There are a couple of critical pieces of physical history around Newberry County that are up for some changes, and hopefully some preservation. The Prosperity Depot and what was the Oakland Mill are both entering the next phase of existence, what that means for both of them is still yet to be determined.

The Prosperity Depot is the last remaining depot in the county on its original site, and a group has formed to raise funds to save the building, wherever it has to go. In order to conform with railroad company requirements, the depot must be moved. It will take a chunk of money to assess whether the building can be moved safely, probably another chunk to stabilize it for the move, and then yet more money to make the move. But what price can you set on Newberry County’s railroad history, and what those tracks have meant for our development through the years?

Whatever the price that is set, history price assessors may even want to go higher, or maybe not, for the other piece of physical history facing changes right now—the Oakland Mill, most recently known as the American Fiber and Finishing plant. Mill Villages and the intrinsic social fabric that went with the textile industry in Newberry County, and all over the rural South, are woven into the very fibers of the county character. Hard work, cotton and close-knit communities were just some of the building blocks, and are all represented by the mill on the hill. AF&F closed its doors this year, and developers are looking at ways to revive the distinctive triangular-shaped property, breathing new life into an old mill village.

Both projects have the potential to tap grant dollars. Saving the Prosperity Depot, a subcommittee of the Newberry County Historic and Museum Society, has already been approved for a matching $5,000 grant from the National Trust. The grant will help pay for an engineering study on the depot to determine what is necessary to move the building. But local citizens will have to come up with $5,000 in matching funds before it can spend the grant money. It is well worth the money to find out how to save this landmark. Go to www.palmettotrust.org, the projects page, to give to the cause online, or stop by Prosperity Drug Company on Main Street in Prosperity to pick up a donation envelope.

One of the most likely uses of the old Oakland Mill is for housing. There is less that individual citizens can do immediately to encourage this development. And it would be an especially welcome development if the mill was redone in such a way as to mimic a village-type lifestyle again, with room for small shops or eateries on the site. For those that live near the now-defunct plant, supporting zoning changes or being accommodating to those assessing the property would sure help us all toward a common goal—keeping more land from being abandoned.

Let’s take action now, preserve our history and hopefully make something even better for the future.