Name/Title
Ansonborough Rehabilitation Project (ARP)Entry/Object ID
HCF.005.3AScope and Content
In the 1950s many houses in Ansonborough were threatened with "demolition by neglect," having stood vacant or fallen into severe disrepair. In order to encourage homebuyers to move into the neighborhood to save these formerly unwanted treasures, Historic Charleston Foundation was the first organization in the country to develop the Revolving Fund as a preservation strategy. The initiation of this fund in 1958 enabled HCF to begin the Ansonborough Rehabilitation Project, an extraordinary effort to save a six-block neighborhood bordered by Market, Calhoun, East Bay, and Meeting Streets. Through the Revolving Fund, HCF sought to purchase, stabilize and resell historic properties with protective covenants in Ansonborough where more than 60 structures were rehabilitated over a 12-year period. The accomplishment was hailed nationwide, and other preservation programs across the United States modeled local initiatives on the Charleston program. HCF's Ansonborough Rehabilitation Project is considered one of the first successful attempts in the country to preserve an entire neighborhood.
Folder contents:
1: General Histories of Ansonborough. Narrative histories, street histories, newspaper articles.
2: Lord Anson. Information about Hon. George Lord Anson, including two illustrations of Lord Anson.
3: House interpretations/histories for Ansonborough houses included on HCF tours.
4: Revolving Fund - Origins. Includes "This is Charleston" order form, proposed reference questionnaire (by Arthur Ziegler and Walter Kidney), HCF documents "Plan for the Revolving Fund" and "Plan as Adopted at a Meeting of the Board of Trustees," Preservation Progress articles (May 1957, Jan. 1960), donor solicitation letter and donor gift envelope.
5: ARP Planning Notes and Progress Reports.
6: Covenants. Documents that state the restrictive/covenant language and lists of covenant properties.
7: Property Sales. Documentation and related correspondence pertaining to the sale of ARP properties.
8: Publicity. Press releases, newspaper and magazine articles; advertisements; HCF publications "Progress in Ansonborough," "Welcome to Ansonborough," and "Ansonborough: An Historic Residential Area in Charleston, Area Rehabilitation Project" (various dates); photograph of ARP For Sale sign.
9: Ansonborough chapter from "Preservation for a Living City" by Robert Weyeneth.
10: Ansonborough Neighborhood Association. Correspondence, meeting notices, etc.
11: Taxes. Property tax bills for properties owned by HCF.
12: Open-Space Study/Beautification. "Ansonborough Open Space Study" by Kenneth L. Steeves (1968); "Possible Sources of Federal Assistance for Beautification of Ansonborough" by the Dept. of Community Affairs of Citizens & Southern National Bank of SC (1968); U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development publication "Beautifying Urban America" (1966); etc.
13: Trees. Notes and miscellaneous materials related to trees and plants in municipalities.
14: Signs. Correspondence and other documentation related to signage in Ansonborough.
15: Zoning. Miscellaneous documentation related to zoning, including map of Ansonborough zone district boundary lines, deeds, correspondence, newspaper articles, etc.
16: Plats. Photocopies of miscellaneous historical plats.
17: Maps of District. Map of peninsula indicating location of Ansonborough, map of Ansonborough as established in the 1966 zoning ordinance, aerial view of Charleston showing division of lots at 279 East Bay Street.Collection
Historic Charleston Foundation ArchivesAcquisition
Accession
HCF.Source or Donor
HCF Institutional RecordsAcquisition Method
Collected by StaffLexicon
Search Terms
Ansonborough, Ansonborough Rehabilitation Project (ARP), Historic Charleston Foundation, Historic buildings--Conservation and restoration--South Carolina--Charleston, Historic preservation--South Carolina--Charleston, Neighborhoods--Conservation and restoration--South Carolina--Charleston, Neighborhood planning--South Carolina--CharlestonArchive Details
Archive Size/Extent
.5 lin. ft. (1 document box, 17 file folders)Archive Notes
Date(s): 1958-1960s
Level of Description: CollectionLocation
Location
Shelf
Archives D-5Room
Margaretta P. Childs ArchivesBuilding
Missroon HouseCategory
PermanentDate
February 7, 2023Date
September 10, 2014Notes
Reason: Digitization for LCDL & LDHI Exhibit
Authorized By: Karen EmmonsRelationships
Related Entries
Notes
2013.003.04, HCF.005.3B, HCF.005.3B.1, HCF.005.3B.2, HCF.005.3B.3, HCF.005.3B.4, HCF.005.3B.5, HCF.005.3B.6, HCF.005.3B.7
Related Units of Description: HCF Area Study Map, 2008.001.22
Property files, photographs, drawings, etc., for individual ARP buildings
Graduate student thesis "Turning Shambles Into Showcases" (P275).
Graduate student thesis "Visualizing Revitalization: Marketing Preservation Revolving Fund Properties Through Documentation and Rendering" (P334).
Graduate student report "Preservation and Gentrification in Charleston" (P152).General Notes
Note
Notes: Miscellaneous Documents 1 on the Media tab include documentation of the status and progress of the ARP, a list of properties for sale, a newspaper article, and the Ansonborough Tour script.
Miscellaneous Documents 2 on the Media tab include documentation of houses purchased and sold, newspaper articles, and ARP brochures.Created By
admin@catalogit.appCreate Date
July 24, 2013Updated By
admin@catalogit.appUpdate Date
February 17, 2023