Why you should enter Palladium's Home History Raffle

Image courtesy South Caroliniana Library

By Lauren Elliott
Palladium Board Member

Our homes are alive with stories from previous owners just waiting to be told. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was inspired to write “Haunted Houses” while living in the house that had served as General George Washington’s headquarters during the Siege of Boston 82 years earlier.

Homes have a history that are filled with interesting stories from those who lived there before us. Longfellow certainly understood that he was only a temporary occupant of a structure that was alive with many interesting tales.

Have you ever wondered about the story of your home?

From the moment I purchased my 1934-built Melrose Heights home, I have always been intrigued by the stories that made it what it is today. If you’re also curious about the history of your home, you might want to enter Palladium’s Home History Raffle. Renew or purchase a new membership to Palladium by April 30 and you will be entered into the drawing, earning a chance to uncover the story of your home through the expert resources of Historic Columbia. Raffle winners will receive a Historic Columbia Home History Certificate and Fact Sheet with research that could include construction date, architect profile, owner history, significant events, and more.

My husband, Kinn, and I have been contributing and volunteering our time to Historic Columbia since moving here in 2014. We continuously support the work HC is doing to preserve and tell the stories of structures across our city.

As a longtime member and current board member of Palladium, I have been able to contribute to this preservation of history, be an advocate for storytelling and our community, and educate others on how our history has informed our present, and will impact our future.

By joining Palladium, you help us continue to tell those stories as we harness the power of history to inspire curiosity and catalyze community engagement. You’ll be able to participate in a network of professionals committed to supporting Historic Columbia’s role in preservation and advocacy in the community.

We thank you for your help and look forward to continuing to diversify our membership in support of Historic Columbia's dedication to documenting and sharing the complex history of Columbia and Richland County. 

How to join Palladium? It’s just a $25 add-on to any new or renewing HC membership! If you’re already a member of Historic Columbia but would like to add a Palladium membership, please contact Charles Calhoun at ccalhoun@historiccolumbia.org.