1860–1869. 3 W. Gordon St.
Cotton merchant Noble Hardee began building this sizeable Italianate mansion just prior to the outbreak of the Civil War, and, like the neighboring Mercer House, it remained unfinished until after the war and under a new owner. Being set back about twelve feet from the other buildings on the block allows a grand front stair to lead to a bold but simple portico. A richly ornamented cast-iron balcony, possibly added in the 1880s, wraps across the front and eastern facades. Large segmental-arched windows with Baroque-like cast-iron frames add a dramatic effect. Other features include a wide central hall, a rear double gallery (recently restored), and a tall cupola with a deep cornice perched on top of the pyramidal roof.