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Wedding & Event Venue Near Edgefield, SC.

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Your Magic Moment Awaits

Your wedding day. Without a doubt, it's one of the most significant events you will ever experience - when you and the love of your life officially seal the deal and get married. On this day, your friends and family will gather to celebrate the next step in your life. Photographers will be running around snapping photos, catering plates delicious food for guests to enjoy, and the DJ sets the mood for a night of fun and libation. You've worked extra hard to make everything look perfect and run smoothly. You have examined every moving part down to the tiniest detail. At the center of all your effort is your wedding venue in Edgefield, SC.

Your event space can mean the difference between an unforgettable event and an average occasion. Capturing your uniqueness as a couple is paramount to a memorable wedding. But, without the right venue location and staff, your unforgettable event can turn into a painfully average occasion. Fortunately, at Abney Hall, you won't ever have to worry about dingy reception spaces and crummy chow halls.

Constructed in Edgefield, SC, in 1962, Abney Hall is 15,000 square feet and sits on 500 acres of land, making it a large wedding venue unlike any other. Abney Hall was originally the home of Mrs. Josephine Abney, a Edgefield native who was a lifelong philanthropist. Mrs. Abney devoted much of her time and effort towards supporting charities, educational institutions, hospitals, and other noble efforts. Today, Abney Hall stands tall as a symbol of love, both in our community and for the couples who choose to get married here.

Abney Hall is an exclusive event experience unlike any other, surrounded by verdant forests and sparkling ponds. Our venue is a natural fit for several occasions, including:

Special Event Space Edgefield, SC

Weddings

 Event Venue Edgefield, SC

Bridal Showers

 Event Space Edgefield, SC

Bridal Portraits

 Rehearsal Dinner Venue Edgefield, SC

Rehearsal Dinners

 Bridal Shower Venue Edgefield, SC

Corporate Events

 Business Event Space Edgefield, SC

Much More!

 Wedding Space Edgefield, SC

The Top Wedding Venue in Edgefield, SC

The beginning of your life starts at Abney Hall. With our team by your side, we can create the fairy tale wedding you have dreamed about since childhood. Whether you have 100 guests or 1,000, our waterfront ceremony locations and French-inspired courtyard are perfect for your big day. Celebrate in luxurious style surrounded by shady magnolia trees, a private forest, large ponds, and the beauty of Mother Nature. While our venue location and aesthetic have been praised far and wide, so too have the practical aspects of Abney Hall. Looking for a relaxing, comfortable spot for your bridal party to get ready in? We offer an entire floor in the Abney Hall residence to get the bridal party ready. Want to make your groomsman feel extra-special too? We've got a private, plush house just feet from a sparkling pond that is a proper hangout spot for the guys in your group.

To make life easier on you, we also offer Abney Hall as your go-to spot for rehearsal dinners. Why book an expensive restaurant or travel to another location when unmatched beauty and convenience are right at your fingertips? Abney Hall is just the place for that very important dinner the night before your big day. We are also happy to host your bridal shower at Abney Hall. Our venue makes for one of Edgefield's most unique bridal shower settings, where your family and friends can gather to give gifts and be merry before you walk down the aisle.

With such a large, magnificent house and a vast property, Abney Hall also makes for an unforgettable location for your bridal portraits and other wedding-related photography needs. Don't take our word for it - book a tour and see for yourself why so many new brides and grooms choose Abney Hall as their wedding venue in Edgefield.

 Wedding Venue Edgefield, SC

What Sets Abney Hall Apart from Other Wedding Venues in Edgefield?

You've already found the person you want to spend the rest of your life beside. The next step? Finding the perfect wedding venue for your ceremony, reception, and celebration of your lifelong commitment to one another. Remember, the backdrop for photos, dancing, eating, and all other activities will be at your wedding venue. That's why we work so hard to set Abney Hall apart from our competitors - so you and your guests can focus on love and living your new life while we work with your vendors and photographers to make your magic night a reality.

Here are just a few reasons why guests choose Abney Hall as their wedding venue in Edgefield, SC, along with some helpful tips from our experienced wedding venue staff:

Venue Size

Choosing the appropriate-sied venue for your desired guest count is a critical decision. A venue's capacity affects the number of people you need to consider having at your ceremony and reception. As you're first starting out, we recommend having a guest count in mind as you're searching for the right venue. Try to stick with that number. You may fall in love with a particular venue, but if its max capacity can't accommodate your guest count, it may be time to cross them off your list.

