Gonzales Gardens

Gonzales Gardens is a South Carolina historical marker in Columbia, Richland County, dedicated 2018.

Richland County · dedicated 2018 · Forest Dr. and Ontario St., Columbia, Columbia

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Front: Opened in September 1940, Gonzales Gardens was named for N.G., Ambrose, and William Gonzales, founders of The State newspaper and early public housing advocates. James B. Urquhart designed the 18-acre complex, which included an administrative building and 24 residential structures. Six apartment buildings were added in 1942, bringing the total number of housing units to 280. A preschool and open play areas were part of the original design. Reverse: The project was overseen by the Columbia Housing Authority, created in 1934, and planning was initiated by the New Deal-era Public Works Administration (PWA). The goal was to provide affordable housing to low-income residents. Gonzales Gardens was originally racially segregated for whites only. Nearby Allen-Benedict Court was designated for African American residents. Both were integrated in the 1970s. Gonzales Gardens was razed in 2017.

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David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

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under a mile from where William Gabby lived in the 1760s

what this marker records spans 1777 to 1789, overlapping William Gabby's years here

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Marker data: South Carolina Historical Marker Program, SC Department of Archives and History
Sponsored by Columbia Housing Authority

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