More markers depicting Federal trench line have popped up in Franklin, Tenn. Meanwhile, battle-damaged Carter House is breaking ground for new visitor center

At right, Sam Huffman of the Civil War commission and planners Emily Huffer and Elizabeth Bulay (City of Franklin)

The city of Franklin, Tennessee – which makes preservation the name of the game -- has installed new markers identifying where Union Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield’s troops dug in before the Nov. 30, 1864, assault that cost the Confederacy six generals and 6,200 casualties.

The announcement this week came ahead of a March 28 groundbreaking for a new visitor center at the Carter House, which was in the center of the fierce fighting.

The Federal trench line was crescent-shaped and anchored by the Harpeth River. The city’s Civil War Historical Commission erected six markers this month, according to preservation planner Emily Huffer.

The first two markers were dedicated in November 2023 near the Carter House and Carter Hill Park, “a reclaimed Civil War battlefield site where some of the heaviest fighting took place,” Kelly Dannenfelser, assistant director of long-range planning and historic preservation, told the Picket in an email. Those markers were funded by Save the Franklin Battlefield and the Battle of Franklin Trust.

Huffer said the markers, made of Indiana limestone and standing about 5 feet tall, are being placed on either side of 10 streets (20 markers total). They are labeled "U.S. Army Line."

Currently, there are posts on Columbia Avenue, Hillsboro Road, New Highway 96 W. and Fair Street. (Click map to enlarge to see the 10 locations)

“Using these markers as a reference point, locals and visitors can visually identify where the forces were located to better understand how the battle enveloped much of the central Franklin area and to obtain a sense of how much the landscape has evolved since the time of the Civil War,” Huffer wrote.

The Harpeth River served as the natural barrier for the entrenchment line. The US Army did not dig up the roads on the streets that the entrenchment line went through, only between each of the streets.

The Union soldiers were set up on the streets between the earthen mounds to protect Franklin citizens, she added.

The city is developing new software that integrates mapping, historical documentation and brief descriptions of each site and location, planners said. That is a project of the historic parks audio tour subcommittee of the Civil War Historical Commission. 

Franklin, about 20 miles south of Nashville, has long been known for working to save or reclaim battlefield. (New marker, right)

The Civil War Trust (now known as the American Battlefield Trust) worked with the city and nonprofit groups to do so following decades of rampant development over battle sites.

”Today, well over a hundred acres of battlefield land have been reclaimed and preserved, often one acre at a time over a span of many years,” says the trust.

“In 2005, (a) Pizza Hut property was bought and restored to its 1864 appearance. In 2012, the Civil War Trust and its partners secured the strip mall, another acre and a half, and thus scored another major victory in the historic journey to reclaim the heart of a battlefield that was once considered lost forever. “

Franklin formed a Civil War advisory task force in the early 2000s, said Huffer. It suggested reproduction carriages for four authentic cannons on the Public Square and the establishment of U.S. trench line markers.

The late Sam Gant was the driving force behind the latter.

The visitor center, other buildings are behind the Carter House (Tenn. Historical Commission)

Perhaps the main Civil War attraction in Franklin is the Carter House on Columbia Avenue. Over 1,000 bullet holes remain in the structure.

Among the most popular stories is of Tod Carter, a young Confederate mortally wounded 500 feet from his boyhood home. His family found the captain on the battlefield. “Dying and insensible, Tod was carried back to the Carter House near dawn and set down in his sister Annie’s room.  He died the next day, just one of the nearly ten thousand family tragedies that the battle wrought,” said the American Battlefield Trust.

The Tennessee Historical Commission said this week $8.5 million has been earmarked for the new Herbert Harper Visitor Center at the state site, which is managed by the Battle of Franklin Trust. The trust will sponsor interpretive exhibits.

The existing visitor center, which has been in use since the early 1980s, will be replaced by a new multiuse building designed to blend with its surroundings.

Map of main combat courtesy American Battlefield Trust (https://www.battlefields.org/)

Built in 1830, the brick house served as headquarters for the Federal 23^rd Corps during the Battle of Franklin. The state acquired the property in 1951 when it was threatened by demolition to make way for a gas station.

