National Register of Historic Places

Allen University

Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina
Listed
April 13, 1975
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
75001705

About this property

Allen University Historic District is a historic district in Columbia, South Carolina that includes buildings on the campus of Allen University, originally established as Payne Institute. Buildings in the district include Arnett Hall, the Chappelle Administration Building (itself listed individually as a National Landmark designed by John Anderson Lankford), Coppin Hall, the Joseph Simon Flippen Library, and the Canteen Building. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places April 14, 1975. The address is 1530 Harden Street. Originally in a suburb, the university is now near downtown. In addition to its National Register of Historic Places status, Allen University Historic District falls within the boundaries of Waverly Protection Area, a Preservation District within the City of Columbia Urban Design and Historic Preservation District system. The school was named for Richard Allen who founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E. Church). The university was one of several universities established by the A.M.E. Church in the South after the American Civil War and opened four years after the University of South Carolina officially excluded African Americans. Property in Columbia was purchased in 1881 and the first major building constructed in 1888. The district features four main buildings that were completed from 1891 to 1941 around the campus green. The architecture includes red brick construction, white columns, and classical elements.

Location

1530 Harden St.
Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina
34.01060, -81.02039

Categories

BLACKEDUCATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Waverly Historic District
Listed
0 mi
Chapelle Administration Building
Industrial
0 mi
Carver Theatre
Industrial
0.1 mi
Benedict College Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Evans, Dr. Matilda A., House
Industrial
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Allen University listed on the National Register?

Allen University was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 13, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Allen University?

Allen University is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Allen University?

The period of significance for Allen University is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Allen University?

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