ST MATTHEWS, S.C. — A historic building in St. Matthews is no more as crews brought it down today as a measure of safety.
Angela Wannamaker lives in the Calhoun County, Town of St. Matthews. Her name matches the one on the building that used to house a seed company although she has no relation to it.
“Oh my goodness it’s a sad sad moment,” said Wannamaker. “It’s just sometimes things have to happen… so it had to come down sooner or later for our great community.”
The historic building has been standing on the corner of Mill Street and F.R. Huff Drive for over ninety years.
Luther Wannamaker is the owner of the Wannamaker Seed building, which used to house cotton and seed crops. Wannamaker says the decision to demolish the structure was for safety reasons.
“Well the building was structurally unsound and it was a danger falling in the railroad track and creating a major problem,” said Wannamaker. “I’ve been taking care of the building for about forty years with not using it for anything except miscellaneous storage of family things and so as it deteriorated, we realized we had to take it down. Because it served no purpose for us expect for a wonderful sign for the family and the family business.”
Wannamaker says the building is important to many and he is delighted with the attention it has gotten since the announcement of plans to tear it down.
“I’m really excited about the attention, and I feel sad at the same time… I’m relieved of the burden. But it is really sad. I’m fascinated with history myself. ”
Marilyn Jones is a resident and says she will miss seeing the building while driving around town.
“Really it was like a landmark, if I come up that street,” said Jones. “I’m looking for that building because it’s always there. So now it’s tearing down, they’re tearing it down so it’s not a landmark anymore and that’s one less building in Calhoun County that we won’t see.”
The Wannamaker Seed Company was sold to an Orangeburg base company, Mixon Seed Service Inc. last summer. The land the building sat on was owned by the railroad and the Wannamaker’s owned the now demolished building.