The loss at Franklin had a mighty influence on Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood and his troops.

“The scale of the Confederate charge at Franklin rivaled that of Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg. The action resulted in a disastrous defeat for the South and failed to prevent the Union army from advancing to Nashville,” said the American Battlefield Trust. “The fighting force of the South’s Army of Tennessee was severely diminished.”

Among the Southern generals killed were Patrick Cleburne, Hiram Granbury and States Rights Gist.

The markers are visible along the right of way, from sidewalks (City of Franklin)

Battle of Hampton Roads anniversary: They flocked to a Va. museum to look at USS Monitor artifacts and get a good view of its turret, which is normally submerged

Patrons take photos of turret interior (Kyra Duffley/The Mariners' Museum and Park); view of exterior (MMP)

Hundreds of those attending a Battle of Hampton Roads anniversary event at a Virginia museum got a rare glimpse Saturday at the USS Monitor’s battle-marked turret out in the open, rather than awash in conservation solution.

Conservators at The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News in January accessed the turret for the first time in more than five years, following draining of the 90,000-gallon tank that surrounds the remarkable ironclad artifact.

Since then, a treatment solution has been drained and filled weekly as conservators perform maintenance in its interior. Dents from Monitor's 1862 duel with the CSS Virginia are visible today.

Will Hoffman, director of conservation, told the Picket the 20-year conservation process is working.

"What we have seen is the further loosening of corrosion since the last time we were in the tank. This corroborates what our electrochemical monitoring system has shown," he said.

Sabrina Jones, senior director of advancement at the museum, told the Picket in a Monday email an estimated 70 percent of Saturday's 1,000 visitors attended an open house at the “wet lab” that houses the upside-down turret and other Monitor items still undergoing conservation.

Following this weekend, a new treatment solution will be incorporated into the turret tank by the end of the week, Jones said.

"Conservators will not enter the tank again until maintenance is required (likely years) or until we are ready to 'flip' the turret. We do not have a timeline on the flipping as it needs several partners to 'engineer' it and a campaign to fund the materials and work," said Jones.

The tank was drained to allow for the assessment of the desalination process (removing harmful ocean salts), routine maintenance and the removal of nut guards from underneath the turret. The nut guards are the remains of thin armor plating used in part of the turret.

March 8-9 was the anniversary of the clash between the ironclad and Virginia.

Conservators perform maintenance recently inside the artifact (Courtesy Mariners' Museum and Park)

“That turret is the first turret that fought in combat in world history,” Hoffman told TV station WAVY ahead of the weekend. “Every turret on a ship, you know, from gun battleships all the way through now with autonomous Lidar you see on modern ships, all that comes from the turret that’s sitting in that tank behind me.”

The turret was raised off Cape Hatteras, N.C., by U.S. Navy and other divers in 2002 and brought to Newport News. The Mariners’ Museum and Park displays hundreds of Monitor items recovered since its discovery in 1973.

Many artifacts, including two Dahlgren guns, gun carriages and personal effects from sailors were recovered from inside the turret. The finds there included the remains of two men who were unable to escape when USS Monitor sank during a storm on Dec. 31, 1862, as it was being towed south in the Atlantic Ocean.

A child-sized display pool set up Saturday (Kyra Duffley/The Mariners' Museum and Park)

Saturday’s events included lectures, 3D-printed artifacts, a STEM design program and tours of the museum galleries. It was cosponsored by NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary. This year's focus was about maritime careers, such as engineering and underwater archaeology.

"This weekend was an absolute home run as the galleries were buzzing all day with new and returning folks," said Jones.

USS Monitor Center director emeritus John Quarstein, who was among the speakers, told the Picket he has been inside the turret numerous times over the years.

Visitors gaze Saturday at the turret and other artifacts in wet lab (Kyra Duffley, Mariners' Museum and Park)

“My amazement is based on several experiences.... when I thought about the shot damage, when I think about the men serving in the turret and what they experienced, when I realize how the turret revolutionized naval warfare, etc. I also think about the many design flaws found when looking at the turret and then think about all of the graft, greed and grift involved in ironclad construction during the War of the Rebellion,” he wrote in an email.

