Rippy Makes Donation to Dawkins House

Union, S.C. – Generous local philanthropist Mrs. Barbara Harter Rippy has made a donation of $50,000 to Preservation South Carolina for the restoration of the Judge Thomas N. Dawkins House, future home of the USC Union Alumni House.

Mrs. Rippy has contributed to numerous local and university projects. In addition to creating four endowed scholarships for USC Union students, she has donated funds for the USC Union nursing program, bookstore, and courtyard renovations, as well as a dedicated supporter of the Bantam athletic program.

“USC Union is thrilled to partner with Preservation South Carolina on this important historical project,” said Annie Smith, Director of Marketing, Development, & Alumni Relations. “After stabilization phases are complete, it will be deeded to USC Union to serve as our Alumni House. This collaboration reflects our commitment to preserving history while creating lasting spaces for campus and community.”

“On behalf of Preservation South Carolina, I am very appreciative  for Mrs. Rippy’s donation of $50,000 to be applied toward the stabilization and preservation of the historical Dawkins House,” said Bill Comer, Treasurer and Dawkins House Project Lead for the Board of Directors of Preservation South Carolina. “I have had the privilege to know Mrs. Rippy since about 2006 when we shared our concerns about a friend we had in common, Myrtle Laws, who was ill at the time. And, as a native of Union, I am well aware of her love of Union and her generosity toward everything “Union,” including USC Union. It is with great gratitude that Preservation South Carolina will designate the front porch of the Dawkins House as the “Barbara Rippy Portico,” which will be the focal point and initial gathering place for all people who visit and work at the USCU Alumni Center. It will be a reminder for years to come that we should all strive to exemplify the character of Mrs. Rippy in the way we live our lives and treat others.”

This month, USC Union launched its new Alumni Association. Officials hope that the restored and functional Dawkins House as the Alumni Center for USCU in downtown Union will provide an economic boost for the City and County of Union, which is home to 27,000 people. About 21% of residents are in poverty, according to the Census Bureau. The median household income lags well below the state average.

The project comes at an opportune time for the campus, with enrollment reaching a record 1,378 students this spring, including those from other states and countries. That upward trend will equate to more students, thus more alumni. An alumni association is being established to enhance recruiting efforts, develop a community between current, former and future students, and provide outside funding resources. The Dawkins House will aid that effort as a space for campus, corporate and community events. Bringing USCU alumni back to functions at the Dawkins House Alumni Center will not only benefit USCU but will serve as an economic engine for the City and County of Union bringing alumni dollars back to Union for visits and potential employment with local companies.

The Dawkins House is one of the most historic buildings in downtown Union. With portions originally constructed in the 1790s, it is the only other standing structure in the state of South Carolina, besides the current State House, to serve as a state capital. When completed it was called “the Shrubs” named after Mrs. Mary Poulton Dawkins’ ancestral home in England. During the final months of the Civil War, S.C. Governor Andrew Magrath fled Columbia and set up government offices at the house on invitation from the owner, Judge Dawkins. Governor Magrath was in the house when he learned that the war ended on April 9,1865. Beyond politics, Dawkins and his wife were deeply involved in their community. Together, they founded the Episcopal Church of the Nativity in Union in 1855, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and remains active to this day. Judge Dawkins passed away in the house in 1870, and his wife, Mary Poulton Dawkins, passed away in the house in 1906.

Later, it was the home of the Faucett family, whose youngest of five children was Margie Faucett. Margie graduated from Union High School, attended Columbia College where she served in various leadership positions after graduation, and was married to Grady Patterson for 58 years who is South Carolina’s longest-serving State Treasurer at 36 years.

The Dawkins House also contains unique architectural features, starting with its very location. It is classified as a “terminus” home because it is situated squarely at the end of N. Church Street connecting to Hwy. 176, the main route from Union to Columbia, as well as at the end of East Academy Street. The original structure still exists and has exposed beams with carved end fittings and bead-cut edges. The house is supported by chiseled granite foundation blocks and once had a floating spiral staircase in the main hall that can hopefully be duplicated. Some of the hand-decorated crown molding still survives. The house has 5 bedrooms, 2 parlors, a library, and 8 fireplaces with original mantles. It stands prominently on the edge of the University of South Carolina Union campus in downtown Union.

The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.