Many people would identify this house as abandoned due to the significant growth of weeds in the yards. This is one of those homes where I note the wreath next to the door, the intact windows, and the general cleanliness of the outside of the house and wonder about who called this place home and why they are no longer living there. The home is in rural South Carolina, where getting a yard regularly maintained, wouldn’t be an easy task.
Ivygates, named for the ivy on the gates, was built by Atlanta builder, Henry Jones, for Dr. Asbury Tatum Wideman. At least three generations owned the home until it was sold in 1979.
His brother John also lived here. According to the 1860 Slave Census, the Widemans enslaved 40 men, women, and children.
Mount Carmel Presbyterian Church sits atop a small hill in Mount Carmel, South Carolina. It creates a picturesque view along the road. The church was built in 1890, and the congregation used it until the 1950s.
Based on the map in the National Register of Historic Places application, this home is a contribution property to the historic Mt. Carmel district. However, the map and the photographs don’t match up with the location of the house, so I can’t confirm the year the home was built.
Built in 1926, the Hopewell School is a one-teacher type Rosenwald School. It was built for $1800. It was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.