Quarstein has a new book, “From Ironclads to Admiral: John Lorimer Worden and Naval Leadership,” coming out next month. Worden skippered the USS Monitor during the battle and later served on the USS Montauk.   

Retired atmospheric physicist and author Charles McLandress presented a lecture about William F. Keeler, his great-great grandfather. Keeler’s numerous letters home are the basis of a book by McLandress, "Ink, Dirt and Powder Smoke: The Civil War Letters of William F. Keeler, Paymaster on the USS Monitor."

“The main points of my talk were to highlight the importance and beauty of Keeler's Civil War letters and to tell the life story of this complex and fascinating individual (Forty-Niner, dry goods merchant, watch maker, iron founder, inventory, orange grower, newspaper correspondent and more),” McLandress told the Picket. “I interweaved the story of the Monitor with Keeler's impressions of events and people, with focus on the Monitor.”

Holly Wait led the National Civil War Naval Museum for 10 years. Her 'transformative' leadership, grit and humor will be remembered Thursday at celebration of life

Holly Wait lifts ribbon-cutting scissors and a glass after CSS Chattahoochee work (Terra Mare Conservation)

Holly Beasley Wait’s friendliness, good cheer and distinctive laugh were her calling cards, whether when talking to a stranger or working with colleagues at the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus, Ga.

When challenges came along, the museum’s executive director exhibited another side of her character: determination.

Such was the case when tragedy struck in June 2020. An arson fire roared through an outside storage area, severely damaging a unique component of the CSS Jackson and scorching the engines of the CSS Chattahoochee, the other key attraction at the museum in the river city.

Former curator Jeff Seymour remembers feeling devastated. But Wait’s mettle and leadership came to the fore, he recalls.

“She brought the team together and said, ‘We are going to get through this and go to the next step.’”

Wait, who was always thinking of the next step in improving the museum’s collection and outreach to the community, died Feb. 19 at a local hospital. Her unexpected passing has jolted the institution’s staff.

The museum at 1002 Victory Drive will host a celebration of Wait’s life at 6 p.m. ET Thursday (March 6). The funeral for the public historian, who was 64, is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday (March 8) at Miles-Odum Funeral Home Chapel in her native Waycross, Ga.

Wait was at the helm of the National Civil War Naval Museum for nearly 10 years.

“Holly's leadership … has been transformative,” the museum says. “She successfully navigated the institution through financial challenges and expanded its national reach. The National Civil War Naval Museum survived the pandemic because of her leadership. The museum's visitation numbers have reached their highest levels under her leadership. Her innovative programming and vision have broadened the museum's appeal, welcoming diverse audiences to engage with and learn from its exhibits.”

Wait worked with the Navy to create an exhibit displaying artifacts from the CSS Georgia, a floating battery that defended Savannah during the Civil War (Propeller in photo, left). The museum acquired letters written by a Federal engineer describing the blockade of Charleston, S.C.

The executive director and staff organized countless lectures and a 2016 symposium, “Wrecks, Recovery & Conservation.” The speakers featured preeminent conservation experts who have been tasked with helping bring the stories of the CSS Georgia, USS Monitor and the submarine H.L. Hunley to the public.

Among them was renowned conservator Paul Mardikian, who has worked on numerous projects, including the Hunley and CSS Alabama.

Mardikian and Claudia Chemello, who formed Terra Mare Conservation, cleaned and treated the Chattahoochee’s engines and the Jackson’s fantail after the fire.

“Claudia and I remember Holly for her wonderful spirit, great sense of humor and infectious laugh,” Mardikian wrote the Picket in an email. “She was never fazed by a challenge and was a true advocate for conservation. Both she and … Jeff Seymour showed remarkable strength and resolve after the devastating fire that destroyed much of the CSS Jackson's fantail.”

Wait (center), Paul Mardikian (second from left), Claudia Chemello and Jeff Seymour, to Wait's left, during discussion about the CSS Jackson's fantail (Terra Mare Conservation)

The engines are now on display next to the hybrid Confederate gunboat.

