Located in Walhalla, South Carolina, the Oconee Heritage Center (OHC) brings history back to life through museum exhibits, educational programs, festivals and much more. The OHC is housed in the historic Tobacco Warehouse (1892) and first opened in 2004.
Visitors explore the history of Native Americans, Immigration, Railroads, New Deal Programs, Textile Mills, Agriculture and much more as it relates to Oconee County. The museum offers a self-guided tour through time of Oconee’s history even long before it became a county. Popular exhibits include the Dugout Canoes being preserved within the museum, a walk-in Stump House Tunnel exhibit and a Depression Era Tenant Farmer’s House.The OHC is truly a community-supported endeavor and we invite everyone to join the effort by becoming a member, volunteering and donating artifacts.
Leslie White is the new arts and historical manager/curator of the Oconee Heritage Center.
The selection of White to fill the position follows the recent resignation of manager/curator Nick Gambrell, who is pursuing training in the mission field.
 A Walhalla native, White is a member of the Walhalla High School class of 2003. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, with an emphasis in print journalism, from Winthrop University in 2007 and a master’s degree in public history from Appalachian State University in 2009.
During the course of her studies, she worked with the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, N.C., the Adirondack Museum in upstate New York, the Blowing Rock Historical Society in Blowing Rock, N.C., and the Levine Museum of the New South in Charlotte, N.C.
Gambrell said, “I feel comfortable leaving the OHC in the hands of Ms. White, and feel confident that the museum will continue to grow and prosper. It will be exciting to see where the organization goes from here.”
White is excited to be back in Oconee County.
“This county has such great history and wonderful people,” she said. “Everyone has great stories that need to be shared and preserved. The OHC has really blossomed into an amazing organization, and I’m thrilled to be a part of its mission.”
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Nick Gambrell has "moved on"
 Nick Gambrell, Director and Curator of the OHC from the opening in 2004, untill Sept. 2009 has moved on. His decision to leave his position is based on a calling into the mission field. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while,” says Gambrell, “and though it will not be easy to leave this job, I feel the time is right.”
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As for the Heritage Center, things will certainly continue as planned. The museum has been diligently working on several large projects over the past few years, such as the farmstead, the satellite museum in Westminster, and a reading room in the basement of the Tobacco Warehouse. According to the Board of Directors of the OHC, these projects will continue as planned.
The Oconee Heritage Center began as a non-profit organization in 1999. After five years of establishment and renovations, the museum officially opened in 2004. Gambrell began volunteering while attending graduate school at Clemson University in 2001 and according to him fell into his “dream job.” “I have never felt like I was going to work because it has been something that I sincerely enjoyed.” Gambrell’s position was adopted under the Oconee County PRT Department in 2007 and has since been maintained as a county position.
“Nick’s passion for his work is truly showcased at the Oconee Heritage Center and his visions will continue as we press toward continuing and enhancing the projects he has spearheaded such as the Southern Appalachian Farmstead, the General Store Museum in Westminster, the OHC park and the completion of the OHC basement just to name a few,” says Phil Shirley, Director of Parks, Recreation & Tourism for Oconee County. “It has truly been my pleasure to work with Nick and we wish him the best of luck”.
Nick Gambrell's blog
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Young Appalachian Musicians - YAM
This fall, the Oconee Heritage Center will be continuing a program that connects both children and adults to the rich musical heritage of our area by participating in a second round of YAM music lessons. Read More
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Oconee Heritage Center
Plans for the Southern Appalachian Farmstead unveiled.
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Dog Trot Cabin
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Work continues on the Satellite Museum in Westminster
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Westminster Area Historic Preservation Society had the building painted in April and that is what is going on in the photo. Roofing repairs and renovations continue inside.
About The Barrett-Jones Building.
Lee and Joyce Barrett of Westminster have ensured that people will have a place to preserve and learn about Westminster’s history. The building located at 126 Main Street in Westminster has been donated to the Oconee Heritage Center to serve as a satellite museum of the OHC. Donated in memory of their fathers, Johnny D. Jones and Charles G. Barrett, the building will become the home of the contents of the England’s General Merchandise Store along with other Westminster exhibits.
“We are so happy to be able to do this to honor both of our fathers and their love for Westminster,” says Joyce Barrett. Both Joyce’s father, Johnny D. Jones, and Lee’s father, Charles G. Barrett, previously owned the building which was donated. The announcement was made beginning at the Pavilion on Main Street in Westminster on January 3rd. Everyone who attended the meeting was then given the opportunity to view inside the “Barrett-Jones Building.” Reflecting back on his father and father-in-law, Lee Barrett remarked, “Our aim is for the vision of our fathers to be realized. Johnny’s vision was progress and Charles’ vision was preservation. With this donation, we feel that the OHC can fulfill both of these visions.”
