Tidalholm is the official name of the countryside private home, but it served as the primary setting for the ’80s classic, “The Big Chill.” Located in Beaufort, the home resides among many more architectural beauties. It was built in 1853 by cotton mogul Edgar Fripp as his holiday home. Today, the house is privately owned, so it is not possible to schedule any tours.
Still, fans of the movie can, and do, take pictures and videos of the house as per the owners’ permission. Also in South Carolina: Drayton Hall is a charming Georgian Palladian plantation house located on the banks of the Ashley River.
Texas - Bishop's Palace
The Bishop’s place was built for attorney Walter Gresham, and it is Galveston’s best-known building. Esteemed architect Nicholas Clayton made this home both practical and beautiful. It stood strong through the Great Hurricane of 1900, but there are also silver-lined appliances in the home for aesthetic purposes.
Thanks to its stone exterior, it was able to house hundreds of survivors of the great hurricane of 1900. It was purchased by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galveston in 1923 and became home to the Bishop, hence its name. Also in Texas: The Huntsville home is the residence of Sam Houston, the first elected president of the Republic of Texas.
Alabama - The Crown Jewel of Demopolis
Before becoming one of the most historic buildings dedicated to Greek culture, this house was actually just an ordinary, simple cabin - hard to believe, right? Not until the years 1843 through 1861 did it get renovated by amateur architect, General Nathan Bryan Whitfield. He expanded and augmented the home into what it is today.
Today, the house is open for tours and houses family heirlooms donated by the Whitfield family. Also in Alabama: The Hank Williams Boyhood Home in Georgiana, Alabama is the house where Hank Williams himself honed his musical abilities before becoming one of the most famous and admired country music superstars in history.
Florida - Ernest Hemingway’s Home
In Key West, Florida is where Ernest Hemingway’s home lies, where he lived with his wife from 1931 to 1940. The Spanish Colonial style of architecture is what really makes the house stand out. However, before the Hemingways bought this home, it was in desperate need of renovation. Interestingly enough, this is now the home of approximately 40 to 50 polydactyl (six-toed) cats.
In 1964 the home was converted into a museum where visitors can see Hemingway's original study as he used it. Also in Florida: Ca’ d’Zan is American circus owner John Ringling’s famous estate, located in Sarasota, Florida, neighboring Sarasota Bay.
Minnesota - Glensheen
Glensheen is a house owned by Clara Congdon, who always used to joke about having quiet neighbors - there is a huge cemetery on the plot of land next to it. This would definitely be considered a mansion, as it has a whopping 39 rooms. Years later, the house was donated to the University of Minnesota, and it was renovated into a house museum.
A guided tour of the full mansion takes around 1.5 hours - and that's without exploring the estate itself. Also in Minnesota: The 1891 James J. Hill House in St. Paul was, at its time, the largest and most expensive home built in Minnesota, at 36,500 square feet.