The giant remains of the CSS Jackson, also constructed in the Chattahoochee River, are the star attraction of the museum.

Portions of the surviving fantail wood and armor plates are stacked below, awaiting possible recreation of the section of armor plating that protected the rudder and propellers of the ironclad. An engineer created a digital record that will guide a possible reconstruction. Funding has not been procured.

Wait helped ensure the success of the annual RiverBlast Festival, which features firing of a 7-inch Brooke rifle, and a host of events -- including car shows, barbecue tastings and paranormal tours -- that broadened the museum’s mission.

In recent years, the venue expanded its support of more voices in its lecture lineup, ensuring the service of African-Americans during the Civil War received its due.

Seymour, now curator at the Erie Maritime Museum in Pennsylvania, said Wait’s deep experience in nonprofits and museum led efforts to build attendance and financial stability, especially when the local government reduced funding.

“She would work diligently to make sure the books were balanced. We looked at new ways to fund exhibits,” he said. “Anything to become more visible.”

Wait relied heavily on her staff, according to Seymour. “She did not make decisions out of the blue, and we discussed things at length before anything moved.”

Among the initiatives Wait championed are two social media fixtures: “Curator’s Corner” and another YouTube channel focusing on Navy lingo over the years.

“The museum thrived under her leadership, but Holly was so much more. Holly was the kind of person everyone instantly loved,” her obituary says.

“I don’t think the next person will be able to fill her shoes,” says Seymour.

CSS Jackson fantail (left) before the fire, which charred historic and modern vessels (Picket photos)

The museum has not announced an interim director as it navigates the days ahead.

“Her leadership has yielded many benefits already, but the greatest rewards are yet to be seen, as she has initiated numerous projects that are still developing and expanding,” it said of Wait.

Wait had degrees from Valdosta State University and Florida State University and served at institutions in Georgia and Florida for more than three decades, including the Jekyll Island Museum, the Museum of Florida History, the Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida, Okefenokee Heritage Center and Beaches Area Historical Society.

Before moving to Columbus, Wait was director of the Pearce Museum, a Civil War and Western art museum at Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas. She published four volumes of original Civil War letters.

“Notably at every museum she has dramatically improved both visitation and revenue, as well as upgrading their collections and facilities,” reads her obituary.            

Wait is survived by her husband John Wait, a brother and a stepson and stepdaughter.

Holly Wait takes a chisel to the CSS Chattahoochee engines after fire (Terra Mare Conservation)

Here’s what others who knew Wait and participated in programs at the naval museum said about her contributions. Some responses have been edited for brevity:

LAURA DAVIS, assistant professor of history at Columbus (Ga.) State University

Holly Wait was a dedicated and passionate public historian who not only helped guide the National Civil War Naval Museum through COVID-19 and other trying times but was the beating heart of the institution. She helped expand the museum's collection and programming, educating visitors on the importance of naval history. My students always loved visiting with her and I will forever be grateful for the warm welcome she provided me when I first moved to Columbus and shortly thereafter joined the board. Her spirt, determination and energy will be missed.

WILL HOFFMAN, director of conservation and chief conservator at The Mariners’ Museum and Park, which houses USS Monitor

I met Holly in 2016, when she organized the “Wrecks, Recovery & Conservation” symposium at the National Civil War Naval Museum. From my interactions with her over the years, it was clear that she was passionate about her work, museum and goal of ensuring that the stories of Civil War naval sailors will continue to be told. (Picket photo at 2016 program, left)

JAMES WELLBORN, associate professor of history, Georgia College and State University

I only recently had the pleasure of meeting Holly, when she invited me to give a summer lecture in August 2024. Throughout that process and in attending several summer lectures beforehand, Holly was incredibly welcoming and gracious with her time and incredible historical insights and perspectives. Such collegiality and congeniality is the mark of a truly genuine soul. She was a true champion of public history and will be sorely missed, not only at the National Civil War Naval Museum where she did such incredible work but in the broader field of public history. 

