Museum Monday: Fountain Inn History Museum
Last weekend I made a flying trip to South Carolina for a wedding reception. (And when I say flying, I don't mean that I flew but that it was a fast one, just over 48 hours gone from home, at least 18 of those spent in my car.)
I arrived about two hours early for the reception, so not wanting to sit sweltering in my car, I drove a few miles over to the town of Fountain Inn and after cruising a few streets, found some public parking. My wandering led me to the Chamber of Commerce which houses a small hometown museum open for a couple of hours on a few days of the week--a few hours that happened to coincide with my visit.
The museum is basically one large room that has a series of displays, each one flowing into the next. A little bit of attention is given to the earliest native inhabitants--including a display of a small collection of arrowheads--before moving into the beginning of European colonization. The right-hand side of the room moves visitors through time with a mention of the importance of farming and the railroad. The rest of the room focuses on artifacts connected to different themes of life.
There are yearbooks from the two different high schools and a collection of typewriters. A loom speaks to the manual creation of textiles. An old coffee grinder reminds us not to take today's Keurigs for granted. I especially liked the corner dedicated to the churches of the town. The stained glass window was beautiful, and I appreciated the sense of history from the chart showing the different buildings that have housed congregations over the years.
The museum is a clean, well-kept facility with workers who will ask if you have any questions but otherwise work in their room near the entranceway. Despite the small space, I can tell that the city is proud of its heritage and eager to share. This is a nice presentation for both locals interested in their past and out-of-towners curious to learn more about the area.
Located at on Depot Street, the museum is free and air-conditioned. My visit was under twenty minutes, but depending upon how much time you want to read, your visit could be a little longer.
I arrived about two hours early for the reception, so not wanting to sit sweltering in my car, I drove a few miles over to the town of Fountain Inn and after cruising a few streets, found some public parking. My wandering led me to the Chamber of Commerce which houses a small hometown museum open for a couple of hours on a few days of the week--a few hours that happened to coincide with my visit.
The museum is basically one large room that has a series of displays, each one flowing into the next. A little bit of attention is given to the earliest native inhabitants--including a display of a small collection of arrowheads--before moving into the beginning of European colonization. The right-hand side of the room moves visitors through time with a mention of the importance of farming and the railroad. The rest of the room focuses on artifacts connected to different themes of life.
There are yearbooks from the two different high schools and a collection of typewriters. A loom speaks to the manual creation of textiles. An old coffee grinder reminds us not to take today's Keurigs for granted. I especially liked the corner dedicated to the churches of the town. The stained glass window was beautiful, and I appreciated the sense of history from the chart showing the different buildings that have housed congregations over the years.
The museum is a clean, well-kept facility with workers who will ask if you have any questions but otherwise work in their room near the entranceway. Despite the small space, I can tell that the city is proud of its heritage and eager to share. This is a nice presentation for both locals interested in their past and out-of-towners curious to learn more about the area.
Located at on Depot Street, the museum is free and air-conditioned. My visit was under twenty minutes, but depending upon how much time you want to read, your visit could be a little longer.
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