• 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

Bracknell’s Store

SC PICTURE PROJECT 3 Comments

SC Picture Project / McCormick County / Bracknell’s Store

J.W. Bracknell & Son was part of a thriving hub in Plum Branch – named for a nearby stream called Plum Branch – when it opened in 1902. In fact, it is said to have been the largest mercantile between Greenville and Augusta, Georgia.

Bracknell's

Ralph Hobson of Greenville, 2016 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

The original proprietor was John William Bracknell, who also became president of the local bank at the age 18. Bracknell’s Store remained a family business for decades; Bracknell’s grandson, John William “Bill” Bracknell, II, was the last to run the business. He served as a Democratic delegate in New York in the 1970s, and his name is inscribed on a separate building located to the right of this store. In the intervening years, the store was tended by the younger Bill’s father, John Luther Bracknell.

Bracknell's Store

Tom Taylor of Greenville, 2015 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Interestingly, the name painted on the store is not Bracknell’s but E.C. Rice. Bracknell’s marches across the roofline in large, free-standing capital letters, while E.C. Rice stretches out in white block script below it. An Edwin C. Rice Jr. did live in Plum Branch from at least 1939 through 1967, and his father helped found First Baptist Church in neighboring Greenwood County in 1875. So far that is all we have been able to learn.

Bracknell's Side

Tom Taylor of Greenville, 2015 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Bracknell’s sold everything a Plum Branch resident might need. It was divided into four parts. On the bottom floor were women’s clothing, men’s clothing, and a supermarket. On the top floor were appliances. A sign painted on the side of the store says, “This building may fall, but the quality of our merchandise will never.”

The front of Bracknell’s runs parallel to the railroad tracks, right in the center of town. Locals spent much of their time and money here until the store finally closed in the 1980s. It was then converted into a family-style restaurant and now operates as an enclosed flea market.

Today McCormick County, a 40-miles drive from the nearest interstate, has the smallest population in the state at just 10,000 people. Retirement homes and outdoor recreation are the mainstays of its economy. Strom Thurmond Lake and the surrounding Sumter National Forest – which together cover 93 percent of the county – draw people to the water and the woods. The streets of Plum Branch, with a population of under 100, remain quiet.

Learn More about Bracknell’s Store


In an effort to document the history of J.W. Bracknell & Son, we are including the following resources. The first is an ad that appeared in the Greenwood Index-Journal on September 29, 1977. It highlights an upcoming auction. The second is a wonderful article published in the Greenville News on April 19, 1976. Written by Jim McAllister, it documents Bracknell’s history through the eyes of Plum Branch residents. A full transcription can be found below.

Bracknell Store Auction

The Greenwood Index-Journal, September 29, 1977 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Bracknell's Store Article

The Greenville News, April 19, 1976 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Bracknell’s Store Info


Address: South Carolina Highway 28, Plum Branch, SC 29845
GPS Coordinates: 33.848630,-82.259197

Bracknell’s Store



Take Me There

Plan Your Trip: Bracknell’s Store

Where is Bracknell’s Store located?
Address: South Carolina Highway 28, Plum Branch, SC 29845
GPS Coordinates: 33.848630,-82.259197
What else should I see?
McCormick County Courthouse 7.6 miles
McCormick Depot 7.7 miles
Fannie Kate's Bed and Breakfast 7.7 miles
Hotel Keturah 7.7 miles
Show me more like this!
  • See other South Carolina Stores
    Bracknell’s Store 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

    Willlington Book ShopWillington McAllister StoreMcAllister and Sons McClendon StoreMcClendon Store

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kimberly Martin says

      May 23, 2022 at 10:13 AM

      My grandma, Amy Thompkins Gilchrist, and her son (my dad) Clarence Martin are from Plum Branch, McCormick, Edgefield, and Greenwood, from very large families. I was told my great-great grandma was Cherokee. Oh, how I wish I knew more about my ancestors. I’d love to ditch the city and relocate to the South!!

      Reply
    2. Patti Lindenman says

      June 12, 2018 at 7:09 PM

      Hi, my family had a farm in that area in 1800s. I have a J.W. Brackmell token with a number 5. I am interested in selling it Do you know of anyone who might be interested?

      Reply
    3. M.DiFatta,Guastello says

      October 12, 2017 at 1:51 PM

      I bought a house in Plum Branch in July 2017. I was happy to find out about the history of Bracknells. It looks like it had been a charming building in its time, and still is. It would be quite an asset to the community if it came back to life.

      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