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Abney Hall Pro Tip

Abney Hall Pro Tip:

Keep in mind that this is your big day. You shouldn't feel obligated to invite the college roommate you shared a dorm with for one semester. At the end of the day, your wedding venue should be one that can accommodate those closest to you. Abney Hall is equipped for both small and large weddings, consisting of 500 acres of forest, ponds, and lush natural beauty. Whether you want an intimate wedding with only your best friends or a grand ceremony with hundreds of people, we have the right amount of room to make you comfortable.

Location and Nearby Lodging

On your big day, you're likely to have friends and family traveling in from other parts of the state or country. These folks will need a place to stay during and even after your wedding. Accessibility and ease are important factors when it comes to choosing your wedding venue for both you and your guests.

Located in Edgefield, SC, Abney Hall is situated in a memorable, natural setting, giving your wedding a private vibe in the midst of Mother Nature. While we pride ourselves on having a secluded wedding event space, our venue is within an easy driving distance of hotels and vacation rentals.

Abney Hall Pro Tip

Abney Hall Pro Tip:

When you contact us for a tour, make sure to speak with our experienced venue manager about nearby hotels and shuttle service options. We understand that your guest's comfort and convenience are important, and we're happy to work with you to figure out the best way to get your guests to Abney Hall.

Venue Staff

At Abney Hall, our staff has earned its reputation as one of the industry's most friendly, accessible teams. We will provide you with a purpose-minded point of contact that can help answer questions relating to timelines, preferred vendors, and every aspect of your wedding. When you tour our wedding venue in Edgefield, SC, for the first time, we want you to feel like you have all the information you need to make an informed purchasing decision.

We would be happy to go over:
  • Venue Pricing
  • Ceremony Specifics
  • Reception Specifics
  • Catering Possibilities
  • Decorating Possibilities
  • Entertainment Options
  • Photography and Photo Opportunities
  • Venue Amenities
  • Bridal Party Needs
  • Groomsman Needs

At Abney Hall, our goal is to be your first resource when it comes to setting up and coordinating the details of your wedding day.

Decor

When it comes to your wedding's decor, you probably already have a few ideas in mind. We love it when our brides and grooms have a vision in mind because one of our greatest joys is turning that vision into a reality. At Abney Hall, our team is available to help you and your decorator fit, accent, and accommodate your fairy-tale wedding - whatever that may be.

Are you looking to dress up your wedding with decorations galore? Just want to add a few accents that tie into your preferred color palette? Abney Hall is versatile and ready to help however we are able.

 Reception Hall Edgefield, SC
Abney-Hall-Pro-Tip

Abney Hall Pro Tip:

If you're thinking about bringing in your own greenery, lighting, floral pieces, and more, we recommend discussing your vision with us on your initial tour of our event space. That way, we can get a head start on making your big day exactly how you envision it.

Photo Opportunities

10 years from now, when you and your spouse are celebrating your anniversary, you will pull out photographs from your wedding and will reminisce about the unforgettable time you spent at Abney Hall. Your wedding photos will be with you forever, and as such, we work closely with you and your photographer to suggest extra-special photo op spots that you can only find on Abney Hall grounds.

From the grand staircase and French-inspired courtyard to our manicured gardens and lovely pond, there is no shortage of photo-op locations for your photographer to choose from. As one of the most popular wedding venues in Edgefield, SC, we have worked with dozens of photographers over the years.

Our experience has allowed us to cultivate a list of preferred photographers - all of whom have the talent to take your pictures to the next level in a setting they're familiar with. We encourage you to check out our gallery to get a sense of the scope of our wedding venue and gain inspiration from other happy couples.

Abney-Hall-Pro-Tip

Abney Hall Pro Tip

The gallery on our website is extensive but be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram pages as well. We keep our social pages updated with recent wedding photographs, giving you an incredible resource that you can use for your own photography purposes.

Special Event Space Edgefield, SC

The Premier Corporate Event Venue in Edgefield, SC

Abney Hall is known across the United States for our stunning weddings, but we also play host to some of the largest corporate events in South Carolina. Why choose a bland, lifeless meeting space when you can enjoy the beauty of Mother Nature coupled with a professional atmosphere? If you have an important team-building event or corporate conference that you have to coordinate, look no further than Abney Hall.

The epitome of class and style, our corporate event space is large, lavish, and chock-full of onsite amenities for you and your co-workers to enjoy. If your team needs a morale boost, don't bring them to the local Olive Garden for a cheap lunch. Treat them to a refreshing experience in our main dining room, where we can work with you to incorporate your catering options with the goals of your event.

