2018 Yorkville Historical Society Meetings:
- January 25, 2018 – Yorkville Historical Society Banquet – This was another wonderful banquet.
- February 22, 2018 We were very fortunate to have Dr. Brooke Bauer as the scheduled speaker for our meeting. Dr. Brooke Bauer is an assistant professor at the University of South Carolina Lancaster. Her project, “Being Catawba: The World of Sally New River, 1746-1840,” examined the history of the Catawba Indian Nation by concentrating on how Catawba women of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries created, promoted, and preserved a Catawba identity through kinship, land ownership, and economic productivity.
- March 29, 2018 Jason Broadwater gave an update on the strategic plan being developed by the Economic Development Corporation for York, SC.
- April 26, 2018 We were very fortunate to have a genealogy presentation and question and answer session from John Skardon from the Rock Hill Library that included information about the fabulous resources for genealogy research are available from York County Libraries and great tips on genealogy research.
- May 31, 2018 We were delighted to have Mary Poole as our speaker. Mary has been working in the field of intellectual disabilities longer than she would care to mention. Starting as a volunteer in her youth, Mary started her professional career as a third shift weekend direct care staff at the Fountain Inn Community Residence in the upstate of South Carolina. Mary has been a Case Management Director, a Residential Director and a Day Program Director at various agencies in South Carolina. Mary is the current Executive Director of MaxAbilities of York County. She has a BS in Sociology and a MA in Business Management. However, she will tell you that her biggest accomplishment is her family. She has been married to Richard for 40 years and is the very proud mom of ten including five adopted children and 3 grandchildren.
- June 28, 2018 We were fortunate to have historian Michael C. Scoggins as our speaker. His presentation was on the industrialization of York County and will included information about the textile industry, as well as the iron industry, railroads, etc.
- July 26, 2018 This meeting was our first Ice Cream Social. Janice Ramsey presented very interesting information about the history of the Yorkville Historical Society.
- August 30, 2018 We were fortunate to have Velma E. Love, PhD as our speaker. Her topic was “The Power of Story.” Debbie Lancaster, Yorkville Literary Festival Chair, joined Velma and made an announcement about the upcoming festival.Velma Love is a Story Practitioner and Scholar Activist who consults on the art of cultural development and community engagement. She uses stories to inspire and guide social change. She has over 30 years of experience in community cultural work, participatory action research, and non-profit management. Velma received the BA in Sociology from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, the Master’s of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and the PhD in Religious Studies from Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, CA. She has taught religious studies courses to both undergraduate and graduate students.She is the author of Divining the Self: a Study in Yoruba Myth and Human Consciousness (Penn State University Press, 2012). A Narrative Coach, she is the owner of Story Catalysts Coaching & Consulting, LLC. She currently resides in York, SC where she produces Kaleidoscope, a Community Storytelling Series that builds community and speaks to the human spirit. Dr. Love is also the Co-founder of Folkways Community Development Corporation, a non-profit organization that uses the arts to inspire positive change and self-empowerment in low wealth communities.
- September 27, 2018 We were fortunate to have Nancy Sambets as our speaker. She will gave a fascinating presentation about the Circus Days in York. We found out why the Barnett Brothers Circus made York its winter quarters and how the Bennett Brothers Circus got started. Nancy Sambets received her BA in History from the College of Charleston and her Masters Degree in Museum Studies from the University of South Carolina. She has worked at the Berkeley Museum, Old Santee Canal State Park and Andrew Jackson State Park. She is currently the Director of Archives at the Historical Center of York County under the Culture & Heritage Museums. She wrote a monthly column in YC Magazine from 2004 to 2017 and in 2007 coauthored the book “Images of America: York”. She has also provided research and documentation for the South Carolina State Historical Markers on the Yorkville Female College, the Barnett Brothers circus, and the York County Courthouse.
- October 25, 2018 We were delighted to have John Lafoy as our scheduled speaker. A nationally known and well respected golf course architect, John Lafoy is also an expert on Edgefield pottery. Raised by antique dealers, John was exposed to a wide range of objects and has enthusiastically expanded his knowledge to include musical instruments, art work, coins, knives, and furniture. Happy 40th Birthday to the Yorkville Historical Society! We had cupcakes after the meeting to celebrate.
- November 29, 2018 We were delighted to have Lieutenant Dale Edwards of the York, SC Police Department’s Training/Community Services Unit as our speaker. His program was on shopping safety and was very appropriate for the holiday season.
- No meeting in December – our wonderful Holiday Tour instead.
2018 Special Events
- May 22, 2018 – Walnut Grove Plantation Field Trip This was a great field trip to Walnut Grove Plantation, 1200 Otts Shoals Road, Roebuck, SC (near Spartanburg). There was a guided tour of the plantation, lunch delivered from Bubba’s Barbeque, and a presentation about the folk tales of the times.
- August 3, 2018 –Wright Funeral Home Historical Marker Dedication The dedication for this historical marker was at 6 Hunter Street, York, SC 29745. The Yorkville Historical Society worked in cooperation with Bridget Wright White in the application and approval process with The South Carolina Department of Archives and History in obtaining a South Carolina State Historical Marker for Wright Funeral Home. The Historical Society is pleased to fund this project. The marker’s location is at 6 Hunter Street, York, SC 29745. This marker was installed at no charge by Diversified Signs & Graphics of York, SC.
2018 Holiday Tour of Homes and Sites