The Whitfield House on Maplehurst Street

The Whitfield family established their mansion on Maplehurst Street in 1913 after Henry Whitfield purchased the property following his success in regional banking. Three generations lived there, including Henry, his wife Clara, their children, and Henry’s mother who remained in the household for many years. The family income came from banking services, commercial loans, and local property investments.

Historical records describe the home as a carefully maintained residence with active use of the veranda, study, and formal rooms during the years when the Whitfield financial business remained prosperous.

The first warning sign appeared in 1931 when Whitfield Bank recorded several unpaid commercial loans and declining property values among local clients. During the economic downturn, Henry reduced staff, closed several upstairs bedrooms, and delayed repairs to the copper cupola, veranda columns, and sandstone trim. After Henry’s death in 1934, disagreements between heirs complicated control of the estate. By 1937, unpaid taxes, bank obligations, and inheritance disputes forced the Whitfield family to leave Maplehurst Street while legal proceedings determined the future ownership of the property.

The Whitfield House was abandoned in 1938 after foreclosure followed years of banking decline, unpaid debts, and unresolved inheritance disputes. No restoration occurred, and no Whitfield descendants returned after leaving Maplehurst Street. Municipal records documented unsuccessful ownership transfers and continued deterioration of the vacant residence. The interior rooms remained closed, preserving financial records, furnishings, and household belongings left behind. Over the decades, moisture damage, weather exposure, and structural wear affected the stucco walls, copper cupola, and sandstone details. The Colonial Revival and Italianate mansion remains empty on the residential street, slowly deteriorating without restoration or confirmed future use.