History of the Laurens County Museum
On July 25th, 2005 the Laurens County Museum Association (LCMA) was officially organized in order to preserve the rich history of the county by establishing a museum at a central location. The founding officers of the museum were James H. Gambrell, President; Kathy H. Crotts, Vice President; Jane C. Corn, Secretary; and Carole H. Senn, Treasurer.
The museum building at 205 West Laurens Street was purchased on September 26th, 2006 and renovated with a South Carolina Competitive Grant which was received on August 2nd, 2007. In May 2007, the museum published a Laurens County Post Card book with over 200 post cards dating from 1900. LCMA published this book in conjunction with Arcadia Publishing’s Postcard History Series.
The following year, 2008, the Laurens County Museum Heritage Cookbook containing 400+ recipes was published. An eating history of Laurens County by local journalist Libby Rhodes answered the question from the subtitle “Where Did We Eat Before Fast Food?” This eating history highlighted good food spots from across the county with information and pictures of Laurens County boarding houses, drive-ins, drugstore grills, home caterers, hotels, and cafes.
In 2009, professional brochures were printed and distributed throughout the county and at the Welcome Centers. With this web site the museum is reaching out to the public with up-to-date technology.
The museum not only displays donated artifacts but also is an educational facility for the children of Laurens County and serves as a link to other historical sites.
The museum is staffed entirely by volunteers and operates through donations, memberships, grants and fundraisers. If you would like to help us preserve and celebrate our county’s history, please contact us!
