City Directories and History: 1908 – J. H. B. Jenkins, J.L. Bird (Leonard J. Bird – Carpets, rugs, coffins and caskets, etc.@ 100 East Main St.), 1913 – Same, 1922 – J. H. B. Jenkins, 1936 – Mrs. Julia F. Jenkins and Mary Jenkins (Teacher), 1938 – Same, 1959 – Leroy M. Dozier
The Rock Hill Herald reported on July 12, 1904 – “Contractor J.J. Keller of Yorkville has secured the contract for the residence of Edward Gross, which is to be erected on the vacant lot next to the recently built house of J.H.B. Jenkins in Whiteville, and work will be commenced immediately. C.R. Means has the contract for the brickwork.”
The house was built in circa 1905, just behind the historic White Home and shared the alley which originally ran behind this home and the White’s. The second story has a double window and a louvered attic vent along with the traditional front porch of this very simple take off of a late Queen Anne style house without the decorative elements.
The left side has a cut away bay with shaped wood brackets and pendants but overall, this is one of the simplest of house designs on Reid Street. This was the long-term home of the Jenkins family who later moved to College Avenue.
The Rock Hill Record reported on Jan. 22, 1912 – “J.J. Keller and Co., have rented the storeroom now occupied by J.L. Bird’s Furniture Store, corner of East Main and Railroad Ave., (100 East Main Street).”
REID STREET NEIGHBORHOOD AT A GLANCE – In 1992, the Reid Street-North Confederate Avenue Area Historic District was placed in the National Register of Historic Places. The district includes the White House, which had been placed in the register as an individual property in 1969. East Main Street, Reid Street and Confederate Avenue developed as one of the first residential neighborhoods surrounding the downtown area of Rock Hill. By the 1870s, houses were being built along East Main Street several blocks from the originally platted area of the community. In 1888, the first public graded school was built nearby on Black Street. Central School served the community for many years, and today the site of the school is occupied by the Central Child Development Center. A street was opened between Main and Black which terminated at the school. Originally called Academy Street, the name was later changed to Confederate Avenue. Reid Street was opened just after the turn of the century, and the entire area rapidly filled with houses.
The families who moved into this neighborhood were largely middle class business or professional families. Most worked in the downtown area, only a two to three block walk away. Several of the early home owners were employed as teachers or government workers. Merchants included R. W. Cranford, who operated a department store, Arthur Patterson (wholesale grocery), James Huey (pharmacy), John Good (stable), and the Barnes and Workman families (telephone business). Dr. W. R. Blackmon lived on Main Street and other residents of the area included the superintendent of the Highland Park Mill (Charles Steed), and a railway conductor (Ernest Guntharp). R. E. Tomkins moved his family from Kershaw to East Main Street so that his children could benefit from the new school.
Most of the earliest houses in the neighborhood were in Late Victorian Styles, including one-story cottages and two-story homes. Several excellent Victorian homes remain on North Confederate Avenue and Reid Street. The John Good House (c. 1895), located at the corner of East Main and Confederate, is an exceptional Late Victorian home. Later houses were built in the emerging Classical Revival style. Just after 1900, some of the earlier Victorian houses on East Main Street were moved to Reid Street. These one-story Victorian cottages were replaced by larger classical revival homes. Apparently, East Main Street was becoming more fashionable, and the cottages had gone out of style and were too small for the area.
This neighborhood is still largely intact and represents one of the best collections of historic homes in Rock Hill. We are indebted to the property owners who have maintained and restored these beautiful houses. [Written and contributed to R&R by Paul M. Gettys]
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