Green-Meldrim House

Green-Meldrim House in Savannah

If you're looking for one of the grandest Gothic Revival Houses in the South with a deep history to match, then you should visit the Green-Meldrim House during your stay in Savannah, Georgia.

Built by a renowned architect, it was once the most expensive house in Savannah and the center of some famous events during the civil war. A tour of the place will make you feel that it is a museum, although it is used as a parish hall by St. John's Episcopal Church.

History

Charles Green came to Savannah in 1833. A middle-class man with no great fortune, he would become a wealthy cotton merchant in Georgia. Charles Green commissioned the house to be built in 1850. The Green-Meldrim house cost a total of $93,000 and was finished in 1853. Nearly half of the expenses were due to the cost of luxurious building materials brought over from England and other places.

General Sherman

During the civil war, Green let his house be used as General Sherman's headquarters. From 1864 till 1865, it was lived in by the Union Army officers. It was from this gorgeous place that General Sherman wrote his famous telegraph to President Lincoln. He wrote that he wanted to gift the President, "as a Christmas Gift the City of Savannah, with one hundred and fifty heavy guns and plenty of ammunition, and also about twenty-five thousand bales of cotton."

Charles Green later sued the United States government to be reimbursed for this cotton.

40 Acres and a Mule

History buffs will enjoy learning that the Green-Meldrim House was the site of the "40 acres and a mule" meeting, where General Sherman stated that newly freed enslaved people would have a fresh start. "Each family shall have a plot of not more than forty acres of tillable ground." General Sherman and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton held this meeting with local black leaders at Green-Meldrim House. Sadly, this promise would be overturned by President Andrew Johnson, but this meeting was the first dialogue between the white power structure of Savannah and local black men.

Ownership

Charles Green owned the house until he died in 1881. His son Edward Green was left the house. Green sold the house to Judge Peter W. Meldrim in 1892 after his family was established in France.

Edward Green's son, Julien Green, grew up in France and became an acclaimed French author, one of the best of the 20th century, and the first non-national member of the Academie Française. Most of Edward and Julien's furniture was brought back to the historic home. It is mesmerizing to think of all the stories this furniture could tell.

Only owned by two different families, the house was sold to St. John's Church next door to keep it preserved.

Architecture

The Green-Meldrim House was designed by the brilliant architect John Norris. John Norris designed several historical places, including the US Custom House, Massie School, Andrew Low House, and the Cockspur Island Lighthouse. He lived in Savannah from 1846 to 1861.

Besides being one of the most glorious gothic-revival homes in the South, the house has other notable architectural features. The house has three sets of doors. The heavy outer double doors fold in to form a closet on both sides of the entrance. An oriel window graces the east side of the house. A skylight above the interior curved skylight is a unique feature of the architect.

Features

You will be blown away by the beautifully carved black walnut floor and the golden crown moldings when you visit the house. Everything from the doorknobs to the keyholes is silver plated. Matching chandeliers grace each room, as well as marble mantles above each fireplace.

Enjoy the Green family's furniture brought over from their French residence. Stroll through the gardens designed by Clermont Huger Lee, a Savannah garden architect specializing in historically accurate garden designs.

National Register

The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. This federal government list protects sites deemed to be historically worthy of preservation. For a property to be considered for this distinction, it must have made a significant contribution to the pattern of American history.

Tours

Located on the Northwest corner of Madison Square, the Green-Meldrim house is a must-see on your trip to Savannah. Tours are given daily. The Episcopal Church of St Johns – built in the same year as the house -- also uses the house for meetings and receptions in the evenings. The kitchens, servants' quarters and stables have been converted to a rectory.