This particular building on Main Street was built prior to 1898 and still maintains a lot of its original character with approximately 2,500 square feet of space. Over the years, the building has served as home to “The Bargain Store,” “Plunder Junction,” a video store, antique shop, flower shop and a law firm.
The contents of England’s General Merchandise Store were purchased in early 2007 by the Westminster Area Historic Preservation Society and donated to the Oconee Heritage Center. Since that time, the artifacts have been moved into storage until such time that a new, safe location in Westminster could once again house the collection. The Barrett-Jones Building, just a few blocks from the original store, will serve as that new home.
But that will not be all that visitors can enjoy at the new satellite museum. Plans may also include office spaces for civic organizations, gallery space for local artist and much more. “The Oconee Heritage Center is honored to receive this donation from Lee and Joyce Barrett. The Heritage Center continues to grow and prosper due to continued support and trust throughout the county.” These remarks were given by OHC Director and Curator, Nicholas Gambrell. “We look forward to exploring the best uses of this building for Westminster and all of Oconee County.”
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England's Storefront
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Volunteers in Oakway helped the Oconee Heritage Center clean up a historic church and cemetery this weekend.
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Center Church Volunteers |
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The Keowee Courier building The City of Walhalla gave us this building in March. We plan to restore the original brickwork, renovate the inside and use it as a museum of Oconee County newspaper history in the future.
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A second canoe can now be viewed at the Oconee Heritage Center . It joins the canoe found in the Chattooga River in 2002 in a preservation process and eventual exhibits at the museum.
This canoe, found in the Keowee River, was discovered by three young boys. David and Brandon Kwietniewski and their friend, Andrew Sauls, found the canoe while swimming in the river in early July. Their neighbors, Mike and Diana Stafford, having read about the Chattooga Canoe a few years earlier, made sure that the canoe remained in the water-- knowing that keeping the wood wet would help to preserve the artifact. Eventually, they called the Army Corps of Engineers in an effort to figure out the next step.
With a conjoined effort between the Pickens County Museum of Art and History, the Army Corps of Engineers, the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology (SCIAA) and the Oconee Heritage Center, it was determined last week that the canoe would be moved to the Oconee Heritage Center alongside the Chattooga Canoe for preservation and exhibition.
In 2004, the OHC was established as a satellite lab for the SCIAA. Thus, other underwater artifacts in need of preservation may be brought to the museum. The OHC was recognized in 2006 by the Office of the SC State Archaeologist for their work in preserving the Chattooga Canoe.
The Keowee Canoe, like the Chattooga Canoe, is owned by the State of South Carolina. State Archaeologist, Jon Leader, and State Underwater Archaeologist and Head, Maritime Research Division, Chris Amer, visited the river last week and determined that the canoe was a good candidate for a preservation process similar to the Chattooga Canoe.
Within 24 hours of receiving the “go-ahead,” volunteers at the Oconee Heritage Center, many of whom helped four years ago with the Chattooga Canoe, had successfully relocated the Keowee Canoe to a preservation tank in Walhalla. This second tank was prepared by Richard Gambrell along with Patsy and Barry Earnhardt which will house the canoe in water until polyethylene glycol can begin to preserve the wood. The same cradle built in 2004 by Kent Wigington was again used to transport this canoe and Wilmington personally came out to transport the wet artifact to its new resting place. Buzz Williams, of the Chattooga Conservancy, also stepped up to assist with this canoe. Williams headed up the efforts back in 2004 to relocate the Chattooga Canoe to the Oconee Heritage Center.
The Keowee Canoe measures approximately 21 feet in length, over 2 feet wide and has an overall height of 16 inches. According to Chris Amer, this canoe is only approximately half of its original length. At this time, very little is known about the history of the canoe including age and who may have constructed it. The immediate concern was for the safety of the canoe. With the current drought conditions, the surrounding waters were quickly receding from around the canoe, which needed to stay wet. Now that the canoe is safely housed at the museum, archaeologist will be able to take a closer look at the wood and hopefully be able to determine an approximate age and possible provenance of the artifact.
The Keowee Canoe is in the process of soaking in Polyethylene Glycol in order to preserve the wood and eventually dry out. As for the Chattooga Canoe, it has been determined that it is ready to begin drying out after nearly four and a half years of soaking in its tank.
Both canoes are available for public viewing during regular open hours of the OHC: Tues, Thurs, Fri (Noon – 5pm) and Saturday (10am – 3pm).
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Canoe Rescue Volunteers
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