When the hard work is done, and your team needs a breather, what better way to relax than with a quick dip in our pool? To burn off a little steam, head over to our brand-new tennis court - the perfect place to get some exercise in an ultra-private setting while you enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Don't forget to bring your fishing poles for a couple of hours of fishing. There's even an opportunity to go hunting if you wish.

 Event Venue Edgefield, SC

Elegance at Its Finest - Only
a Phone Call Away

If you're ready to learn more about Abney Hall as your wedding venue, don't hesitate to reach out. We would love to hear more about your plans, your vision, and your needs. We know that planning a wedding isn't easy. It takes time, attention to detail, and a whole lot of patience. Our goal is to help provide you with all the info you need to learn more about our venue. Once you decide on a date, we'll work closely with you and your vendors to craft a wedding experience that you will treasure for the rest of your life.

Our available dates for your big day are going quick, especially during peak seasons like spring and fall. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Contact us today for a FREE initial consultation
 Event Space Edgefield, SC

Latest News in Edgefield, SC

Johnston lays claim to ‘Peach Capital of the World’ title

EDGEFIELD COUNTY, S.C. (WJBF) – Edgefield County is peach country, but it’s one spot that proudly claims the title of the “Peach Capital of the World.”But Johnston’s peach industry is more than just orchards…it’s a way of life.“Even though Georgia is considered the peach state, South Carolina produces more pieces than Georgia. So of course I stuck with South Carolina,” says Ajamu Yamini.The Peach Capital of the World is evident throughout Johnston. P...

EDGEFIELD COUNTY, S.C. (WJBF) – Edgefield County is peach country, but it’s one spot that proudly claims the title of the “Peach Capital of the World.”

But Johnston’s peach industry is more than just orchards…it’s a way of life.

“Even though Georgia is considered the peach state, South Carolina produces more pieces than Georgia. So of course I stuck with South Carolina,” says Ajamu Yamini.

The Peach Capital of the World is evident throughout Johnston. Peaches are the town’s specialty! From its many orchards, street signs and its international peach exchange.

Peach stands like “Sara’s Fresh Market” line the roads leading into the town, offering the freshest juiciest peaches.

“I don’t know how they do it, but they’re all very good. Sweet peaches and good flavor,” says Chuck Fletcher.

These stands offer more than just fuzzy fruit. You can tap into the passion and expertise of the farmers.

“…and help you figure out the best ways to make ice cream and cobblers,” says Karisa Ruth, Director of Retail Sales & Community Engagement with Titan Farms.

But Johnston’s peach industry goes beyond the fruit itself. This is the economic backbone of the town, supporting local businesses and attracting many.

“We really enjoy fruits and vegetables at our house and it’s always good when we can come out and support our local businesses,” says Daisy Teal.

“I’m actually here to buy my neighbors who just moved here from Boston, so I’m trying to tell them all the good things about the area and so I came to buy them some peaches,” says Fletcher.

Farms like Titan Farms are vital in providing fruit to the area. The number two peach grower in the United States selects only the best of the best.

“We have a large system in place with our pack line that photographs the peaches as they go down the line and test them for sugar content and quality,” says Ruth.

And at the heart of this peachy community is the annual Peach Blossom Festival. Locals and visitors celebrate all things peach-related.

“Oh, it’s a very big thing.”

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Met’s Show of Black Potters in Edgefield Decried by Local Experts for ‘Disturbing Error’

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s current exhibition of Black potters from Edgefield, South Carolina, has been praised by many critics, with the New York Times’s Roberta Smith labeling the show “revelatory” upon its opening in September. But a group of experts took a diffe...

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s current exhibition of Black potters from Edgefield, South Carolina, has been praised by many critics, with the New York Times’s Roberta Smith labeling the show “revelatory” upon its opening in September. But a group of experts took a different view when they decried the exhibition earlier this month in an editorial in the local paper, the Edgefield Advertiser, accusing the curators of ignoring historical evidence.

The editorial, written by historian Leonard Todd, focused largely on a detail in the curators’ telling of the life story of David Drake, one of the exhibition’s key artists. Better known by the name Dave for years, Drake began making pottery while he was enslaved in the mid-19th century, adorning his vessels with poetic messaging at a time when it was illegal for Black people to read and write.

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Drake’s pottery continues to remain influential, with contemporary artists such as Simone Leigh and Theaster Gates contributing related works to the Met show.