MICHAEL K. SHAFFER, Civil War historian and author

Since she joined the museum, I had the privilege of collaborating with her on several lectures I delivered there in Columbus. As a fellow author, Holly shared several valuable resources with me, which I incorporated into my writing. I will deeply miss her. Rest in peace, my dear friend!

The museum has established the Holly B. Wait Endowment Fund to support its mission. You can learn more here.

'Lady Victory' may have lost the battle with the wind, but the toppled statue won the war. Now she's back where she belongs in Mercer, Pa. -- standing tall

Two fallen figures, bent flagpole, broken musket, return of Lady Victory last week (Courtesy of Mercer County)

For about 125 years, motorists, shoppers and those doing business at the Mercer County courthouse in Pennsylvania have been greeted by “Lady Victory,” a statue of a woman solemnly placing a wreath on a kneeling soldier.

All was well until March 2023, when calamity struck.

Sixty mph-winds rushing through Western Pennsylvania toppled the Civil War statue dedicated in 1897, causing damage that reads like something from an NFL injured reserve list:

-- Soldier’s left knee blown out and he is bent backward; his right foot is separated from base plate;

-- Weapon broke off at soldier’s wrist, and butt stock of weapon is broken off base plate.

-- Lady Victory is bent backward and her feet suffered separation from base plate; (photo left, courtesy Mercer County)

-- Flag bent toward the front of the statue; eagle at the top of flagpole twisted to nearly a 90-degree angle;

-- Base bent and mangled and two side plates are broken loose;

Nearly two years after the top of the Civil War monument on the Mercer County courthouse square was knocked to the sidewalk, a crane late last week lifted the repaired statue back in place. (photo below, courtesy Mercer County)

The formal name of the monument, “Victory Crowning the Returned Soldier,” seemed especially appropriate for such an occasion.

“I know it’s kind of an iconic thing, that people were very upset when it was gone. We just had that pillar there for the last couple years,” Grace Reiter, executive director of the Mercer Area Chamber of Commerce, told TV station WKBN.

The return of Lady Victory is being welcomed in a county with significant history related to the Civil War.

There was strong abolitionist sentiment in the first half of the 19^th century, including support of the Underground Railroad, which spirited escaped and freed enslaved people to safety.

“Mercer became a significant stopping point for the slaves,” said the Grove City Area Historical Society. “The Pew family farm was a ‘station’ on the railway. It is believed Joseph Newton Pew and his siblings were personally involved in moving the escaped slaves.”

Numerous regiments drew from the area. That includes the 10^th Reserves, 57^th, 100^th, 140^th and the 145^th Pennsylvania infantry. 

“These regiments fought in the Eastern Theater, with the exception of the 100^th that fought in both Eastern and Western Theaters with the 9^th Corps,” said Chris Conti, senior planner with the Mercer County Regional Planning Commission.    

Among the town’s Civil War heroes was Medal of Honor recipient Lewis Brest, (below) who captured a Confederate flag near war’s end at Sailor’s Creek, Va.

Mercer-born soldier Martin J. Hawkins entered service in Ohio and received the medal for exhibiting great courage during the Andrews Raid in Georgia in 1862. He was among two dozen men who commandeered a Southern train.

Like hundreds of other communities – North and South – Mercer County erected its monument in the late 19^th century. (The county, between Pittsburgh and Erie, Pa., is on the border with Ohio. Youngstown is the closest large city.)

Brian Gruber, facility director for the county, told the Picket on Monday statues of two soldiers representing the cavalry and artillery were not damaged by the windstorm. They stand in the middle of the monument.

The memorial is called “Victory Crowning the Returned Soldier” but for short it is called “Lady Victory.” All three statues on the monument were built by W. H. Mullins of Salem, Ohio, said Gruber.

They were fashioned from stamped copper and bronze. 

McKay Lodge Art Conservation Laboratory of Oberlin, Ohio, performed the repairs and Alex Restoration and Masonry Repairs out of New Castle, Pa., placed the repaired status atop the base.

Early photos of the courthouse monument in the W.H. Mullins catalog

The cost was covered by insurance, Gruber told the Picket.

