Green-Meldrim House
Also known as: St. John's Parish House
Why it's listed
Begun in 1850 on Madison Square in Savannah, this two-story brick house was built for Charles Green, an English-born cotton and shipping merchant. Its Gothic Revival features include oriel windows, a crenellated parapet, extensive ironwork and a unique entrance portico with two arches on octagonal columns. Inside are a long entrance hall, a freestanding stair with wrought iron balusters, marble mantels, carved woodwork and elaborate plaster ceilings. Construction took eleven years, and family records put the cost at $93,000, reportedly the most expensive house in Savannah to that date. New York architect John S. Norris is connected with the work, though his exact role is uncertain. General William T. Sherman used the house as his headquarters from December 1864 to February 1865. Judge Peter W. Meldrim bought it in 1892, and St. John's Church acquired it in 1943 for use as a parish house. The church renovated it in 1968 and still uses it for meetings.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites its architectural merit as an urban Gothic Revival house, its link to New York architect John S. Norris, and its role as the home of the Charles Green family. It also notes that General Sherman made his Savannah headquarters there from December 1864 to February 1865.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 74000664, listed January 21, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Macon and Bull Sts., Savannah |
|---|---|
| County | Chatham County |
| Listed | January 21, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000664 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1850-61 |
| Architect / builder | John S. Norris (possible supervision/design, acted as agent for Charles Green); Charles Green, original owner |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated May 11, 1976 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Renovated by St. John's Church in 1968 and used for church meetings and functions; condition listed as excellent and occupied. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Savannah Historic District |
| Coordinates | 32.07396, -81.09471 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 74000664.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5602182
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.