In the catalogue and the audio guide for “Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina,” the curators of the show—Adrienne Spinozzi, Ethan Lasser, and James Young—discuss how Drake lost one of his legs. According to some who knew him, Drake fell asleep on a railroad track while inebriated and was dismembered by an oncoming train. But, Lasser and scholar Michael J. Bramwell write in the catalogue, “At a time when amputations were standard forms of punishment for offenses like reading, writing, and self-liberating, it seems plausible that Dave’s missing limb was not the result of a steam-train accident.”

Todd, who in 2008 wrote a biography of Drake titled Carolina Clay: The Life and Legend of the Slave Potter Dave, called that assertion a “disturbing error” in the Edgefield Advertiser article.

“Without one piece of evidence having to do with Dave or his owner or his townor [sic] even the railroad, the life story of one of the great Black artists of the 19th Century will have been dramatically altered,” Todd wrote.

Among those who signed his letter in the Edgefield Advertiser were ??Harris Bailey, Jr., a historian of Old Edgefield; ?Drew Lanham, an Edgefield native who won a MacArthur “genius” grant last year; ?Justin Guy, a potter currently working in Edgefield; and ?Tonya Browder, an archivist based in Edgefield.

“It is true that such cruelties as amputation took place during the terrible years of slavery,” Todd said in an email to ARTnews. “We are simply saying that there is nothing to show that such amputation was inflicted on Dave. We have invited the curators to come forward with evidence that it was, but they have not done so. General theories, yes. Local evidence, no.”

In response to written questions about the controversy, a Met Museum spokesperson told ARTnews, “As described in the exhibition and materials, we believe that the account that Dave lost his leg in a train accident should be examined with a healthy dose of critical skepticism, and that, given the larger historical contexts, other possibilities should be considered. We fully appreciate that other scholars may have different views, as this kind of discourse is precisely the type of outcome we seek in our scholarly work.”

The “disturbing error” is a complicated one, given that many have regarded the narrative of Drake’s amputation with a degree of uncertainty.

Carey Dickson, a formerly enslaved man, was the one who stated the railroad story on the record in a 1930 interview with Laura M. Bragg, the director of the Charleston Museum. It has been repeated several times over, in Todd’s biography and elsewhere.

The New York Times, when it posthumously profiled Drake in 2021, pointed out that Todd may have cast the artist’s enslavement until 1868 “in a favorable light.” This was likely an allusion to Todd’s family history: Todd’s great-great-grandfather, Lewis Miles, enslaved Drake, and it was under Miles’s ownership that Drake wrote the poems for which he is now famous. “I don’t want to be in a position to say my ancestor was a good slave owner,” Todd once told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “That’s almost an oxymoron. But I think there was a certain trust between these two men.”

In his Edgefield Advertiser letter, Todd claimed he sought other historians’ advice so as not “to protect my ancestors from the judgment of history—and perhaps to protect myself, as well”—and that the group approached the “Hear Me Now” curators together with concerns. They asked the curators to append a note that the amputation narrative was disputed, but the curators rebuffed them, according to Todd. (A Met spokesperson said they had received Todd’s request, but had never promised to add his proposed text.)

Todd said his Edgefield Advertiser letter was meant to “prevent this new and unfounded theory from becoming a permanent part of David Drake’s story.”

Young, a co-curator of “Hear Me Now,” said in an email to ARTnews, “In the end, this issue raises a crucial and pressing question: Who Owns Dave’s Story? The curatorial team has long been committed to exploring the history of Old Edgefield pottery in such a way that democratizes and expands debate, rather than closing off conversation or privileging any single point of view or interest group.”

After its run finishes at the Met in February, the show will travel to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston in March, and later to the University of Michigan Museum of Art in Ann Arbor and the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.

Taste of the Town: The Edgefield Pool Room is a town icon

The Edgefield Pool Room is not exactly what it used to be. Ownership has changed. The pinball machine was removed a few years ago and only a single pool table remains. All of that is inconsequential compared to the fact that Pool Room hamburgers – on the menu since opening day in 1961 – still are exceptional. Staff wear t-shirts that boast of the “Best Burgers in the South.”Why do people love them so? Patted out using ground chuck from the Ole Edgefield Butcher Shop, they come off the grill with a glistening cr...

