Emily Patrick

epatrick@citizen-times.com

The birthplace of singer, pianist and civil rights activist Nina Simone is for sale in Tryon. The artist was born Eunice Waymon in 1933 and lived with her family in the 664-square-foot wooden cottage at 30 Livingston St.

The current owner of the 1930 house has been restoring it for a museum and has done work to shore up the foundation and restore the interior, according to real estate agent Cindy Viehman of Tryon Foothills Realty. The house has no running water or electricity — necessitating a $95,000 cash transaction — and will be a project for the next owner, Viehman explained. She described the ideal buyer as "somebody that really cares about preserving this very important location."

Located in a poor community on the east side of Tryon, the house has become a rallying ground for community work days and movie nights, Viehman said.

Although the price tag might seem like a bargain compared with real estate in many areas of Western North Carolina, surrounding houses go for $50,000 to $60,000, Viehman said. Some people have discussed moving the house, but Viehman said the neighborhood is essential to understanding how hard Simone worked to become the history-making, Grammy-winning talent she was.

"If you don't see the neighborhood, you don't get how deep down in the ditches she came out of," Viehman said. "(You) realize how far she walked on a regular basis to go to piano lessons here in town. It was quite a hike for her."

Growing up, Simone played piano in church and developed a love of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, Chopin, Brahms, Beethoven and Schubert through private lessons, according to the estate of Nina Simone.

When she graduated high school, the Tryon community raised money for her to attend Julliard School in New York City, where she later sung and played her way from night clubs to recording studios. Her most acclaimed songs include “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood," “I Put A Spell On You" and “Ne Me Quitte Pas."

With songs like "Mississippi Goddam" and "Four Women," she became a voice of the Civil Rights movement during the 1960s.

Simone died in 2003 at the age of 70. A few childhood friends remain in the neighborhood to advise with the restoration effort, Viehman said. Their memories have guided the purchase of period furnishings, which come with the three-room house.

The home has been listed for more than a month, and Viehman said she's spoken with interested buyers who want to create a museum. To view the listing, search for 30 Livingston St., Tryon at tryonfoothillsrealty.com/search-properties.