In High Point, John Coltrane's childhood home is closer to becoming a museum

The High Point childhood home of legendary jazz saxophone player John Coltrane is well on its way to becoming a tourist destination.

The house on Underhill Street — near William Penn High School which Coltrane attended — has been owned by the City of High Point since 2006 and used as rental housing.

A few years ago, the Coltrane Project task force was formed to restore and preserve the building.

A city historical marker was placed in front of the home, and the following year it was recognized by the High Point City Council as a Guilford County Historic Landmark property. Following that designation, in 2021, the North Carolina General Assembly allocated $250,000 to make the small, Dutch colonial style home ready for tourism.

Preservation Greensboro’s Benjamin Briggs says work has already begun to stabilize the house, its roof, flooring, and foundation.  

“We’re quite fortunate that a lot of the original materials — the floors, the mantels, the bookcases, the staircase — are all original,” says Briggs. “And so, if the Coltranes were to return to that house they would feel it’s very comparable, recognizable to when they lived there.”

Work to be done includes restoring windows, adding accessibility ramps, and updating utilities. In accordance with the grant, the restoration project must be completed by June 2023.