The school ceased using the build-ing in 1984, and it sat empty until 1995, when a group of mostly former students established the Tanner Williams Civic and Historical Society (TWCHS) and purchased the school from the Mobile County Public School System with the goal of restoring the schoolhouse.
In early 2019, an inspection high-lighted the building’s problems, including water damage, roof and window deterioration, termite damage, and other issues. TWCHS continues to care for the building with a small group of volunteers. The building serves as their meeting place, and the community is enlivened with annual events such as the May Day Celebration and the Cotton Festival, all proceeds of which go toward the upkeep of the school and Tanner Williams Community Park.