The Halloween Parade

at the Kappel's

is an Earle St Tradition

   Nestled between Main Street and Paris Mountain lies North Main; a menagerie of shuttered Georgian brick, century farmhouses, 1920's bungalows and postwar saltboxes.  It's the quintessential downtown neighborhood with Historic Earle Street & James Street at it's helm.

   Few streets rival Earle & James Street's majestic live oaks and dogwood lined sidewalks.  Early evening brings neighbors street-side pushing strollers, walking dogs and visiting from rockers.  Just 1 mile to the heart of Main Street, Earle &James residents can walk to downtown events such as Friday Night Jazz and the Saturday Market.

   The re-formation of The Colonel Elias Earle Historic Distric Association (Ceehda) in 2004 further enriches downtown living.  The association and its members host neighborhood events including a Halloween Parade, a Progressive Christmas Dinner, a Spring Egg Hunt, a Summer Family Lawn Party and participates in Earle Street Baptist Church's popular 4th of July Bike Parade. 

Once Upon a Time...

     The Earle & James Street neighborhoods reside on what was once the large estate of Colonel Elias Earle.  He moved to Greenville County in the late 18th century and acquired large tracks of land North of Greenville proper.  In 1813, he sold much of this property to Henry Middleton of Charleston who built a Summer residence he named Whitehall (310 W Earle).  Middleton later sold the property back to the Earle family whose descendants continue to occupy the house today. 

     Sometime around 1834, a descendant of the Colonel's, Elias Drayton Earle, re-purchased the 33 acres which comprise James Street.  One residence stood on the property (today at 107 James), but the exact date of construction is unknown.  It is believed to have been on the site by 1826, but some accounts place it as early as 1810.

     It is this tract of land that was first subdivided by the Earle family.  By 1900, many lots had been sold and two Victorian style home had been constructed (at 100 and 102 James). The remaining parcel on James as well as what became Earle Street was laid out and subdivided in the early 20th century.  Whitehall's front lawn extended from the homesite to Rutherford Road.  Florida L Stone divided the front lawn into lots for her seven remaining children.  These early homes showed varied styles reflecting the growing trend away from Victorian architecture.  By 1915, homes have been built in the Dutch Colonial style (108 W Earle), shingle-style (107 W Earle) and Classic Revival (715 N Main).

     Development along East Earle buzzed in the 1920's.  Colonial Revival, Tudor, Georgian and Bungalow style homes (both frame and brick) quickly sprang up supporting the booming textile industry.  The original blueprints for many of these homes can still be located at City Hall because they were designed and registered by area architects. 

     Considered by many as the first planned residential community

in the Upstate, Earle and James street preserve the heritage of old while raising the next generation of downtown Greenville residents.

Ali Tevis wagoning

at the 4th of July Parade

Ann Bruccoliere, Craig Young & Ken Moore

palling around at the '05 Summer Party