Fort Mill History Museum to move downtown

Fort Mill History Museum is on the move, with plans to open this fall in an historic Fort Mill location.

The museum closed its White Street location, which it opened in 2012, on July 6. The museum will reopen downtown at 107 Clebourne St. Ann Evans, consulting executive director with the museum, said her group is shooting to open back up by Sept. 1.

“By the end of July we will be out of our present location and setting up in our new location,” she said. “Now we’re ready to start another phase.”

The Clebourne Street address was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. It was built in 1869, a Victorian structure serving as one of the first homes on Main Street. It was moved to its current location in the 1920s to make way for commercial growth in town.

“It was one of the earliest homes built on Main Street,” Evans said. “It’s just going to be an enjoyable, charming place to be.”

Moved once to make room for growth, it’s new growth that led the museum to set up shop in the home. Apartments, restaurants and businesses added to the Main Street area in recent years made the site attractive to museum leadership. Evans said current museum offerings will remain, but the new space may also allow for tours of historic areas and other new events.

“It’s the place to be,” Evans said of a revitalized downtown. “It’s not because we are getting more space, because this really is a little smaller space. But this will be our own space.”

Plans for the new site include an exhibit on the Fort Mill Fire Department in October and a tour of historic homes around Christmas.

The museum announcement comes at a good time for Fort Mill History. The town recently received a $25,000 federal historic preservation grant from the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Architectural and design guidelines for properties in the town’s historic district will be developed. The plan will guide development or redevelopment in that area.

“In a rapidly growing area like Fort Mill, it is important to preserve and protect our historic resources,” said Joe Cronin, town planning director.

A consultant will help form the new guidelines. Town staff and the town historic review board should benefit, planners say, from the end result. The matching grant also includes town money in the same amount.

“The guidelines will enable town staff and members of the town’s historic review board to provide clear and objective criteria when advising potential investors, and in reviewing and approving proposed work within the historic district,” Cronin said.

This story was originally published July 2, 2015 at 9:33 PM with the headline "Fort Mill History Museum to move downtown."