Governor’s Task Force on Historic Preservation and Heritage Tourism

The rehabilitated Newberry Opera House opened its doors in July 1998. Already the impact of the rehabilitation of the Opera House on Newberry's historic downtown is obvious. An economic survey completed in June 1999 reported "a tremendous facelift" with twenty new businesses in the downtown area.
The State, 7/18/99

On February 3, Governor Jim Hodges issued an executive order creating the Governor’s Task Force on Historic Preservation and Heritage Tourism. He charged the Task Force with developing a blueprint for making South Carolina #1 in the nation in preserving, interpreting, and promoting historic places.

South Carolina has a wonderful diversity of historic places that contribute to our economy through heritage tourism as well as make our state a better place to live. We are losing our historic places at an alarming rate, however, and growth and development pressures over the next twenty-five years will present special challenges in preserving our heritage. Governor Hodges asked the Task Force to identify impediments to historic preservation in South Carolina, to recommend how to better coordinate and enhance the existing preservation programs in the state, and to develop strategies for encouraging historic preservation and heritage tourism.

Before beginning their deliberations, Task Force members reviewed background information about the status of historic preservation and heritage tourism programs and activities in South Carolina. The Task Force also sponsored a series of regional forums during May and June to get input from interested citizens.

Overview of Regional Forums: Participation, Issues and Suggested Strategies

Through its deliberations, the Task Force identified four broad categories of action that address the Governor’s objectives and the concerns expressed in the regional forums: Supporting Private Stewardship, Educating South Carolinians about Our Heritage and Its Value, Integrating Historic Preservation into Public Policy and Planning, and Developing Heritage Tourism.

The owner of INA USA corporation, a German manufacturing company, credits the historic buildings and beauty of Cheraw's historic district for his decision to build a second plant in the town

Supporting Private Stewardship: Most of South Carolina’s historic properties are in private ownership. When private property owners invest in preserving historic buildings and sites, their actions have enormous public benefit. Unfortunately, South Carolina lags behind other states in providing incentives to encourage owners of historic properties to preserve them.

Educating South Carolinians about Our Heritage and Its Value: If we are to be successful in preserving our rich heritage, our citizens must be better educated about our state’s historic properties and the importance of their preservation.

Integrating Historic Preservation into Public Policy and Planning: State and local government planning and policies have a major impact on the preservation of South Carolina’s historic buildings, structures, sites, districts, and landscapes. We must encourage local and state governments to incorporate historic preservation issues into planning and policies.

Developing Heritage Tourism: With its rich history and culture, South Carolina has excellent potential to develop heritage tourism as a vital new element within the state’s thriving tourism industry. Properly coordinated and supported, heritage tourism can bring significant economic and quality of life benefits to many of our underdeveloped communities. We need to encourage and strengthen local efforts at heritage tourism within a coordinated statewide effort.

The Task Force, which has developed recommendations under each of these categories, submitted a draft report to Governor Hodges in September. In early December the Task Force plans to issue a final report.

Task Force Members

Chairman

Mr. Robert Lyles, A.I.A.
Stevens & Wilkinson of South Carolina
Columbia

Mrs. Katherine Battle
Nichols

Ms. Jannie Harriot, Chair
South Carolina African American Heritage Council
Denmark

Dr. A.V. Huff, Jr., VP Academic Affairs and Dean
Furman University
Greenville

Mr. Steve McCrae, President
Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation
York

Mrs. Vanessa Turner-Maybank, Clerk of Council
City of Charleston

The Honorable Bill Rauch
Mayor of Beaufort

Mr. Frank Wideman
Self Foundation
Greenwood

The Honorable James Bryan
South Carolina Senate
Laurens

Dr. Donald Kilgore (representing The Honorable David Wilkins)
Greenville

Dr. Rodger Stroup, Director
S.C. Department of Archives and History

Mr. George Harben
S.C. Department of Commerce

Mr. John B. Kent
S.C. Department of Education

Dr. Paul Sandifer, Director
S.C. Department of Natural Resources

Mr. William R. Jennings, Executive Director
S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism

Mrs. Blanche Sproul
S.C. Department of Transportation

Dr. Bruce Rippeteau, Director and State Archaeologist
S.C. Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology

Gilmore House, Holly Hill. Torn down 1996

Building replacing Gilmore House

The Gilmore House (top), built ca. 1840, was the oldest house in the small town of Holly Hill and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It was prominently sited on the main road through the town. In 1996, in spite of the efforts of local preservationists, the house was moved to make way for a nationally franchised drugstore (bottom). The drugstore never opened.

Tobacco barn

The introduction of metal, bulk tobacco barns threatens the survival of traditional tobacco barns in the Pee Dee region.

Overview of Regional Forums: Participation, Issues and Suggested Strategies

Executive Order creating the task force

For More Information, contact:

Chad Lennox
Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation
803-771-0870
wclennox@palmettoconservation.org

Mary W. Edmonds
S.C. Department of Archives and History
803-896-6168
edmonds@scdah.state.sc.us

Marion Edmonds
S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism
803-734-2303
MEdmonds@prt.state.sc.us