General Sherman’s Civil War Headquartes - Green-Meldrim House

Charles Green, born 1807 in Shropshire, England, migrated to Savannah in 1833 at the age of 26 and secured a job as a clerk on Factor’s Walk in the cotton trade. He eventually partnered with Andrew Low, Sr and his son, Andrew Low (father-in-law to Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts) and became very successful. Charles married Catherine Burroughs, in 1837 and had three sons. By 1850 Charles was one of Savannah’s richest cotton merchants and also had a steamship company that transported cotton to Liverpool regularly. Catherine does in 1846 and in 1850 he married his second wife, Lucy Hunton promised to build her a grand home. Charles hired architect John S. Norris to build a grand house at a cost of $93,000 and Charles and Lucy took an extended honeymoon touring Europe shopping for building materials and furnishings for their new house. Charles married Aminta Elizabeth Fisher, Lucy's younger cousin after Lucy’s death. The two traveled frequently to Europe to purchase paintings and sculptures. Judge and Mrs. Peter Meldrim bought the house in 1892 from Charles’ son, Edward Moon Green. Judge Meldrim served as mayor of Savannah, President of the American Bar Association and Brigadier General in the Georgia National Guard.

The Green-Meldrim House was sold to St. John's Episcopal Church in 1943 by the Meldrim family to ensure its preservation.

This is what caught my eye; I hope you enjoy!

The house was built in the Gothic Revival style with characteristics including pointed arches, decorative woodwork and ironwork, bay and oriel windows and columns.

The front garden

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Charles Green, a British subject, offered the use of his home to General William T Sherman and his staff. Sherman used this house as headquarters from Dec. 22, 1864, until Feb. 1, 1865.

The front of the house has three pairs of doors. Each pair is distinctive and unique. The massive studded outer doors fold back into frames on either side, creating two small closets.

The next pair of doors are louvered and the third pair has glass panels. The latter two pairs of doors slide into the wall and are used according to the weather.

This is the wide central hall of the 7,300 sq. ft. the main floor.

The freestanding, curved marble staircase in the entrance hall.

The ornate details used on the stairs.

This is in the front parlor and here like all the ceilings on the first floor are 15 feet high. The rooms feature American black walnut woodwork, silver-plated door knobs, Italian Carrera marble fireplaces and ornate hard stucco duro cornices and arches.

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Impressive moulding throughout the house.

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Inside the rear second parlor.

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In the dining room

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The dome at the top of the stairs was designed to illuminate the house’s interior day and night. By day, light flows through the glass at the top. By night a ring of gas nozzles located on the lower edge of the dome could be lit giving a warm glow to the stairs. With the windows and the top of the dome open, the ring of fire creates air movement, sending hot air out through the top.

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Some rooms on the second floor

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A nice little window seat spot.

One of the upstairs rooms has displays of items and information related to Julian Green. He was the second son of Edward Moon Green who was born in France in 1900.  Julian's childhood was filled with stories from his mother about the South and the Civil War, many of these themes appeared in his writing as he embarked on a long and successful writing career.  He is recognized as one of the giants of 20th century French literature.  Julian Green died at the age of 98 in Paris.

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An interesting side note.

This is a portrait of Judge Meldrim’s daughter, Sophie. She married Ted Coy, an All-America fullback at Yale, and moved to New York. After 12 years of marriage they divorced and as a way to support her two sons, Sophie and her friend Nona Park opened Chez Ninon, a private, custom dressmaking salon on Park Ave in New York City. They made authorized Chanel designs from Paris for society's most fashionable women, including Doris Duke and Babe Cushing. Jackie Kennedy was their best customer; she had her own mannequin in the salon so her outfits could be fitted just right. The pink Chanel-designed strawberry 2-piece suit worn by Mrs. Kennedy in Dallas when President Kennedy was assassinated came from Chez Ninon. The pink suit was never cleaned of its bloodstains and has been kept in an acid-free container at the National Archives in Maryland since 1964.  In 2003 Caroline Kennedy signed a "deed of gift" specifying that the dress not be displayed until 2103.

What you should know:

• The house is an active Parish House for St. John's Church and may be closed for church events.

• Check website for days and hours of operation and for any last-minute closings.

• You can buy tickets online or in person.

• Tours last about 40 minutes.

• Restrooms are available.

• On the street parking and parking lot options are available.

Location: 14 W. Macon Street, Madison Square, Savannah, GA 31401

For more information: Green-Meldrim House