Beech Island Historical Society ''(BIHS)'' is a non-profit historical society and museum dedicated to the history of
Beech Island, and its county,
Aiken County, both of which are situated in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
South Carolina
)'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
.
U.S. Federal Government grant for museum
The society received a $200,000 Rural Development Enterprise grant in 2005 from the
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...
to renovate a circa 1900 brick cottonseed barn and turn it into an agricultural museum.
Foundation
The society was founded in 1985. The first president was Harold Maness.
History
In 1986, the society ran the Beech Island Tricentennial Celebration at
Redcliffe State Park, which attracted more than 10,000 visitors. In subsequent years, the society organized an annual event known as Beech Island Heritage Day, which was held for 20 consecutive years before the society eventually voted to end this event. The final one was in 2006.
In 1991, the heirs of George McElmurray (one of the society's charter members) donated an acre of land to the society, a big warehouse and a four-room meeting hall. The Beech Island Historical Society and Visitor's Centre was opened for tourists and visitors.
On April 3, 1998, the society won the Progress Award for the Beech Island Historical Society and Visitor's Centre building, at the Confederation of Local South Carolina Historical Societies, in
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the List of capitals in the United States, capital of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is List of municipalities in South Carolina, the second-largest ...
.
In 1997, the
South Carolina General Assembly passed a motion to "express their best wishes to the members of the Beech Island Historical Society as this group observes on May 24, 1997, the eleventh annual Beech Island Heritage Day."
Today
Today, the society has now over 300 members. It holds monthly meetings (from September till March), which are open to the public also.
External links
Official site
References
{{coord, 33.42603, N, 81.88984, W, type:landmark, display=title
Agriculture museums in the United States
1985 establishments in South Carolina
Museums in Aiken County, South Carolina
History museums in South Carolina
Historical societies in South Carolina
Organizations established in 1985