COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Florence C. Benson Elementary School buildings at 226 Bull Street in Columbia will soon undergo much needed restoration with a $4.25 million grant from the National Park Service (NPS) to the University of South Carolina.
Built between 1956-1955 as an "equalization school" to maintain the state government's "separate but equal" school system to avoid racial integration, Florence C. Benson Elementary was originally known as Wheeler Hill Elementary and the Benson Building. The school closed in 1975 and the buildings were acquired by USC in 1978. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009 as a last remnant of the Black residential area in downtown Columbia.
With the money from the Historic Preservation Fund's African American Civil Rights grant, the university plans to
- Replacement of the roof and restoration of other exterior envelope components including the historic metal windows
- Correction of site drainage concerns
- Installation of sprinkler and fire alarm systems
- Renovation of restrooms to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act
- Replacement of worn interior finishes such as ceilings, lighting, carpet, and paint
Bobby Donaldson, executive director of the Center for Civil Rights History and Research, said, ""We are extremely pleased that the generous support of the National Park Service will advance the restoration of the historic Florence C. Benson School for future generations. We look forward to working with campus architects, preservationists, USC colleagues, students and residents as we continue to document the memories and showcase the histories of families, churches and institutions from the Wheeler Hill district."
“South Carolina has always been a focal point for our nation’s history, especially civil rights history," said Congressman Jim Clyburn. "This funding will help continue immortalizing our state’s role in the powerful legacy of African American civil rights."
The Benson restoration joins the previously awarded $6.5 million from NPS for the restoration of another Jim Crow-era structure, the Booker T Washington High School Auditorium at 1400 Wheat St., just blocks away from Benson.