An August 2024 storm damaged a clock on the west side of the courthouse. "We had a severe storm roll through and the high winds snapped the clock in half, imploding it into the inside of the building," said Gruber. A replacement will be installed March 12.

About 110,000 people live in Mercer County, which has the active historical society.

“As far as our economy, similar to all counties in Western Pennsylvania, we have gone from rural/agricultural to industrial to ‘Rust Belt’ to attempting to diversify and redevelop,” said Conti. One of the largest outlet malls in the nation is located on Interstate 79 in southern Mercer County.

Outsiders, including those in the Pittsburgh area, come to Pymatuning Lake and Goddard state parks and the Shenango reservoir. Other attractions include Keystone Safari and the Avenue of 444 Flags (photo right, Wikipedia).

Reiter, with the Chamber of Commerce, said Mercer – which has about 2,000 residents – is loaded with small-town charm.

“We cherish the moments that give us that classic ‘Hallmark movie’ feeling, and lately, there's been a renewed energy -- a spark of rejuvenation and a strong desire to create meaningful community events and lasting memories,” she wrote to the Picket in an email.

“Our town has a unique character due to its proximity to the courthouse, which brings a strong presence of nonprofits and government-related businesses. However, there's also been an exciting wave of growth, with new retail shops opening on the square and businesses growing.” 

S. Carolina's governor fled to this house in Union as Sherman's men arrived. Here's the latest on efforts (and a donation) to repair building. Will staircase return?

Stabilization of ceiling, exterior, crawl space (Preservation South Carolina); Gov. Andrew Magrath

An ambitious project restoring a weathered South Carolina home at the center of an interesting chapter in Civil War history is being compared to taking a patient from critical condition to full recovery.

The nonprofit Preservation South Carolina this month began Phase 1 of its plans to turn the Judge Thomas Dawkins House to an alumni center for the University of South Carolina-Union. The home in Union briefly served as the Confederate state’s capitol during the waning weeks of the war in 1865.

The current stabilization work – funded mostly by $300,000 in state money -- began in early February and is expected to be completed around June 1.

Bill Comer, a Union native and head of the PSC’s Dawkins rehab project, recently brought the Picket up to date on where things stand.

“The Phase 1 work to date is essentially securing, strengthening and shoring up the structure to prevent its ‘falling in and/or falling out,’ similar to resuscitating and stabilizing a dying patient that has been badly injured in an automobile accident,” wrote Comer, a retired health care and finance executive.

The ambitious effort was buoyed recently by a $50,000 donation from philanthropist Barbara Harter Rippy (left), who also has contributed to local and university projects, including scholarships, the USC-Union nursing program and the Bantam athletic program.

Amid its 60 birthday, USC-Union recently launched a new alumni association. About 1,400 students attend the school; the deteriorated, long-vacant dwelling is on the edge of campus.

“Officials hope that the restored and functional Dawkins House as the Alumni Center for USC- U in downtown Union will provide an economic boost for the City and County of Union, which is home to 27,000 people,” PSC said in a news release. “About 21% of residents are in poverty, according to the Census Bureau. The median household income lags well below the state average.”

The house is supported by chiseled granite foundation blocks and once had a spiral staircase in the main hall.

Supporters hope the staircase (circa 1970 photos below) -- built by Dawkins in 1845 -- can be reborn.

“We have learned of a home in Union built in the same period that has a similar staircase that could used for duplicative construction drawings,” said Comer. It will not be a part of Phase 2 stabilization unless an adequate amount of funds have been secured to cover the cost, he said.

Rebel leaders reportedly torched papers in home

The Dawkins House, on North Church Street, is best known for several weeks in spring 1865. It was nicknamed “The Shrubs” and was occupied by Judge Thomas Dawkins and his English-born wife Mary Poulton Dawkins. 

Gov. Andrew Magrath, before fleeing Columbia as Federal troops closed in, got in touch with college chum Dawkins (below) about using the home and others nearby to conduct business amid the chaos.

From about Feb. 15, 1865, until sometime in March or April, Magrath (right) ran the state from the Dawkins House as Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman sacked Columbia and moved on other cities, bent on destruction and submission of Rebel troops. Magrath apparently worked from an informal library near the drawing room.

