North Elevation Main Entrance	East Elevation	South Elevation	Northeast Wing Gable End	Northwest Wing Gable End
Interior Salon with Stairway	Interior Salon	Interior Fireplace	Interior Fireplace	Interior Butler's Pantry
Whitney Stable	Squash Court East Elevation

(Whitney House) Joye Cottage, the greater portion of which dates from 1897, is a rambling weatherboard Georgian Revival residence, consisting of a central block with four radiating wings. Joye Cottage is one of the oldest and largest of Aiken’s winter retreats for the wealthy. It is also important as a relatively intact example of the architecture expressive of the lavish scale of living practiced in Aiken’s Winter Colony. The cottage building represents the extensive remodeling of an existing building done ca. 1897 by New York architect George A. Freeman for William C. Whitney. Significant aspects include the arrangement of the wings to create a formal courtyard, the use of the Roman Temple form in the western wings, and the interior woodwork, including the wainscoting, the pilasters and columns, the staircase, and the mantels, all executed in the Georgian Revival style. William Whitney, who is considered the real founder of the Whitney dynasty, first joined the ranks of the winter colonists at the urging of Aiken pioneers Thomas and Lulie Hitchcock. Finding the sporting life in Aiken much to his liking, he became a regular winter resident. In 1897, he purchased Mrs. Joye’s boarding house from Miss Celestine Eustis and established himself as a permanent and influential member of the Aiken resort community. The nominated property includes the main house, the one and one-half story Whitney Stable and the two-story Whitney Squash Court. The Squash Court is significant as an early example of the Prairie style in South Carolina. Other outbuildings on the property include a greenhouse, a laundry house and two small one-story frame cottages. Listed in the National Register September 29, 1980.

View the complete text of the nomination form for this National Register property.

Most National Register properties are privately owned and are not open to the public. The privacy of owners should be respected. Not all properties retain the same integrity as when originally documented and listed in the National Register due to changes and modifications over time.

Images and texts on these pages are intended for research or educational use. Please read our statement on use and reproduction for further information on how to obtain a photocopy or how to cite an item.