In January, the Winnie Davis Hall of History will once again become the centerpiece of life on the Limestone College campus.

Blacksburg contractor McDaniel Construction is nearly finished with a $4.8 million renovation project to restore the structure. Classes are expected to be held in January at Winnie Davis for the first time since it was closed by Limestone College in 1977 for safety reasons.

“Winnie Davis will hopefully be completed by the end of the year,” Limestone College Communications Director Eric Lawson said. “The inside of the building is complete. We’re focusing on landscaping at the moment.”

Originally built in 1904, the Winnie Davis Hall of History was named for the daughter of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. It is listed on the South Carolina Registry of Historic Places.

Work on renovating Winnie Davis Hall began in the summer of 2008. The restoration project was designed by Spartanburg architect Martin Meek, noted for his preservation work on historic buildings.

The renovated building will have six wireless multimedia classrooms for history and honors courses. There will be three museums and galleries along with several faculty offices.

A separate tower was added on the west side of Winnie Davis to house an elevator and restroom facilities needed to meet building code requirements. A kitchen area was added for catering meetings and receptions.

Limestone College officials plan to hold a ceremony next spring to rededicate the Winnie Davis building.