After the past few busy weeks, it might be time to rename this blog ‘Where has Mike NOT been lately?’ 

Regularly spotted traveling the interstate corridors and back roads of the Palmetto State, Mike’s recent travels paint a vivid picture of this statewide organization’s dedication to historic preservation in our rural communities, suburban centers and metropolitan areas.  This entry documents the many different avenues of advocacy, education, networking and general goodwill that the organization enthusiastically supports.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed sharing the mission of the Palmetto Trust with these passionate preservationists.

August 3-4, Columbia, SC
Weren’t you spotted at the Design Development & Review Committee meeting?  Tell us what you were up to. 

For more than five years now the Palmetto Trust has been an ardent supporter, advocating for the preservation of the historic buildings located on the State Hospital grounds on Bull Street.  At long last two meaningful significant strides were made to preserve these buildings.  First, Columbia Planning Commission passed a request from Councilwoman Dr. Belinda Gergel and Councilman E.W. Cromartie to designate the 45 acre central campus a historic preservation district.  Then on Tuesday, the Columbia Design Development and Review Committee confirmed the significance of the historic core of the property by confirming the designation.  While these two victories give us great hope, the final verdict for will be decided at a City Council public hearing on September 16 at 10 a.m. at Columbia City Hall.   (Read more here)

August 5 – Sandy Run in Calhoun County, SC
Sandy Run is a wonderful community located west of St Matthews.  Who did you meet with there? 

The newly formed Sandy Run Museum Association.  It was a great opportunity to learn more about their community and help strategize ways to advance their preservation goals.  They recognize that preserving their architectural past serves as a catalyst economic development, stimulates tourism and engages the community in their shared history. Sharing success stories from other South Carolina communities really energized their committee and gave them a path to achieve their objectives.  

August 6 – Charleston, SC
On the road again!  Charleston is one of the leaders of historic preservation in our state. What was going on down there?

I went down to Charleston to work with Rep. Chip Limehouse (District 110 - Berkeley & Charleston Cos.) concerning new legislation that will catalogue and set standards for saving state owned historic structures.  The State of South Carolina owns more than 2,700 buildings built before 1940. We are proud to support this legislation to assure these structures are properly maintained and cared for.  Read the recent Post & Courier coverage here.

While I was in Charleston, I had the opportunity to visit with our Palmetto Trust board member Nancy Thurmond and our good friends and National Trust Partners, John Hildreth, Joe McGill and Tracy Hayes to share the details concerning this new initiative as well as issues regarding Rosenwald schools.

August 7 – Greenville and Pickens, SC
From the Lowcountry to the Upcountry?

I had a great on-air chat with Jack and Kimberly of Channel 7’s “Your Carolina” about the current status of the Bradley-Boggs house in Pickens County, as well as other preservation efforts that the Palmetto Trust has been working on throughout the Upstate. Check out the video of that broadcast on our website. (Your Carolina with Jack and Kimberly )

After the show, I spent some time with Wayne Kelly, VP of the Pickens County Historical Society, Pickens County Cultural Commissioner, and member of the Palmetto Trust to further discuss the fate of the Bradley Boggs house.  After the Palmetto Trust discovered an antebellum structure hidden in the bones of this historic building (owned by the Jaycee’s in Pickens) we have been actively involved in assuring this historic home was not lost to demolition.  Since the Bradley-Boggs house is no longer protected and is up for auction, we have great concern about its fate and will continue to actively support its preservation.

August 10 – Denmark, SC
I remember a recent story about Rosenwald School in Denmark.  Is this why you traveled to the area? 

Yes it is.  As you may know, Rosenwald School’s began dotting the landscape of the South in 1915 when Sears & Roebuck President, Julius Rosenwald, established a matching grant fund in his name to construct better quality black schools. In South Carolina many of the 500 buildings constructed became victims of neglect and abandonment as a result of the School Equalization Program (or 3% sales tax program), started in 1951 under Governor James Byrnes, which consolidated rural black schools by building state-of-the-art new black schools in an effort to thwart integration.  I went Denmark to talk to Bamberg School District 2 about the importance of donating their Denmark Rosenwald School to someone who can properly preserve it. These schools are important reminders from our segregated past and it would be shameful if they were all lost. After the meeting, John Bennett invited me to talk with the Bamburg African American Genealogical Society (BAAGS).

August 11 – Prosperity, Newberry, Union and Bishopville, SC
You covered a lot of ground on this day!  What were you working on?

Well, first, I started off by going to Prosperity to get an update on the Prosperity Depot. As of last week, the Railroad has officially signed the Prosperity Depot over to the Palmetto Trust. I definitely want to thank everyone for their continued efforts on this project! (Read more here)

After that, I headed over to Newberry to do an interview on WKDK with Heather Hawkins and Jimmy Coggins about all of the work that the Palmetto Trust has been doing in Newberry County and around the state.

Later that afternoon, I travelled to Union to check on the progress of the Dawkins House. Peter Triggiani, the new owner is coming to finalize the paperwork for the sale on August 28. Peter’s purchase marks a great chapter in the long story of the Dawkins House.  (Read more here)

I spent the evening with the Bishopville-Lee County Historical Society.  Many small communities around South Carolina are struggling with the realities of losing their historic structures.  This was an opportunity to introduce this wonderful group to the Palmetto Trust and share with them some insight on how they can make a difference in their own communities.

August 12 – Fairfield and Camden, SC
You are putting some real miles on the Palmetto Trust Car! What happened on this day?

In Fairfield, I met with Pelham Lyles, the Director of the Fairfield County Museum. We had a great talk about the Hawthorn/Brown cabin that was just donated to their museum. This Land Bounty cabin was built back in 1771. Pelham and I talked about several strategies for saving the cabin and giving it a new life.

Later that day I went to Camden to meet with two board members, Agnes Willcox and Chip Helms.  While there we discussed strategies for saving the Camden Depot and our exciting partnerships with the City of Camden and CSX Railroad. After we were done chatting, we met with the contractors to discuss costs for this important rehab project.

August 13 – Beaufort and Bluffton, SC
I heard you went to spread some goodwill in the lower costal area?

I went to Beaufort to meet with Historic Beaufort Foundation, Board of Trustees member Woody Rutter about developing partnerships between our organizations and exploring opportunities to work together.

In that same vein, I also met with the Bluffton Historic Society that afternoon to collaboration opportunities between our two groups. This juxtaposition of morning meetings reminded me how important it is to be a resource to communities big and small around the state.

Later that evening, I had a productive meeting Bart Whitaker of the Binyah Foundation where we talked about possible future strategies to save what is left of Gullah Architectural Heritage on Daufuskie.

On August 14

I woke to very heavy rain. This was pretty disappointing because it forced us to cancel our plan to explore the Daufuskie Island; however, I plan to be back there soon to see how the Palmetto Trust can be involved with Daufuskie’s remaining architectural treasures.

August 30, Columbia SC
Back out in front of the camera’s again?

This time, I chatted with Ben Hoover on WIS-TV’s (Channel 10) Sunday morning news show. We had a good talk about the upcoming City Council reading that will address the new historic overlay that is being considered for the State Hospital. We want to make sure that the community is aware that this ordinance will help attract the type of developers that understand the long term effects that their developments can have on a city’s overall quality of life.