$1M grant awarded to restore historic Vine City homes

The National Park Service has awarded a $1 million grant to nonprofit Preserve Black Atlanta to help preserve vacant homes in the Vine City neighborhood that once belonged to Civil Rights leaders, including the first African American woman elected to the Georgia House of Representatives.

The homes belonged to George Alexander Towns, co-founder of the Niagara Movement, and his daughter, Grace Towns Hamilton, who was elected to the state House in 1966.  The homes are located across from the historic Herndon Home museum and about a block from Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 

Preserve Black Atlanta, founded in 2015 with the mission of finding and advocating for the preservation of Black Atlanta’s buildings and landmarks, partnered with Invest Atlanta, the city’s economic development arm, to apply for grants to preserve the homes. Invest Atlanta now owns the homes that have been vacant for years and targeted by vandals. The groups hope to preserve the homes with the goal of one day “activating the properties as a community resource and educational space,” according to an NPS press release.

Invest Atlanta will work with Preserve Black Atlanta, who will serve as the project’s Principal Investigator, to oversee the responsibilities associated with managing the grant.

“Historic preservation is proven to be a catalyst for economic development,” said Dr. Eloisa Klementich, president and CEO of Invest Atlanta in the release.

“Not only does the historic preservation of buildings help to give people a sense of place and connection to the past, but it also drives significant growth in that it helps enhance real estate values and attracts investment and tourism to a community,” she said.

George Towns built his home in 1910 at what is now the corner of University Place NW and Walnut Street NW. Besides co-founding the Niagara Movement he also co-founded the Atlanta branch of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Frequent guests to his home included writer James W. Johnson and W.E.B. Du Bois. 

Grace Towns Hamilton built her home next door to her childhood home, completing it in 1956. She was the executive director of the Atlanta Urban League. In 1966, she was the first African American woman elected to the George House of Representatives. She represented her district for 18 years.