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Abbeville Livery Stable

SC PICTURE PROJECT 8 Comments

SC Picture Project / Abbeville County / Abbeville Livery Stable

In the nineteenth century, livery stables or barns boarded horses for hire. Visitors to a town could rent a horse for the duration of their stay. Few South Carolina liveries remain, and this one, located on Trinity Street in historic downtown Abbeville, is an especially fine example. (Another great example is the Gaston Livery Stable in Aiken.)

Abbeville Livery Stable

James “Jim” Jenkins of Chesterfield, 2017 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Abbeville’s original livery was built in the 1840s. Constructed of wood, it was consumed by the 1872 fire that swept through Abbeville. The current stable was built in the late 1870s on the site of the original stable.

Livery Stable Abbeville Front View

Brian Scott of Anderson, 2010 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

After the Civil War, Abbeville’s Livery Stable was operated by former planters A. M. Hill and Sons, whose livery business also let carriages. Hills Livery Stable operated year-round with the sell of livestock supplementing its winter income. According to the June 13, 1894 edition of The Abbeville Press and Banner, following the war, the Hills were “broke and penniless, yet by application to business, and taking care of their own, they have amassed a fortune, and are today among the richest men in town.” According to the same story, “No stable in South Carolina can give a man a better outfit than A.M. Hill and Sons.”

Hill's Livery Stable Ad

The Abbeville Press and Banter, August 2, 1893 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Above, an ad from 1893 announces that Dr. T.J. Kinard, a large animal veterinarian from Ninety-Six, would be arriving to the livery stable to treat area animals. According to the advertisement, the veterinarian services were available to the public on the third Saturday of the month.

Abbeville Livery Stable Interior

Cleve Koon of Aiken, 2017 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

When automobiles replaced horses, the building was repurposed as a warehouse. The structure was donated to the city in 2002 by Mrs. Margaret Flynn Bowie, and the Trinity Street Enhancement Project restored the building in 2010. The project included exterior work and new flooring. Today, the stable is home to the Abbeville County Farmers Market and can also be rented for special events. It is located within walking distance of several other Abbeville landmarks, including the Abbeville Trinity Church, the Abbeville Opera House, and the Abbeville County Courthouse.

See photos of the Gaston Livery Stable, a similar brick barn located in Aiken.

More Pictures of the Livery Stable


Abbeville Livery Stable scene

David Thompson of Anderson, 2017 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Abbeville Livery Stable

Cleve Koon of Aiken, 2015 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Abbeville Livery Stable Inside

Brian Scott of Anderson, 2010 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Abbeville Livery Stable Interior

Brian Scott of Anderson, 2010 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Abbeville Livery Stable Info


Address: 118 Trinity Street, Abbeville, SC 29620
GPS Coordinates: 34.176044,-82.381007

Abbeville Livery Stable Map



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Plan Your Trip: Abbeville Livery Stable

Where is Abbeville Livery Stable located?
Address: 118 Trinity Street, Abbeville, SC 29620
GPS Coordinates: 34.176044,-82.381007
What else should I see?
Mt. Carmel ARP Church 0.1 mile
Trinity Episcopal Church 0.1 mile
Abbeville Confederate Monument 0.3 mile
Abbeville Court Square 0.3 mile
Show me more like this!
  • Abbeville Historic Sites
  • See other South Carolina Barns & Farms
    Abbeville Livery Stable Map

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sam Jones says

      August 16, 2020 at 11:02 PM

      Part of this history is incorrect. The A. M Hill & Sons Livery Stable was destroyed by fire in 1895, a wood structure. This is the building they built to replace in c.1897.

      Reply
      • SC Picture Project says

        August 17, 2020 at 8:41 AM

        Hi Sam! Our information comes from the historical marker on the livery stable. Markers are sometimes wrong however. Do you have a source for your info?

        Reply
    2. Melissa Crowder says

      July 23, 2018 at 11:30 AM

      Good afternoon, do you do weddings there, along with receptions? If so could you send me a price package of what you offer? Thank you so much.

      Melissa Crowder

      Reply
      • SCIWAY says

        July 23, 2018 at 11:05 PM

        Hello, we aren’t directly affiliated with the Livery Stable so you would have to reach out to them directly. Here is information we found: http://www.abbevillecitysc.com/event-permits

        Reply
    3. Ashley beasley says

      May 10, 2016 at 1:47 PM

      Who do I contact about having a wedding reception here?

      Reply
      • SCIWAY says

        May 10, 2016 at 2:01 PM

        Hi, Ashley. Here is the Abbeville website. It should provide you with the information you need: http://www.abbevillecitysc.com/event-permits Best of luck!

        Reply
    4. Sam Jones says

      May 5, 2014 at 4:00 PM

      This particular building was constructed around 1900 replacing a wooden structure on this site.

      Reply
    5. Sonna says

      March 7, 2012 at 8:36 PM

      Great picture! Love your work, Anna Kate!

      Reply

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    ABOUT US

    We are a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to preserve the history of South Carolina’s historic, natural, and cultural landmarks before they are lost to time. This website serves as a permanent digital archive of over 2,300 South Carolina landmarks – and counting. Learn more about our work.

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