Compton as a young preacher. Photo courtesy of Eliada Homes
On Saturday, April 21, the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County (PSABC) will host a program on the founding and history of Eliada Homes. The program begins at 2 p.m. at the Eliada Home Center and will include a walking tour of the Compton cottage, cemetery and barn.
Founded in 1906 by the Reverend Lucius B. Compton, what started as a small orphanage in a cabin has grown into a national historic district housing an organization that provides a full continuum of services for children and youth. “While most people know that Eliada has been around a long time—115 years to be exact—they have no idea that Eliada is also a 25-acre Historic District,” says Tami Ruckman, director of development at Eliada Homes. “We’ve been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1993. The 25 acres includes three barns, a 1915 Craftsman cottage, one of the original dormitories and a cemetery.”
The Eliada historic district is now home to modern residential facilities where the Eliada organization offers expanded foster care, educational services and comprehensive transition assistance to youth who are aging out of foster care. Ruckman, who joined Eliada in 2013, will provide an overview of the space’s evolution and growth over its long history. “We’ve worked hard to try to preserve our structures while also keeping up with modernday regulations and licensing requirements,” she says. “But we also have work that needs to be done, and we’re hoping that by sharing our space and history, we’ll find partners who want to help.”
The Eliada Home Center is located at 2 Compton Drive in Asheville. For more information, visit psabc.org.