The Edgefield Pool Room is not exactly what it used to be. Ownership has changed. The pinball machine was removed a few years ago and only a single pool table remains. All of that is inconsequential compared to the fact that Pool Room hamburgers – on the menu since opening day in 1961 – still are exceptional. Staff wear t-shirts that boast of the “Best Burgers in the South.”

Why do people love them so? Patted out using ground chuck from the Ole Edgefield Butcher Shop, they come off the grill with a glistening crust and big, wholesome beef taste. Whether you agree they are the best in the South depends on what you’re looking for. If you hanker for the sort of juice-laden blimp served in pubs and steak houses, they won’t scratch that itch. However, among the region’s finest under-$10 burgers – generally the issue of drive-ins and lunch counters – they have few if any equals. All the condiments and garnishes in the world do not diminish their savory oomph. The beef itself is tasty enough that a double really is twice as good.

If you go all the way and get yours fully loaded, you’ll be happy that rolls of paper towels are provided instead of individual napkins. Do not expect a plate: hamburgers come enclosed in wax paper. Merely unwrapping one can leave your hands as well-dressed as the sandwich itself. When I was halfway through a towering triple bacon cheeseburger and its various components had begun to slip out every which way, a waitress offered utensils so I could gather the delicious debris off its wax paper dropcloth.

French fries and onion rings also come on wax paper, cupped in a little cardboard tray. Experienced customers gingerly lift the paper onto the counter, then use the tray for a spill of ketchup in which to dip the fries.

Hot dogs are bite-worthy, too, especially when dressed with house made chili, cole slaw, mustard and chopped onions. Other things on the short menu are chicken fingers, BLTs and grilled cheese sandwiches. Beer and wine are available. For dessert: candy bars.

While I was dispatching a meal at the counter, Tabatha Tillman entered and sat on a nearby stool. When a young waitress approached, Ms. Tillman said, “I will have a hamburger, well done, all the way plus pickles and ketchup, French fries and sweet tea with lemon.”

“They told me that’s exactly what you would order!” the neophyte waitress exclaimed with some amazement.

“That’s because I have eaten the very same meal here for the last 30 years,” Ms. Tillman explained.

Hearing this conversation, another longtime patron leaned over to let me know he has been enjoying Pool Room hamburgers since he was nine years old, when his father was the town jailer. He delighted in recounting the time his mother caught him playing pinball here after lunch and chased him across the town square, brandishing her broom.

Along with peach orchards, jumbo turkey statues and Strom Thurmond himself, this vintage pool room is an Edgefield icon.

Edgefield Pool Room: 125 Courthouse Square, Edgefield, SC. 803-637-9941. https://edgefieldpoolroom.com/

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Edgefield County near Sweetwater is ‘teed up’ for commercial growth

Though North Augusta in recent years has seen tremendous growth at Exit 5, that growth has been more restrained north of Murphy Village. Edgefield County at the border of North Augusta still has a more rural character to it – but that could change soon.Only about 20% of Edgefield county is zoned. The areas that have been zoned are clustered around the population centers of the city of Edgefield, Trenton and Johnston – but also along the entire southwestern half of the Aiken-Edgefield county line.Much of that county ...

Though North Augusta in recent years has seen tremendous growth at Exit 5, that growth has been more restrained north of Murphy Village. Edgefield County at the border of North Augusta still has a more rural character to it – but that could change soon.

Only about 20% of Edgefield county is zoned. The areas that have been zoned are clustered around the population centers of the city of Edgefield, Trenton and Johnston – but also along the entire southwestern half of the Aiken-Edgefield county line.

Much of that county line zoning is residential, but at Exit 5 along the Sweetwater corridor the main zoning designation is commercial.

“It’s teed up and ready to go,” said Will Williams, president and CEO of Western SC, formerly known as the Economic Development Partnership.

Sweetwater and its arterials Murrah Road and Five Notch have seen some “saturation” in recent years and people coming north on the Edgefield Road will be turning left toward Sweetwater a bit more frequently in future, said Williams. “There has been talk that in the future, North Augusta is going to be the biggest municipality in Edgefield County,” he added.

Edgefield County in the recent Census actually lost about 1,300 residents between 2010 and 2020, a fact that Williams said has left some in his field scratching their heads.

The county has seen steady home growth, issuing 217 permits in 2020 and 194 in 2021. Through the first half of this year, the county issued 150 residential building permits.

Traffic counts along Highway 25 have also been rising. Data collected by South Carolina Department of Transportation show that the average daily trips made along the Highway 25 corridor between the county line and Mount Zion Road have increased by about 15% since 2011.

