RIDGEWAY, S.C. — Ridgeway’s community and culture were on full display on Saturday at the grand opening of the new Isaac C. Thomas Historical Museum.
“It really is a broad array of Ridgeway from the beginning until the present,” Charlene Herring, the head of the museum committee, said.
Herring said the museum will give visitors a look into the history of the Fairfield County town of Ridgeway.
“The topic is telling ... Ridgeway's story of community, commerce and culture. We had smaller museums at the town hall, but they were not accessible," she said. "And so, all our artifacts in here were given by people in the community. But it was the Thomas family, the town of Ridgeway, as well as the hospitality grant, that started our journey to create this museum.”
The museum building originally housed the Thomas Company Mercantile store, which opened in 1885. It was operated by Isaac C. Thomas, whose family still lives in Ridgeway today.
“We’re really proud of it. Donated a lot of family pictures, pictures of my grandfather, who was Robert Charlton Thomas, who came to work with his great uncle, and also with my father, Robert Walton Thomas and then also my brother, Robert Walton Thomas Jr., worked here and all of us worked here,” Eleanor Thomas Perrish, a member of the Thomas family, said.
From historical telephone booths to postmaster desks, museum officials said they hope this will contribute to the town and visitors’ experiences in a positive way.
“When people come, they always want to know, what can we see? It's almost like you step back in time, and the atmosphere is relaxing. People are friendly. You can visit the tea room, you can shop, you can almost do everything in one block. We thought this would be another asset to add to the town for people to come and visit,” Herring said.
The museum is located on Museum Alley in Ridgeway. Tours will be offered by appointment.
“A lot of memories and just so proud of it," Thomas Pershing said. "I hope that people will come and visit.”
