Ray Charles Childhood Home, House museum in Greenville, United States.
Ray Charles Childhood Home is a restored wooden house at 443 SW Ray Charles Avenue built in the 1920s with four small rooms. The building preserves the modest living space where the future musician spent his early years before leaving Greenville.
The house was home to young Ray Charles from 1930 to 1937 before he moved to the Florida School for Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine. This education became transformative for his life and musical career.
In Greenville's Jellyroll neighborhood, Ray Charles received his first piano lessons from Wiley Pitman at the nearby Red Wing Cafe. The location reflects how young African American musicians found their first teachers and opportunities within their own community.
Interior tours require advance scheduling, while the exterior and historical marker remain accessible at any time. Plan some time to also explore the surrounding Jellyroll neighborhood while you are there.
The house underwent complete reconstruction in 2008 by the Florida Bureau of Historic Preservation after it had nearly been demolished. The restoration was made possible because former Mayor Elesta Pritchett intervened to prevent its destruction.
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