Williams said that just a bit farther north, Bettis Academy Road is the “line of demarcation” for much of the development now happening.

“Retail growth is coming, but it’s going to be a little bit slower than what we’ve seen at Exit 5,” he added.

Commercial growth is apt to follow rooftops, spending capacity and other business. Right now, subdivisions in Edgefield County are being carved out, are going up or, as in the case of Tavern Hill, ready for the homeowner.

The Tavern Hill neighborhood lies just beyond Murphy Village, in unincorporated Edgefield County.

Just before the Stevens Road turnoff to Tavern Hill is a sign advertising “Cows and calves for sale.” Some of the homes in the area have lengthy, unpaved driveways that wind through trees presumably to a house, though one not visible from the roadway.

Though there’s been growth nearby, the county still has a more rural feel to it.

Tavern Hill is the second venture by Stanley Martin in Edgefield County, the home builder having also worked with a local developer to put up the Mount Vintage neighborhood just a few miles north and off that same Sweetwater Road.

“We’re still branching out, we’re still fairly new to the area,” said Stanley Martin’s Kiante Chapman, a marketing specialist with Stanley Martin’s Columbia office.

Chapman said the company was hopeful its offerings “will align with the need there” and help to meet a growing demand for housing that, she noted, is being driven by military families relocating to the CSRA and Fort Gordon.

Stanley Martin’s director of sales, Regina Wadsworth, said it can be “hard to find a rural setting community that still provides proximity to all the convenient stores, restaurants and schools.” Fox Creek High School is a few blocks away. So are Merriwether middle and elementary schools.

If retail growth follows the rooftops, as Williams likes to say, then Tavern Hill is providing at present 79 such rooftops (and with capacity for 200 when fully developed) to house the people who will be the consumers of that future retail.

For now, developers are advertising: the properties for sale are zoned for business.

Construction set to begin soon for new Edgefield County Law Enforcement Center

EDGEFIELD COUNTY, S.C. – County leaders broke ground at site on Rabbit Trail Road back in late November, and construction will begin soon for Edgefield County’s new Law Enforcement Center.“This project is certainly well worth it. We’re combining these functions all under one roof now,” said Sheriff Jody Rowland. “So, you’ll have all of Edgefield Sheriff’s Office, all of our evidence, all of our personnel, all of our training under one roof. Something we don’t have....

EDGEFIELD COUNTY, S.C. – County leaders broke ground at site on Rabbit Trail Road back in late November, and construction will begin soon for Edgefield County’s new Law Enforcement Center.

“This project is certainly well worth it. We’re combining these functions all under one roof now,” said Sheriff Jody Rowland. “So, you’ll have all of Edgefield Sheriff’s Office, all of our evidence, all of our personnel, all of our training under one roof. Something we don’t have.”

The current law enforcement center was built in the late 1970’s, and is outdated.

“The planners in the 70’s just did not foresee the growth that Edgefield County has had,” Rowland said. “We have been on fire for the past 15 years, and the southern end of our county has grown just huge.”

Not enough storage, outgrown detention center, dilapidation, safety and security are some of the issues with the old building.

“Showers take all day, food process takes all day, changing of linens and jumpsuits takes all day, it’s quite a process when everything is manual,” he said. “In the new facility, we’ll have a tower that can see every cell block. Every door is electronic. It can be one person sitting at a control desk can control every door in that law enforcement center.”

Windows, heating and airing, and plumbing have also been ongoing issues.

Updates for all of this will be in the new center, and there will also be a Magistrate’s courtroom and an Animal Control Facility.

“We currently don’t have a courtroom. We’ve never had a Magistrate’s office courtroom, ever. That’s a big step for us,” Rowland said.

The new center will cost approximately 42 million dollars.

18 million will come from the State from the Plutonium Settlement money at the Savannah River Site, and the rest will come from the Capital Project Sales Tax the county’s voters approved two years ago.

“We sold revenue bonds to get up-front money to pay for the constriction of the law enforcement facility along with the 18 million,” said David Caddell, the Edgefield County Administrator. “But, then we have to pay those bond holders, those who bought the bonds, back. They will be paid back through the capital sales tax.”

Caddell said many people are looking forward to the new law enforcement center.

“It is widely supported,” he said. “And we’ve had a great deal of support for it. The need is obvious, this facility is very old, it’s small, we’ve outgrown it, so we’ve had great community support.”

The center is expected to be ready in 18 to 24 months, and will be designed to accommodate the growing community for many years to come.

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