Dear Friends:
The Edgefield County Historical Society is devoted to the study, teaching and preservation of the history of the Old Edgefield
District which includes all of Edgefield and Saluda Counties and large portions of Aiken, Greenwood and McCormick Counties.
This year, 2010, is a very special year for the County, inasmuch as this is the 225th anniversary of its founding.
On March 12, 1785 the South Carolina General Assembly passed the statute dividing the Old Ninety Six District into a number
of counties, including Edgefield County.
We would like to invite you to participate in our exciting work and in celebrating this important anniversary by becoming
a member of the Society. If you have not been a member but would like to join, or if you have been a member but have
not yet paid your 2010 dues, please remit the appropriate amount as set forth below. In joining the Society you will
receive a complimentary copy of The Story of Edgefield, a 128 page, full color visitors' guide for Historic Edgefield,
which was written by the Society's Sunday afternoon History Class. We are very proud of this book and know you will
enjoy it. If you already have a copy, you can send the one we send you to a family member or friend. Our annual dues
are as follows:
Individual
$ 35.00 Corporate
$ 100.00
Family
50.00 Life
500.00
Patron
100.00 Benefactor
1,000.00
During the past year the Society has accomplished some notable achievements and continues to work on new projects, including
the following:
1)
Magnolia Dale: As a result of the generous bequest of nearly $85,000 from long-time member Broadus M. Turner,
we have been able to complete a substantial restoration of Magnolia Dale. For some time, our headquarters had needed
painting, roof work, and substantial repair of our porches. During the summer of 2009 the front porch was completely
redone so that it should not need any further repair for decades to come. The main back steps were replaced with brick
and the porch with a new polypropylene product. The porch and steps for the kitchen were also replaced. The hallway
between the dining room and kitchen was substantially improved. In the kitchen, a new tankless water heater was installed.
Thus, our headquarters building which we have owned for fifty years is now in great shape.
2) Old Edgefield Pottery: Stephen Ferrell
and Ed Redman have continued to do a wonderful job at the Pottery, demonstrating their pottery-making techniques for visitors,
as well as continuing their research into pottery and related subjects. Also, during the past several years interest
in Edgefield pottery has received a major boost from the wonderful new book, Carolina Clay, the Life and Legend
of the Slave Potter Dave by Leonard Todd.
3)
Horn's Creek Church Museum: One of our old projects which we have yet to complete is the restoration of Horn's
Creek Church. This property, now owned by the Society, was the site of one of the first Baptist churches in the backcountry,
having been established by the evangelist, Daniel Marshall, in 1768. It is hoped that during 2010 we will be able to
construct an overseer's house for this property and begin the restoration of the historic building and cemetery. In
the meantime, Society Vice President Clarice Wise has been generously donating her efforts and money to maintain the cemetery.
4) The Edgefield
History Class: The Edgefield History Class continues to meet every Sunday afternoon. Now that The
Story Edgefield has been completed, the Class has decided to write a new book, tentatively entitled The American
Revolution in Edgefield - from Ninety Six to Augusta. It is hoped that this book will be available as early as
the coming fall. All interested parties are invited to join the Class which meets at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoons
in the Tompkins Library.
5)
Arthur Simkins Statue: In honor of the 225th anniversary of the birth of our county, the Society
is considering an undertaking to erect a statue in the Edgefield History Park of the man who has often been referred to as
"the Father of Edgefield County," Arthur Simkins (1742-1826). In addition to being involved in almost every
facet of the development of Edgefield County and its Courthouse Village, Simkins gave the two and a quarter acres for the
"Publick Lot" where the Courthouse and Town Square are now located.
The cost of this project is estimated to be in the range of $70,000 to $80,000. We anticipate that funding
could come from contributions from private individuals, including the many descendants of Arthur Simkins ($30,000), from the
South Carolina National Heritage Corridor ($20,000) and from the Town and County ($15,000 each). We will be further
exploring the feasibility of this project in the coming weeks so that by the anniversary date of March 12, 2010, we may be
able to announce that we are definitely undertaking this project. Our sister organization, the Old Edgefield District
Genealogical Society, may co-sponsor this project with us.
Thus, as you can see, our Society has had an active and productive year. We hope that you will decide to join us by
becoming a member. For your convenience, you may fill out the form below and submit it to us. With best wishes, I am
Sincerely,
Mary G. Altalo
Membership Director
