Alston House Restoration @ 1811 Gervais

The Carolina Alston House stood as a symbol of African-American entrepreneurship in downtown Columbia, SC during the late nineteenth century. The one-story Greek Revival, built around 1872,  became the residence and dry goods business of Carolina Alston, reportedly the first African-American female merchant in Columbia.

When Alston operated her dry goods store at this location, she was one of only 25 black business owners in the state's capital city. Her success as a merchant made her a leader in Columbia’s African-American community.  The Alston House was sold in 1906 to  African-American grocer, L.M. Keitt and has changed ownership a few times since. It was placed on the Historic Registry in 1976 and is currently in disrepair.   
  
Rescued out of foreclosure, misuse and neglect in 2019, The Alston House was purchased by Jennifer Clyburn Reed and her husband, Walter.  Work to restore The Alston House itself and improve the egress and ingress will begin in January 2021 and completed by July 2021. Please consider investing in this very special historic preservation project. Carolina Alston's contribution to SC should be amplified, not nullified. Thank you!