120-year-old Shotgun House has been fully restored

The home will serve as a living house museum for locals to learn more about the families who once lived in these homes.

An old home sits on a piece of land with trees behind it on a sunny day. The home is small and sits on a concrete foundation. The white paint on the wood of the home is peeled and chipping.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the remodeled home will take place at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 716 Humphrey St.

Photo courtesy of Triad Cultural Arts, Inc.

In March of 2024, we reported on Triad Cultural Arts, Inc.'s efforts to preserve two shotgun houses in the Happy Hill neighborhood. After years of work and raising over $300,000, those efforts have culminated in a fully restored 120-year-old Shotgun House that will serve as a museum.

What are shotgun homes?

The Shotgun House is one of the last surviving examples of an architectural style from the Southern US that originated in West Africa’s Yorubaland. The word “shotgun” derives from the Yoruba word “to-gun” which means “place of assembly” or “where people gather.”

WStoday: Shotgun Legacy House site multi-use center

The legacy site will have a green roof deck onsite overlooking Happy Hill and surrounding views in Winston-Salem.

Photo by WStoday

Locally, the Shotgun House Legacy Site is located in Winston-Salem’s first-planned Black community, Happy Hill, which was founded back in 1872.

The restoration

The now-restored shotgun house will serve as a living house museum (a museum that recreates settings or scenes from history). Expect to see exhibits that tell the stories of African American families who lived in similar homes + feature furnishings and artifacts from the time.

The home will also include rotating displays that focus on important historical moments like the Jim Crow era and the Civil Rights Movement.

When can I go?

After the ribbon cutting ceremony, a free Community Day Celebration will take place on Saturday, March 8, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., with a chance to tour the Shotgun House, get a glimpse into the restoration process, and learn about upcoming museum panels. In the meantime, take a peek inside.

The Shotgun House is set to be open full-time beginning fall 2025.

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