Echoes & Insights: The Laurens County Series

SEPTEMBER 2025 COLUMN 

Echoes & Insights: The Laurens County Series. Readers are invited to journey through the history of Laurens County, uncovering the stories, places, and people that have shaped our community. This series is designed to preserve history while sparking conversation about how it continues to guide us today.

We’d like to thank our Founding Sponsors for making this series possible. Their support ensures that the stories of our county are remembered, celebrated, and passed on to future generations.

• Arthur State Bank
• Presbyterian College
• Carolina Health Centers
• Via Health Partners

   

The Laurens County Museum: A Story in Itself

From the echoes of Laurens County’s past to the insights that guide its future, the Laurens County Museum stands as both a guardian of heritage and a catalyst for community understanding.

History Preserved in Place

History lives in many forms—in artifacts, in traditions, in stories passed down through generations. But sometimes, history lives in a place. For Laurens County, that place is the Laurens County Museum—a center not only for historical preservation, but for education, engagement, and pride. The museum’s own story—its founding, its growth, and the transformation of the historic building it now occupies—is one of Laurens County’s most meaningful modern narratives.

The Beginning: A Community Vision

In July 2005, a group of community leaders from across Laurens County gathered at the Laurens County Library with a bold idea: to establish a museum that would preserve and share the rich history of the region. Led by James Gambrell, this group formed the Laurens County Museum Association (LCMA).

Within one year, they had purchased a building at 205 West Laurens Street, secured grant funding, completed necessary renovations, and opened the first Laurens County Museum. That quick and determined action laid the foundation for what would become one of the Upstate’s most respected local museums.

Echoes of a Generous Gift: The Witherspoon Building

In 2012, Laurens native John D. Witherspoon donated an ornate and sizable bedroom suite to the museum. It became immediately apparent that the pieces did not fit in the museum’s current space. Mr. Witherspoon had a solution: he purchased a prominent building at 116 South Public Square—directly across from the Laurens County Courthouse—and donated it to the LCMA.

The building at 116 South Public Square has a layered past: originally constructed around 1900, later expanded in 1918, remodeled in 1949, and restored after a fire in the 1950s. It once served as a major commercial store and is now an anchor of downtown Laurens’ historic square. Though the building offered increased visibility and space, it required major renovations—general gutting, accessibility upgrades, and phased construction—because the Association operated without debt. The museum’s original location on West Laurens Street remained open throughout this transformation.

A Lasting Legacy: The Tony Harper Gift

The museum’s progress received a powerful boost from the late Tony Harper, a longtime supporter and advocate for local history. Upon his passing in 2019, Harper bequeathed funds to the LCMA that enabled the completion of the Witherspoon Building renovation. With those funds, the Association finalized the new exhibit design, relocated displays, and officially opened the doors of the new Laurens County Museum on January 2, 2022. Today, the museum’s main exhibit space bears Harper’s name in recognition of his enduring support.

Today’s Museum: A Living Destination

Now located in the heart of downtown Laurens, the museum has become a regional destination for history lovers, school groups, and travelers throughout the Upstate. The expanded space allows for more robust exhibits, hands-on programming, and special events that breathe life into local history. The building itself is a vital part of the story—once a commercial hub, now lovingly restored to preserve and share Laurens County’s legacy.

The recently renovated Magnolia Room—used for lectures and available for rent for receptions, business meetings, and other events—adds another layer of utility and vibrancy to the facility.

Exhibit Highlights

• First Nations Exhibit Hall – Exploring the indigenous heritage of the region

• Tony Harper Exhibit Hall – Permanent displays featuring local artifacts and people, a one-room schoolhouse, industry, wartime memorabilia, and the “Rosemont to Mount Vernon” exhibit honoring Ann Pamela Cunningham

• Traveling Exhibit Hall – Rotating installations, including Smithsonian and SC State Museum exhibits, plus local interests such as quilting, textiles, art shows, photography, and the upcoming Festival of Trees

Educational & Community Programming

• Field trips and student tours

• “Lunch & Learn” speaker series

• Genealogy workshops and history seminars

• Youth and adult art/history classes

• Monthly Revolutionary War Lectures

• Partnerships with local festivals and community events

A Timeline of Transformation

• 2005 – Laurens County Museum Association organized

• 2006 – Original Museum opened at 205 West Laurens Street

• 2012 – Witherspoon donates Public Square building

• 2012–2021 – Renovation of the new museum proceeds without debt

• 2019 – Tony Harper bequest supports project completion

• 2022 – Grand Opening of current museum at 116 South Public Square

Thanks to early leaders like James Gambrell, visionaries like John Witherspoon, and generous champions like the late Tony Harper, the Laurens County Museum continues to grow—one story at a time. Under the direction of a dedicated Board of Directors and leadership team, the museum is expanding its exhibits, deepening its educational outreach, and making history relevant and accessible for current and future generations.

From the echoes of the past to the insights shaping today’s conversations, the Laurens County Museum reminds us that history is not something to visit—it’s something to live, learn from, and carry forward.