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

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Vallentines Gin & Store

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SC Picture Project / Orangeburg County / Vallentines Gin & Store

Established by J.I. Vallentine, this general store and an adjacent cotton gin were established in 1911. Both were central to the community of Cope, which was founded in 1894 on land owned by Jacob Martin Cope. Cope sold a portion of his land for the town and train depot, and people still flock here to experience small-town life as it was in the early twentieth century.

Vallentine's Gas Station

Michael Mascari of Blythewood, 2015 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Vallentine’s son, Robert, took over running the store in 1937 along with his sister, Henry Ella. They replaced the original store with the current building in 1940. The brother-and-sister team attracted visitors to the old-timey store and gin until their deaths in the 1980s.

Vallentine's Gas Station Pumps

Michael Mascari of Blythewood, 2015 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Afterwards, Robert’s daughter, Jo Helen Riley, minded the store. The gin was destroyed in Hurricane Matthew (see below), but until then, ginning demonstrations were also held. Incidentally, Mrs. Riley is also the great-granddaughter of Jacob Martin Cope.

Vallentines

Ann Helms of Spartanburg, 2009 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

The store is no longer open on a daily basis, but people can call ahead to view displays of wares from throughout the twentieth century. Below, a cotton warehouse beside the former gin boasts loyalty to the Clemson Tigers.

Vallentines Warehouse

Sara Dean of Moncks Corner, 2015 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Vallentine’s Gin


Vallentines Gin

Sara Dean of Moncks Corner, 2015 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Vallentines Gin Interior

Sara Dean of Moncks Corner, 2015 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Hurricane Matthew swept through South Carolina on October 8, 2017, leaving a wake of destruction in its path. Sadly, a casualty of the storm was the Cope cotton gin, seen below.

Cope Gin Hurricane Damage

Sara Dean of Moncks Corner, 2016 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Vallentine’s Gin & Store: Paintings


Vallentin's Store, Cope

Thomas Fulton of Walterboro, 2017 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Vallentine’s Gin & Store: Reflections


Contributor Treva Thomas Hammond shares her experience growing up in Cope: “Vallentines was established in the early 1900s as a cotton gin and general store. I remember going there as a young girl and buying hoop cheese slices from the Mr. Vallentine. The store sold everything from cheese and bologna to hardware items. Today, the sign in the window states that customers can call ahead to see items from the past. On the cold February morning that I took this picture, it seemed as if I had fallen back into the past.”

Vallentine's Store

Treva Thomas Hammond of Rock Hill, 2015 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Plan Your Trip: Vallentines Gin & Store

Where is Vallentines Gin & Store located?
Address: 132 Cotton Avenue, Cope, SC 29038
GPS Coordinates: 33.378519,-81.006751
What else should I see?
Cope Depot 0.1 mile
Coffee Pot Diner 8.2 miles
Bamberg County Courthouse 9.3 miles
Trinity United Methodist 9.5 miles
Show me more like this!
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    Vallentines Gin & Store Map

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