The restoration of Nina Simone’s childhood home in Tryon, located at 30 E. Livingston St., has garnered significant national attention this week. Notable outlets such as Architectural Digest and Good Morning America have reported on the project, highlighting the extensive renovations carried out on the three-room, 650-square-foot residence where the iconic singer, born Eunice Kathleen Waymon, spent her formative years.
The initiative, driven by a collective of renowned artists including Adam Pendleton, Rashid Johnson, Julie Mehretu, and Ellen Gallagher, aims to restore both the physical structure of the house and its deep historical significance. The team has worked diligently to repair the historic clapboard exterior while modernizing the interiors to enhance safety and accessibility. This thoughtful approach ensures that key architectural elements are preserved, maintaining the home’s character and legacy.
Dr. Sam Waymon, a Senior Adviser on the project and Nina Simone’s brother, expressed the profound importance of restoring their childhood home. “The restoration and preservation of Nina’s birthplace is Black American history of which I too am a part,” he stated. “I also lived in that house, and as the youngest, it holds such extraordinary memories of Nina, our parents, and my other siblings. It keeps my feet planted solid on those grounds. Knowledge! Of what she endured. The piano lessons. The joy. The discipline. The discovery of her gifted talent was all recorded in those walls. It’s an honor to share this with the world as she would have wanted me to do.”
Plans for the house include transforming it into a site for artistic performances and community programs. In collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, the vision is to create a living museum where visitors can explore Simone’s life story alongside the broader narrative of African American history.
With the restoration process nearing completion, a grand opening is anticipated in 2026. As updates on the project continue to unfold, the community and supporters of Nina Simone look forward to celebrating the legacy of an artist whose influence extends far beyond her childhood home.
