The Whitaker Residence on Maple Crescent

The Whitaker family arrived at Maple Crescent in 1907 after Charles Whitaker purchased the residence following his expansion into regional textile manufacturing. The home had been acquired through inheritance from his wife Eleanor’s family, who had owned the property for decades. Four generations briefly lived there, including Charles and Eleanor, their three children, and Eleanor’s elderly mother who helped manage the household.

The family income depended on the textile mill, which employed local workers and supported the household until changing markets began weakening the business.

The first warning sign came in 1930 when the Whitaker Textile Mill received a series of unpaid orders and missed payroll payments after a regional manufacturing slowdown. Charles reduced expenses by closing the upstairs bedrooms, dismissing two household workers, and postponing repairs to the copper mansard roof and veranda supports. By 1934, the mill’s debts, property taxes, and outstanding equipment loans became overwhelming. After Charles suffered a serious illness in 1935, control of the estate passed into a disputed inheritance arrangement between his children, preventing any immediate sale or repair.

The Whitaker Residence was abandoned in 1937 after foreclosure proceedings followed the failure of the textile business and unresolved inheritance disputes. Eleanor moved to live with relatives in another state, while the children divided ownership claims without returning to maintain the property. No restoration occurred, and no surviving family member reclaimed the residence. Court records noted unsuccessful attempts to sell the mansion, while years of neglect damaged the veranda, roof structure, and interior rooms. The Second Empire and Greek Revival home remains empty on Maple Crescent, deteriorating slowly with its ownership history unresolved.