Thompson Cottage Renovation
Thompson Cottage as photographed by City of Columbia worker Mabel Payne in 1962.
Origin
Henry Thompson and his family were among the first blacks to move into this formerly white neighborhood in 1872. He built this as a Columbia Cottage type house, a popular local style that included a symmetrical facade, central hall floor plan, and a raised basement. His descendants updated the building in the 1910s with a rear addition, a larger front porch, and dormers on the front and back of the roof.
Termite and water damage required extensive structural repairs to the foundation and front porch.
Repairs
The CBRRC rented out this property for many years but it fell into disrepair when they did not have the money for keep it maintained. Grants from the Richland County Conservation Commission helped fund some of the major repairs, but as those funds have become more competitive, the CBRRC has relied on volunteer help to keep working on the building.
USC’s Public History graduate students attend a historic preservation workshop at the Thompson Cottage.
Workshops
The Thompson Cottage has hosted a number of public workshops related to historic preservation. The topics have include paint removal, iron and masonry repair, energy efficiency in old buildings, and window restoration. The CBRRC has partnered with Historic Columbia on several workshops and has used the renovation to teach the public about best preservation practices.