Byway Partners with Government to Restore Historic Building as Byway Living Museum and Visitor Center

A byway organization interested in developing an historic property as a living museum and a byway visitor center successfully partnered with a local government interested in preserving historic structures thus making both organizations’ missions possible.

Who/What/Where:

The Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Byway Association in South Carolina was interested in purchasing and restoring a 1790s National Historic Register home located directly adjacent to the byway and in developing that site as a major visitor welcome center. The new property at the Hagood House includes a Civil War-era store building that will become the byway's Living Museum and Welcome Center. A visitor center (see photo) at the western end of the byway was established as part of a state park when the byway was a state scenic highway, but not yet a National Scenic Byway.

When:

The development of the historic house as a byway visitor center has followed a development plan over several years, starting with obtaining seed grants for operations of the byway organization itself and with pursuit of a grant for architectural evaluation and appraisal of the building to establish it as a worthy restoration project. A follow-up grant received in summer 2005 made the purchase of the house, an adjacent 18th century post office and store, and 10 acres of land possible.

How:

To develop the museum-visitor center the byway organization has pursued grants from byway enhancement funds and historic preservation foundations. Once a $200,000 grant was in hand for purchase of the historic home site, the group needed $50,000 in matching funds from an historic preservation entity – be it a family foundation with historic preservation interests or a historic preservation foundation. One foundation that was approached was already in the middle of a major four-year campaign of its own, but invited the byway organization to return with a future request.

The group was successful in gaining the pledge of an individual vitally interested in historical preservation. Once the check was issued, however, certain heretofore-unmentioned conditions caused the check to be returned. To move the property purchase forward, the group applied to the County Council for the needed funds, to be taken from the Council’s matching grants budget. With the purchase accomplished, a $400,000 grant application was submitted for enhancement funds to rehabilitate and restore the house and develop the store structure as a byway welcome center.

Funding Potential:

The funding potential of this type of project depends on many factors – the size and condition of the historic building of interest, the interest level and number of local or regional foundations interested in historic preservation, the timing of requests, and the internal capacity of the byway organization to pursue site development and grants over a long period of time. See also the Seaway Trail Discovery Center case profile for a similar project, funded with scenic byway enhancement money and a partnership with New York State.

Why Historic Preservation Projects for Byways:

• Capitalize on the public interest in historic preservation to leverage funds for restoring buildings as byway headquarters and welcome centers

Resources:

Cherokee Foothills Scenic Byway

National Trust for Historic Preservation

Save America’s Treasures