The Bedon-Lucas House at 205 Church St. is turning 200 years old this year.
The Colleton County Historical and Preservation Society wants to celebrate by inviting the community to give the house a little attention.
The house stood through the Civil War, the Great Depression, and World War I and II as the population of Walterboro swelled. Additions to the house changed its appearance throughout two centuries and the use of the room altered with each generation. When the Colleton County Historical and Preservation Society purchased the property in 1996, the house was empty and neglected, even missing hardware for the doors. The community answered the call to fill the house with artifacts from Colleton County.
At the annual meeting on Thursday night, CCHAPS announced a yearlong celebration of the Bedon-Lucas House and asked for the community to help. Are you interested in putting a little elbow grease or organization skills to work to help the Society and the house? The CCHAPS board has compiled a list of tasks and hopes the community will work as groups or individuals to spruce up the house and organize the artifacts. Since the Bedon-Lucas House is turning 200 years old, the society is offering a raffle ticket for a beach weekend for every time someone works 200 minutes. There is no limit on the number of times you can be entered. If you are unable or uninterested in working at the house, you can be entered into the drawing by donating 200 quarters, or $50, to offset the cost of improvements.
For more information about the 200th Celebration follow Colleton County Historical and Preservation Society on Facebook and 200th Celebration event, email the office at info@cchaps.com or call the office at 843 549-9633.
Pon Pon Chapel of Ease continues to be a major project for the society and they will launch fundraising and grant writing initiatives this year to start the stabilization process of the ruin. A 1-3-5-10 year plan for the site was presented at the October meeting and the Pon Pon Committee has met with several interested donors and organizations interesting in preserving Pon Pon Chapel.
CCHAPS also elected its 2020-2022 board members and officers. Christie Slocum will return as vice president and Chelsea Kuehler will continue as a board member. Charlotte Heaton will take on the role of treasurer and Debra Weiss will serve as a board member. The newly elected board members will join those continuing their term: Tom Whitacre (president), Debi Gilliam (secretary), Gary Brightwell, Betty Ann Rhode, and Sarah Miller (historian).
The Colleton County Historical and Preservation Society is trustee for the Bedon-Lucas House, the Little Library and Pon Pon Chapel of Ease. They also recognize community members for their preservation efforts at the annual Preservation Awards and bring speakers to the October and March quarterly meetings.
Those interested in joining the society, visit www.cchaps.com or like them on Facebook: Colleton County Historical and Preservation Society.
