The Saluda Historical Society officially asked city council last week if it could make use of an empty room in the newly renovated city hall to house a museum.
Saluda commissioners met Monday, July 14 and heard from Cindy Tuttle with the historical society.
Tuttle said for the last four years there’s been talk of a museum and it’s come to the society’s attention there is a space upstairs in city hall, once renovations are complete, that is undedicated and would be perfect for a museum.
Tuttle said discussions have been to call the museum an interpretive center, which would be a space people could visit and learn about the history of Saluda. She said historical members see the space as unstaffed and anything that is for sale would be located in city hall and in stores in the community, like it is currently.
Tuttle said committee members envision large panels along the walls with information about Pace’s Gap, information about the railroad and “fascinating history that Saluda has to tell.”
The society is currently writing an images book and has collected hundreds of photographs, which Tuttle said could be fascinating on the walls of the museum.
She said members also see something that would activate the DVD to tell the story of Saluda, with display cases full of archives. The society is still collecting oral histories of long-time residents, with about 30 completed as of last week.
The historical society is also searching for a true archive room to safely store historical items that keeps a constant temperature and gives protections from damaging light.
Tuttle told commissioners now is the time to write a grant to the Blue Ridge National Heritage, which is due Oct. 1. The grant is only available once every two years from federal funding, Tuttle said, addresses needs for Saluda’s project.
Tuttle also affirmed proof that the historical society can pull off such a project by detailing accomplishments over the last four years.
She said the committee has met monthly, advocated and raised funds and provided technical assistance for the restoration of city hall, conducted two historic home tours, created a successful DVD, launched a new website and youtube page, released a documentary and oral history project and raised enough money to purchase the committee’s own video equipment for oral histories. The committee is currently writing a book and looking into establishing more sites in Saluda to be placed on the National Registry of Historic Places. And all this was done with $2,500 of seed money from the city and community donations, which has currently generated approximately $25,000.
Tuttle asked commissioners to let the historic committee be the guiding force behind the project and get a museum built. She said she has a Saluda Signal from 1985 where officials were talking about the city wanting a museum at that time.
Saluda Mayor Fred Baisden asked what if the city needs the space later on for city hall needs.
“The concept I don’t have a problem with,” Baisden said, “but if we commit that space to a museum and need space, we don’t have space.”
Commissioner Lynn Cass said Tryon is doing a museum in its city hall right now. Cass said the grant is not due until October and the committee will likely not know if it’s awarded until February.
Tuttle said the city has been back and forth on whether or not it’s going to have a museum.
“Are we going to invest in our history,” Tuttle asked. “We do depend on that industry and it’s not going to happen anywhere else.”
Baisden said there’s been talk about using the old scout hut for the museum.
Karen Bultman said if the city uses the scout hut it would need renovations and even with renovations there’s no parking.
Commissioner Leon Morgan said he’s not opposed to a museum but knew nothing about the use of city hall until Monday’s meeting when Tuttle started talking about it. He said he thinks commissioners need to put some thought into the request before they make a decision.
Cass agreed that commissioners need to talk about the idea some more.
Morgan suggested the committee compiles what space it needs and meet with commissioners in the upstairs to look at it. Cass agreed.
Tuttle said her thought is the museum will grow and one day end up in the old depot.
“If the city needs to space the displays could come off the walls and we’d be on our merry way,” said Tuttle.
Tuttle and commissioners agreed to get together and look at the space before proceeding further.
For more information on the Saluda historic committee, visit historicsaluda.org.