Winston-Salem State University has secured a nearly $750,000 federal grant to preserve one of the most historically significant buildings on its campus. The funding will help the HBCU restore the former home of its founder, Simon Green Atkins Jr.
The university announced Wednesday that it received a $749,700 grant through the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
The money will support renovations to the S.G. Atkins House, a structure that has stood for more than 130 years and represents an important chapter in Black education and economic development in Winston-Salem.
Preserving a piece of HBCU history
Built in 1893, the two-story white house served as the residence of Simon Green Atkins Jr., who founded what became Winston-Salem State University in 1892.
The property, located on Alumni Drive, currently houses the university’s Office of Alumni Affairs. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Its importance extends beyond the university.
The Atkins House is the last surviving structure among three historic homes in Columbia Heights, one of Winston-Salem’s early Black middle-class neighborhoods, that were listed on the National Register.
The James S. Hill House and John Walter Paisley House, which once stood in the neighborhood, have both been demolished. That makes preserving the Atkins House particularly important to the history of the surrounding community.
The grant will address decades of deterioration caused by weather and water damage. Planned improvements include replacing the roof, restoring windows, repairing exterior siding and porch framing, and upgrading heating, cooling and fire alarm systems.
Winston-Salem State connects preservation to future growth
Winston-Salem State Chief Operating Officer Jeremy C. Alltop, who served as principal investigator and primary author of the grant application, said the project supports Chancellor Bonita J. Brown’s We Are Rising 2030 strategic plan.
The plan emphasizes responsible management of university resources while strengthening WSSU’s relationship with the surrounding community.
“Few places connect those goals as directly as the home of our founder. Preserving the Atkins House allows us to tell the story of WSSU in a way that also tells an important part of the story of Winston-Salem,” Alltop said.
He added that the university’s history and the community’s history are deeply connected.
Dr. Shawn E. Holt, chief research officer and associate provost, credited collaboration among several university offices for securing the federal grant.
Although funding has been awarded, construction will not begin immediately.
The project still requires approval from the Winston-Salem State Board of Trustees and the UNC Board of Governors. Preservation reviews, design work and procurement must also be completed before a construction timeline can be established.
For Winston-Salem State, the investment represents more than another campus improvement project. It ensures that a tangible connection to the university’s founding generation has a better chance of surviving for generations to come.