Thomas Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home

The Woodrow Wilson Family Home is located in Columbia, South Carolina[2][3] and was one of the childhood homes of the 28th President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson.

Woodrow Wilson Family Home
Woodrow Wilson Family Home
Location1705 Hampton St., Columbia, South Carolina
Coordinates34°0′29″N 81°1′38″W
Arealess than one acre
Built1872
Architectural styleItalian Villa
NRHP reference No.72001222[1]
Added to NRHPFebruary 23, 1972

History

The house, completed by late 1871, was the only one that Woodrow Wilson's parents would ever own. [4] They lived there for four years, before Wilson's father resigned his position as pastor.[5]

The home in 1971

A grassroots movement in 1928 preserved the home and prevented its scheduled demolition. It opened to the public as a museum in 1932. The house is furnished with period pieces from the 1850s–1870s, although only a few were owned by the Wilson family. They include, although he was not born in the house, the bed on which Wilson was born.[5] Stewardship of the site shifted to Historic Columbia in 1967. The revised interpretation of the site debuted in February 2014. Since that time, Historic Columbia has been recognized as a leader in interpreting this typically un- or under-interpreted history of our nation.[6]

Today

In October 2005, the home closed to tours in preparation for a complete renovation of the structure and landscaping.[7] In April 2009 the first of three phases of renovation began, starting with structural repairs.[8] Phase two, which included a new building on the property, electrical upgrades and minor carpentry work, was completed in late 2012. The new building, located in an area where previous support buildings stood in the past, includes bathrooms, a catering kitchen and mechanical and electrical rooms to offer the ability to host events at the home.[9] The renovation was completed in 2013, with re-opening to the public planned for 2014.[10]

Today, the house interprets the Reconstruction period—as experienced by the Wilsons and other citizens of Columbia and Richland County—as South Carolina and the rest of the nation shifted socially, politically and economically to adjust to new freedoms for previously enslaved men and women following the Civil War. Their experiences would be the basis for our modern interpretation of citizenship in the United States.

See also

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. McCorkle, Norman (November 19, 1970). "Thomas Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  3. "Thomas Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home, Richland County (1705 Hampton St., Columbia)". National Register Properties in South Carolina. South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  4. http://www.historiccolumbia.org/site/houses/woodrow-wilson-family-home/garden/index
  5. http://www.presidentialavenue.com/ww.cfm#3 Archived 2010-10-05 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Organization History". Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  7. "Follow Preservation and Progress with Historic Columbia Foundation". Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  8. "WWFH Phase 1 Rehabilitation: Sills and Studs". Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  9. "Woodrow Wilson Family Home Rehabilitation Update". Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  10. "Woodrow Wilson Family Home: Hard Hat Tour". Retrieved October 14, 2013.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.