SCPTA Historic House

The “PTA House” was purchased in December 1967 to provide the South Carolina Congress of Parents and Teachers, Inc. (SCPTA) a permanent home. A campaign called “Pennies for PTA” was created and a great part of the mortgage was paid off with the help of PTA members across South Carolina saving their pennies and donating them to the mortgage payoff. The “PTA House” truly became a reflection of the members’ desire to have a permanent place to do the SCPTA business.

In the very early days of SCPTA, the SCPTA office was in the home of whoever was SCPTA president. When a new president was elected, boxes of records would be transferred to the new president’s home.  As SCPTA grew statewide and more of its functions were being held in Columbia, SCPTA rented a space in Columbia to house all the records for Local, Council, District, and State units and hired office personnel to share in the serving of all the PTA units in South Carolina. The owner of the rental property sold the property and SCPTA had to find another place. A Committee of the SCPTA board was organized to do so, and they were able to get a deal on the house because it needed a lot of repairs and the owner was willing to sell the house for a little over $15,000. SCPTA volunteers did the repairs and organized the move to the current location at 1826 Henderson Street in Columbia. Good news: the house is currently free of a mortgage – no house payments.

By researching the history of the house, it was discovered that it was built around 1894. Much of the original structure is still intact, but there have been improvements added and/or as needed. In 2007 a SCPTA Board committee was formed called the Historic House Preservation Committee. Most of the major improvements that have been done since then have been done by grants from the Richland County Conservation Commission. Other minor improvements have been done by insurance reimbursements, donations to the Historic House Preservation Fund in memory of someone or to honor someone and some SCPTA funds.

The ”PTA House” has multiple distinctions: It is in the National Register of Historic Places, was designation a Bicentennial House, was included in the Landmark District of Columbia, and is on the Walking Tour for the City of Columbia. Having the house in the National Register requires special care in the upkeep of the house.

The Historic House Preservation Committee meets monthly to review progress on projects, to anticipate new projects, and to make sure all systems are up to code with occasional  home inspections. The Committee welcomes PTA members and others interested in preservation of an historic property to its meetings on the second Thursday of each month. Email the chairman, Martha C. Knight, at mknight@scpta.org for more information.

The Historic House Fund uses its resources to maintain and preserve the South Carolina PTA’s house in Columbia, South Carolina.

As a donor to the Fund, you can honor someone you admire for supporting the PTA’s concept of helping every student reach his full potential at all levels of education… an educator, a school staff member, a business partner, a school volunteer or a school board member!

As a donor to the Fund, your donation can be made in memory of someone who was a supporter of public education.

As a donor to the Fund, you and your designated individual will receive an acknowledgement of your donation.

Donate to the SCPTA Historic House

Home of the South Carolina Congress of Parents and Teachers, Inc.

1826 Henderson Street
Columbia, SC 29201

• National Register of Historic Places
• Bicentennial House
• Landmark District of Columbia
• House, Walking Tour of Columbia