• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SC Picture Project

The purpose of the South Carolina Picture Project is to celebrate the beauty of the Palmetto State while preserving some of its vanishing landscapes.

  • FIND A LANDMARK
    • BY CITY
    • BY COUNTY
    • BY CATEGORY
    • BYGONE LANDMARKS
  • ADD IMAGES
  • VOLUNTEER
  • SPONSORS
  • DONATE

Donalds Grange No. 497

SC PICTURE PROJECT 3 Comments

SC Picture Project / Abbeville County / Donalds Grange No. 497

Donalds Grange No. 497, also known as Patrons of Husbandry or Grange Hall, was built in 1935 by the WPA. Over the years it has served as everything from town hall to a public library. The land for the grange was donated by W. Maxie Agnew.

Donalds Grange

Bill Fitzpatrick of Taylors, 2012 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

In 2009, the South Carolina House of Representatives passed a resolution recognizing the Donalds Grange’s role in the history of Abbeville County. The resolution notes that Donalds Grange continues to welcome citizens interested in agriculture, and that it is “among the 17 oldest granges in the State constantly active since their organization.”

Donalds Grange No. 47

Pete Lawrence of Sumter, 2019 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

The resolution also recalls this interesting tidbit about the building’s construction: “Using two-horse wagons, people hauled fieldstones from their farms. Uninitiated in masonry construction, the WPA labor force initially attempted to lay the fieldstones, only to return the following morning to find them lying awry where they had fallen during the night … a Donalds contractor who had built his home of like material was then called in to teach the inexperienced their craft. Local landowners also contributed the pine poles that frame the cathedral-type ceiling of the building, the oak hand-hewn sill that supports the main floor, and the heart pine flooring.”

Donalds Grange No. 47 Cabin

Pete Lawrence of Sumter, 2019 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Donalds Grange is listed in the National Register:

The Donalds Grange No. 497 is significant for both its architecture and its contribution to the social development of the community of Donalds and Abbeville County. Constructed in 1935 by local Works Progress Administration labor, the building served originally as the Town Hall, the local grange, and the public library. Typical of the vernacular style used in WPA public buildings, it is relatively unaltered. The fieldstone construction and locally produced lumber give evidence of the participation of local labor in the construction. After 1940, it was the home of the grange and the library. In 1942, Donalds Grange No. 497 sponsored the Abbeville County Circulating Library, and the building became headquarters for the Abbeville County system until a self-contained library was built on adjacent property in 1959. Since its construction, the well-preserved fieldstone building has been the meeting hall for the agricultural and community-service organization known locally and most commonly as the Donalds Grange. It remains as an important example of Depression Era public buildings.

Donalds Grange No. 497 Info


Address: South Carolina Highway 184, Donalds, SC 29638
GPS Coordinates: 34.36827,-82.35161

Donalds Grange No. 497 Map



Take Me There

Plan Your Trip: Donalds Grange No. 497

Where is Donalds Grange No. 497 located?
Address: South Carolina Highway 184, Donalds, SC 29638
GPS Coordinates: 34.36827,-82.35161
What else should I see?
Donalds Train Station 1.2 miles
Donalds United Methodist Church 1.3 miles
Algary School 4.8 miles
Erskine College 5.6 miles
Show me more like this!
  • Donalds Historic Sites
  • See other South Carolina National Register
    Donalds Grange No. 497 Map

    Please Help Us Stay Online

    We’d like thank everyone who generously supports the South Carolina Picture Project. You provide us with the inspiration and financial support we need to keep doing what we do. Every reader’s contribution, larger or small, is valuable. If you have enjoyed this website or found it helpful, please pitch in. Each donation helps – and it only takes a minute. Thank you!

    Support the SC Picture Project!

    $ 50.00
    Select Payment Method
    Personal Info

    Credit Card Info
    This is a secure SSL encrypted payment.

    Donation Total: $50.00

    You may also like

    You may also like

    Abbeville Courthouse Opera HouseAbbeville County Courthouse Abbeville Confederate MonumentAbbeville Confederate Monument Civil War CannonAbbeville Civil War Cannon Cedar Springs HouseFrazier-Pressley House McGowan House AbbevilleMcGowan-Barksdale-Bundy House

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. t koppe says

      December 16, 2017 at 2:54 PM

      Is there a grange near Greenville or Spartanburg, SC?
      I am looking for an active farm to fork grange to join.

      Reply
    2. Laura may oliphant says

      January 16, 2017 at 1:12 AM

      My grandfather Andrew Jackson Msy is the contractor who did the extraordinary plans and craftsmanship on this grange hall, and I would appreciate seeing his name credited with his superb work both here and in the Bill recognizing the structure for its place in history. Will have to contact one of our lawmakers. Thank you.
      Kindest regards,
      Laura Jane May Oliphant

      Reply
    3. Robert Iacomacci says

      February 2, 2015 at 9:17 PM

      Hmm just got back in the library which is right next to the Grange because the door of the Grange was kicked in so I called the police. They sent one and now Abbeville County Sheriff office is on the way. I want to go to a Grange meeting but they never answer the phone.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    FIND A LANDMARK

    Why This Site Matters

    Help Keep This Site Online

    We depend on the support of today’s readers to document South Carolina’s landmarks for future readers. Please help us continue this important work by making a donation below.

    $ 50.00
    Select Payment Method
    Personal Info

    Credit Card Info
    This is a secure SSL encrypted payment.

    Donation Total: $50.00

    Recent Posts

    • H.L. Hunley
    • Strand Theater
    • Camden Depot
    • Charleston City Marina
    • Secession Hill

    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.

    Footer

    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.

    CONTACT US

    We’d love to hear from you! Send us a quick email at share@scpictureproject.org.

    If you are looking for permission to use a photo, please reach out directly to the photographer listed in the image’s credit.

    JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

    The South Carolina Picture Project has two Facebook groups. One is dedicated to SC Historic Landmarks and Iconic Landscapes, and the other is dedicated to SC Nature and Wildlife.

    South Carolina Picture Project © 2022 · All Rights Reserved