Westminster Area Historic Preservation Society (WAHPS)

Meeting Dates

WAHPS meets the 4th Monday of every month at 4:30pm at the newly renovated Westminster Depot, located at 135 E Main St, Westminster, SC. Each meeting is important, as we discuss new and past projects and brainstorm ideas on how to preserve the history of Westminster.

If you are interested in joining WAHPS or in learning more about the organization, please browse this website for more information.

Current Projects  

Oconee Heritage Quilt Trail
WAHPS is working with the Oconee Herigate Quilt Trail group to paint two quilt squares which will be mounted on the front of Westminster’s branch of Oconee Heritage Center located at 126 E Main Street. Several members of WAHPS are helping with the painting project.

General Store Museum
Westminster’s branch of Oconee Heritage Center located at 126 E Main Street recently received a facelift. Plans are in the works for a general store museum in the Barrett-Jones building on Main Street. Students from the Hamilton Career Center are working to repair leaks in the roof. Michael Willimon, Wiley Certain and Will Sandifer painted the front and back of the building. Trehel Construction was commissioned to install the new rear deck, heating and air-conditioning, as well as a sprinkler system. Stephen Morrison of MoreSun Custom Woodwork has beautifully restored a cabinet from the former England's Store to be used in the museum. Things are moving along nicely, and the plans are to open the museum to the public in the near future. The Westminster Area Historic Preservation Society (WAHPS) is working with the Oconee Heritage Center (OHC) to complete the project. Both groups have received several grants and had many fundraisers to help with the necessary renovations.

Cookbook 

WAHPS is now selling the recently completed Westminster Area Cookbook. This includes Westminster and surrounding areas of Long Creek, Madison, Oakway, Holly Springs, Pleasant Hill, Foxwood Hills, and Chickasaw Point. With so many wonderful cooks around, we thought it was a shame not to take advantage of these wonderful recipes. We have collected all kinds of recipes, from historic, southern recipes to modern recipes that everyone will enjoy making for their families. The book was completed and printed just in time for the Christmas Bazaar and Tour of Homes 2009. Books are now available at the Westminster Area Chamber of Commerce, housed at the newly renovated Depot, the Oconee Heritage Center (OHC) in Walhalla, and also Dad's & Lad's in Westminster.

The following is an excerpt from Newsy Notes, as printed in the Westminster News, dated March 11, 2010. Newsy Notes are written by Rolann Lee.

If you haven’t bought a WAHPS Cookbook the following reaction from my friend Ann Carraway just might cause you to do so. After I gave her one on Friday I received this e-mail on Saturday morning: “To the Person who brought the cookbook to me yesterday: Excuse me, but I have WORK to do today! I ALWAYS clean my bedroom and bathroom on Saturdays.  I DON'T have time to do what I am doing!  I am intrigued with people who have contributed recipes that I may know AND the stories are great, I MUST look at all the pictures and READ the snippets AND I haven't even started looking at the RECIPES yet! I request, no I DEMAND! that someone comes out and does my cleaning because I CAN'T PUT THE COOKBOOK DOWN!” Rolann says, "That says it all!"

Veterans Book

WAHPS is now selling a reprinted edition of Service Record Book of Men and Women of Westminster, South Carolina and Community. The original book was published by the VFW Post No. 6738, a group that no longer has a charter.  The book contains the photographs of George Campbell, Furman King, Claude Knox, William C. Shirley, Jr. and Luna Wilson, all from the Westminster area and listed as “Gold Star Boys” because they died in the military conflict.  The book also contains the pictures and World War II service record accounts for 57 other service men of the Westminster area. It is estimated that the book was published about 1948, although no actual date is given in the original edition.  The book also contains a collection of about 30 advertisements from Westminster area merchants of the 1940’s. Because WAHPS recognizes that all Westminster area men and women who served in WWII are not included in the original edition, another more complete edition was printed and is now available for purchase. Books are now available at the Oconee Heritage Center (OHC) in Walhalla or Dad's & Lad's in Westminster.

Oconee County SCGenWeb Project 

Check out Oconee County cemetery information compiled by Paul Kankula with the GenWeb Project. This group has accomplished significant research which is available on the website of the Oconee County SCGenWeb Project.

Grant Announcements

SCNHC $20,000

WAHPS has received several grants. One grant was a $20,000 grant from the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor (SCNHC) for capital improvements at the satellite branch of the Oconee Heritage Center (OHC) in Westminster, more commonly known as the Barrett-Jones Building. The grant money received by WAHPS is going toward the first phase of capital improvements of the Barrett-Jones Building. The project includes the renovation of a historic building on Main Street for use as a general store museum.  The museum will is to contain the 

collection of artifacts from the England’s General Merchandise Store and there will also be space for other Westminster-related exhibits. Plans include the installation of a rear deck for access, HVAC system, plumbing, electrical, security and fire protection.

Additionally, the project will include restoration of water-damaged store counters from England ’s Store and the re-creation of shelving that parallels the walls of the building. Finally, the project will include renovation of restrooms and meeting spaces at the rear portion of the subject structure. The product development grants from the SCNHC are a 50/50 match. To match the grants, WAHPS and the OHC will apply for additional matching grants and sponsor future fundraisers.

Oconee County Local ATAX $1,940

WAHPS received $1,940 from the Oconee County Local ATAX grant for tourism related projects in 2008. The funds received are going toward the first phase of capital improvements of the Barrett-Jones Building.

Mountain Lakes Region SCNHC

WAHPS received $8,000 from the Mountain Lakes Region of the SCNHC in 2008. The funds received are going toward the first phase of capital improvements of the Barrett-Jones Building.

Oconee County State ATAX $5,700

WAHPS received $5,700 from the Oconee County State ATAX grant for tourism relates projects in 2008. The funds received are going toward the first phase of capital improvements of the Barrett-Jones Building.

Oconee County Local ATAX $2,500

WAHPS received $2,500 from the Oconee County Local ATAX grant for tourism related projects in 2009. The funds received are going toward the shelving along the walls of the General Store Museum in the Barrett-Jones Building.

Check out the Past Projects to see information and pictures from past events and fundraisers!