The History of the McAlister-Gant House
August 3, 2020
The McAlister-Leftwich House comes with a ton of history. People are often enthralled with the history of both homes – and rightly so! So we thought we would do two posts diving into the history of each house and the families who them home. First, we’re going to kick it off with the McAlister House!
The Gant-McAlister House is a prime example of the transition from Queen Anne to Colonial Revival style architecture. The house was built in 1915 for the Gant family, who lived there for 31 years and then sold to the McAlister’s in 1949. Dr. McAlister was a prominent Greensboro pediatrician and was involved in the rehabilitation of young men in and out of prison. The house was then given to First Presbyterian Church, and when it no longer suited their needs, it was saved and moved to 507 N Church St. by Ms. Anne Carlson.
The Gant Family
The McAlister Family
Alexander Worth McAlister (1862-1946) moved to Guilford County from Randolph County in the 1890s. He founded Pilot Life Insurance Company, which grew out of a family insurance business. Involved in the original development of Irving Park in Greensboro, he built his home there around 1919.
McAlister “brought golf to Greensboro” and helped establish the town’s first course on Summit Avenue. He founded the Greensboro Board of Public Welfare and was a member of the N.C. Board of Public Welfare from 1916 until 1944. He was active in the First Presbyterian Church and instrumental in founding the Community Church of Greensboro. A.W. McAlister and his wife Sara Little married in 1894 and had five children.
Lacy McAlister, who was involved in prison ministries, lived in the house with his sister Dr. Jean McAlister, a prominent Greensboro pediatrician, until his death in 1983. Dr. McAlister donated the house to First Presbyterian Church in 1985 and lived in the house until her death in 1987.
Today in 2020, the house is owned by Kaitlin Holland and Cheryl Briley. The boutique wedding venue and event space has transformed and created a beautiful, timeless atmosphere. Many of the rooms are named after the families that previously lived in the space.