Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation Sells Historic Senn Blacksmith Shop and Grist Mill
November 4, 2014
COLUMBIA, SC – The Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting historic structures in South Carolina, has sold the historic Senn Blacksmith Shop and Grist Mill at 3 Cantey Street in Summerton, S.C.
The Palmetto Trust sold the Senn Blacksmith Shop and Grist Mill to Ken Wells and Marion D. Jenkinson IV, who intend to use the mill for their pecan business and sell pecans in the shop.
“Our family’s property is not just a part of my family history, but also of the history of Clarendon County,” said Jenny Senn Blackmon. “We just didn’t want to see it go to ruin or sell it to someone who would tear it down, and we’re thankful that Palmetto Trust helped find a buyer with interest in preserving it.”
The property, which is more than 100 years old, last operated as a blacksmith shop in 1940. The grist mill operated until 1999, and the property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. The Senn family donated the property to The Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation, who handled the sale.
“Historic places are more than just the bones of a building,” said Michael Bedenbaugh, executive director of Palmetto Trust. “We like to match these historic properties with buyers who not only see the value of the real estate, but actually see the property as a business opportunity and will be able to reestablish industry in the property. We are grateful to the Senn Family for entrusting the blacksmith shop and mill to the Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation and allowing us the opportunity for this special place to once again contribute to the local economy. As we launch our 5 for the Future campaign, where donors can easily contribute $5 per month, to benefit Palmetto Trust, this is exactly the kind of work we want to be doing in giving historic structures new life.”
More information and photos of the property, as well as other historic properties for in South Carolina can be found at www.PalmettoTrust.org.
For more information on The Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation, visit www.PalmettoTrust.org or contact Michael Bedenbaugh, Palmetto Trust executive director at (803) 924-9979. Palmetto Trust is on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PalmettoTrust.
About THE PALMETTO TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION
The Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the endangered historic places of South Carolina through preservation development, advocacy, education and networking. The Palmetto Trust is the state’s only statewide membership organization committed exclusively to preservation.
