About 45 miles from Asheville, in the town of Tryon, a ~650-sqft, three-room house sits on East Livingston Street. It’s where legendary singer, composer, and civil rights activist Nina Simone — born Eunice Kathleen Waymon — grew up, from 1933 to 1937.
The 2000s saw several attempts to restore the home, but NY-based artists Adam Pendleton, Rashid Johnson, Ellen Gallagher, and Julie Mehretu came together in 2017 to purchase it. A year later, the National Trust for Historic Preservation designated it a National Treasure. And with a recent announcement from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, work to rehabilitate parts of the home will be completed soon.
The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a program of the National Historic Trust for Preservation, partnered with the artists to rehabilitate the home. The plans maintain the original structure of the building, which is protected under a preservation easement, as well as the original furniture.
Phase one of the project began last month. General contractors Every Angle Inc. will install an ADA ramp outside of the house (while protecting a ~100-year-old magnolia tree), a geothermal heating and cooling system, and will add interpretive landscaping that replicates elements uncovered during an archaeological survey. The work is expected to be completed this fall.
The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund is also working with preservation organizations to envision a cultural district near the home for immersive and educational experiences. Learn more about Nina Simone’s legacy and stay up to date with news about the home’s renovation by signing up for the Action Fund’s newsletter.
