The “upcountry farmhouse” known as Enfield in historic Cheraw was built around 1815 by General Erasmus Powe as a wedding present for his daughter, Martha. According to local lore, General Powe planted the row of cedars in front of the house which now grace the median of Cedar Avenue.
During the Civil War this home was used by general Oliver Howard – second in command to General Sherman – as his headquarters when Union troops occupied the town in 1865. This was a convenient spot for General Howard, as General Sherman had made the home next door – the Hartzell House – his own headquarters.
Enfield is listed in the National Register as part of the Cheraw Historic District:
Around 1736 Welsh Baptists came to South Carolina and settled in the Pee Dee region. In 1766 Eli Kershaw, who had been given a grant of land along the Pee Dee River, laid out the town of Cheraw. It was incorporated in 1820. Located at a key navigational point, Cheraw began to develop as a commercial center of interior South Carolina; however, the Civil War and Reconstruction temporarily halted this progress. For a time development was impeded and rebuilding was delayed. Although the town eventually prospered, much of its physical character remained unaltered.
The town of Cheraw also played an important role in South Carolina military history. During both the American Revolution and the Civil War, British and Union troops used St. David’s Episcopal Church as a hospital. The meeting house style church still stands today. Additionally in 1825, Revolutionary War figure Marquis de Lafayette stayed in Cheraw during his tour of the United States. Located within the district are a variety of architectural styles that include the early frame homes of the 1800s (often called upcountry farmhouses, or essentially I-House in type), antebellum structures with Classical Revival details and Greek Revival porticos, and Victorian houses from the turn of the century. The district also includes several churches, a cemetery, and the towns’ original boundary markers dating from 1766.
I visited Enfield as part of a phone tour. The gentleman in the yard welcomed us to walk around the grounds. We were very pleased for the offer, the estate is very beautifully preserved. We are very thankful to see such grand homes saved. Wm. Phillips.