A Holiday Invitation to History: Inside Greenville's Kilgore-Lewis House

If you live in the Greenville, South Carolina, region and have yet to visit The Kilgore-Lewis House, the holiday season offers an especially inviting reason to go. Built in 1838, the stately home is dressed in its winter finery this time of year, thanks to the dedicated members of the Greenville Council of Garden Clubs, which has maintained the property as its headquarters since 1974.

The Kilgore-Lewis House was built in 1938.

One of the earliest surviving structures in Greenville County, the Kilgore-Lewis House originally stood near the intersection of College, Academy and Buncombe Streets in downtown Greenville. In 1974, it was carefully relocated to its current location on North Academy Street, where it overlooks a tranquil expanse of gardens and woodland.

The Gardens

A spring on the property dates to 1765.

Nestled among tall trees on a gently sloping landscape, the property includes a restored spring that dates to 1765.  Both the house and spring are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Long before the home was built, the spring served as a water source for native Americans and early settlers. 

Today, the five-acre wooded grounds provide a meeting place for the Greenville Council of Garden Clubs, including its Board of Directors and committees and its 14 member clubs. The gardens are certified as both an arboretum and a backyard wildlife habitat.

During the school year, children often visit to explore the sensory and butterfly gardens and view the many wildflowers that are scattered throughout the property. Arbor Day is a particularly special day at the Kilgore-Lewis House and is celebrated in partnership with the public schools, the City of Greenville, TreesUpstate and sponsoring industries.

Wildlife often spotted on the grounds include hawks, owls, songbirds, squirrels and chipmunks. Ducks and Great Blue Herons are sometimes seen as well. 

Holiday Open House

Visitors are especially encouraged to experience the house during the holiday season, when the Garden Clubs transform the interior with tasteful seasonal decor. Period furnishings and decorations offer a glimpse into the rhythms of 19th-century life.

The side entrance where guests are welcomed. 

Originally associated with Josiah Kilgore, who purchased the property in 1838, the house later passed to Kilgore's daughter and her husband in 1855. It remained in the Kilgore/Stokes/Gaines/Lewis families for about 130 years. The house is notable for its Classical-Revival style, which was uncommon for upcountry farmhouses at that time. 

The first room guests see when entering the house.

Square grand pianos were popular in the 18th and 19th centuries.

A cozy room perfect for curling up with a good book.

This beautiful piece of history may not have lasted were it not for an intervention. After the last family members left, it was used briefly by the Buncombe Street Methodist Church and later slated for demolition until the Greenville Council of Garden Clubs saved the historic home. 

Today the Kilgore-Lewis House stands as a link to Greenville's past. It remains free to tour and also serves as an event space for weddings, receptions, family celebrations and small business meetings.

Contributions are gladly accepted to grow the endowment and secure the property as the Garden Clubs' headquarters in perpetuity.

If you go:

The Kilgore-Lewis House is located at 560 North Academy Street in McPherson Park.

For information on planning your visit during the holidays or at other times during the year, visit the website at https://kilgore-lewis.org/, or email kilgorlewishouse@gmail.com.