Shiloh Orphanage
Also known as: Shiloh Comprehensive Community Center
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Three buildings on 15th Street in southwestern Augusta make up the former Shiloh Orphanage, an institution that cared for African-American children without families. Founded in 1902 by Rev. Daniel McHorton and the Shiloh Baptist Association, it moved to this site in 1904. Strong Academy, a one-room school for younger residents, was built in 1910, followed by the brick Girls Dormitory in 1927 and Boys Dormitory in 1936. The dormitories carry Colonial Revival details such as pilasters, dentils and modillions, and were designed by Scroggs and Ewing and by Edward Lynn Drummond, respectively. Older children attended nearby public schools, and residents did chores and gardened. The orphanage closed in 1970 after more than sixty years. A community center formed in 1977 now uses the buildings. The complex was listed for its role in local social and African-American history, education and architecture.
Significance in brief: The complex is significant in social history, African-American ethnic heritage and education as a place where the Augusta community housed, cared for and schooled African-American children without families when government help was unavailable. It is also significant in architecture for its intact vernacular and Colonial Revival buildings, two of them designed by locally prominent architects.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 96001500, listed December 30, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1635 15th St., Augusta |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond County |
| Listed | December 30, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001500 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1910-1946 |
| Architect / builder | Scroggs and Ewing (Girls Dormitory, 1927); Edward Lynn Drummond (Boys Dormitory, 1936) |
| Architectural style | No Style/vernacular; Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals/Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture, Social History, Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The orphanage closed in 1970. The Shiloh Comprehensive Community Center, formed in 1977, now uses the buildings and serves nearby communities. |
| Acreage | 6.1 |
| Coordinates | 33.45890, -81.99840 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 96001500.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16934247
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.