According to histories and local legend, Magrath and his subordinates burned possibly incriminating documents and correspondence in the home’s fireplaces. (The building served as South Carolina's capitol while the city was briefly is capital.) Magrath had to flee Union and was captured soon after.

Confederates burned documents for myriad reasons, said USC-Union assistant history professor Andrew Kettler.

“Generally, burning would be to avoid military secrets getting into the enemies hands,” the professor said. “But, at the late stages of the war, such secrets may have become secondary as Confederates may have also wanted to hide evidence of the original treason of the Confederacy in the first place, and any other actions that could have led to prosecutions and trials after the war.”

One of the surviving fireplaces on the first floor of the home (Preservation South Carolina)

Here's what has been done in February

Tarps have covered the roof and a portion of the two-story clapboard house for some time; it has not been occupied for years. The outside appearance doesn’t signal the charm inside, even if much of it has crumbled.

The house has exposed beams with carved end fittings, and many rooms are brightly colored. It still has quality features including, beaded and dovetail wood, joints and beams. (At left, Mary Poulton Dawkins)

Portions of the house date back to the 1790s, making it one of Union's oldest surviving homes, existing during the time of George Washington’s and John Adams’ presidencies. So the Civil War is a relatively short period in its 200-plus years.

The 1850 Federal slave schedule indicates Thomas Dawkins owned about 30 enslaved persons before the war. It is unclear whether they were on more than one property.

Comer provided a synopsis of what’s been thus far:

-- Pickets on the front porch railing were removed and numbered for replacement to their exact position
-- Exterior bracing at front porch and side annex wall are complete.
-- Crawl space shoring with the metal jack posts.
-- Crawl space bracing walls are installed.
-- Plywood sheathing placed on the areas where the floors are weak.
-- Plaster removal has been completed where interior bracing walls will be erected.
-- First floor bracing walls are installed. Sheathing will be installed on these walls.
-- Bricks are being removed from chimneys down second-floor window seals, cement scraped off and stored for replacement.

Recent bracing in the front of the vacant dwelling (Preservation South Carolina)

Huss Construction of Charleston is leading the restoration work.

“Phase 1 will facilitate a subsequent Phase 2 stabilization to make the house strong and structurally sound so that the walls and floors can carry the weight loads required of their anticipated uses and to install the final, long-term roof. (Since the patient has been stabilized via Phase 1, we can perform precision surgery via Phase 2 to strengthen bones so that the patient can walk and run again.),” said Comer.

“Once Phase 2 has been completed, customization construction can begin to put the house in exactly the floor plans needed for its intended use (room design, and installation of bathrooms, HVAC, plumbing, electrical wiring, etc.).”

The first floor of the house will hold larger alumni and campus events. Between four and eight people will be able to work upstairs, officials said.  

William Waud depiction of the capture of Columbia, S.C., in 1865 (Library of Congress)

What lies ahead when funding arrives

PSC initially had $300,000 in state money and $10,000 each from Union and Union County to hire and engineering firm and do the stabilization.

But it will need between $800,000 and $1 million for Phase 2. Comer says the organization is trying to secure that funding. It is likely work will halt after stabilization until a substantial portion of that money is obtained from private and public sources.

“Phase 2 Stabilization will stabilize the House’s structure to the extent that the foundation is solid, floors are appropriately weight-bearing for their anticipated operating purposes, walls are tight and load bearing, and the roof is in its final long-term condition,” said PSC.

Once that is over, ownership will be turned over – perhaps in summer or fall 2026 -- to USC-Union, which will need to find the money to complete the restoration and customization of the space before opening it as the alumni center.

People in the community say the Dawkins House is an important landmark. “It anchors one end of Main Street and the courthouse anchors the other end,” said Comer.

Union County has a rich black history and has seen reconciliation after decades of racial violence during and following the Civil War. 

Comer believes the community is all in for restoring the home. 

Established in 1990, PSC is South Carolina’s only statewide, nonprofit organization dedicated to historic preservation