also known as: Maxwell-Nicholson-Murphy House158 E. Cambridge St., Greenwood, South Carolina
Historic home in Greenwood, SC
Map
Coordinates:
+34.19509, -82.1588234°11'42" N, 82°09'32" W
Quadrangle map:Greenwood
Description
The Vance-Maxwell House was built around 1850 for Allen Vance. The one-and-one half story upcountry farmhouse was remodeled between 1898 and 1904 in the Second Empire fashion. The Vance-Maxwell House is historically significant for its association with Dr. John C. Maxwell, a locally prominent physician, military surgeon during the Civil War, politician, and philanthropist, who lived in the house from 1871 to 1898. In 1876 Dr. Maxwell was elected to the Senate of the State of South Carolina, in which he served for nine years. He also took an active role in the formation of Greenwood County in the 1890s, and chaired the committee that determined the site for the county courthouse and jail. In 1891 Dr. Maxwell and his wife helped establish the state Baptist orphanage in Greenwood named for the only child of the Maxwell’s to survive infancy. Since its founding, more than 6,000 children have been aided by the Connie Maxwell Orphanage. After the Maxwell’s died, their home reverted to the orphanage. In 1903 it was sold to George Pressly Neel, and insurance maps show that soon thereafter the home was remodeled. The Vance-Maxwell House is architecturally significant for its adaptation of Second Empire elements. During the remodeling, the house was enlarged, adding a full second story and a mansard roof to the original story-and-a-half central hall farmhouse. Listed in the National Register March 5, 1982. - SCDAH
National Register information
- Status
- Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on March 5, 1982
- Reference number
- 82003866
- Architectural style
- Victorian: Second Empire
- Areas of significance
- Architecture; Social History
- Level of significance
- State
- Evaluation criteria
- C - Design/Construction; B - Person
- Property type
- Building
- Historic function
- Single dwelling
- Current function
- Single dwelling
- Periods of significance
- 1900-1924; 1875-1899; 1850-1874
- Significant years
- 1850; 1871; 1902
Update Log
- September 16, 2014: New Street View added by Michael Miller
- November 4, 2013: Updated by Michael Miller: Added "Description" & "Overview", Updated "GPS Coordinates"
- November 4, 2013: New photo from Michael Miller