“Towns are like people. Old ones often have character, the new ones are interchangeable.”
Wallace Stegner
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This
beautiful rural town located just off of I-26 between the
Greenville/Spartanburg area and Columbia and is rich in history and is known for its southern charm. The town motto is “the city of
friendly folks,” which we found to be true. On some of the blocks
in town, every building is on the National Registry of Historic
Places and are beautifully taken care of and restored. What a treat
for your eyes. It has been named as one of the fifty most charming
small towns in America by the Travel Channel and after visiting this
amazing town, I can see why.
This
town was first settled in the 18th century by German,
Scotch-Irish, and English immigrants. The town became established in
1789. In the mid 19th century, after the completion of
the railroad and textile mills, it brought a great economic boom to
the town. Many cotton plantations popped up around the county and
people were living large. Then the Civil War happened and Sherman’s
Army came through town and burnt down the courthouse. During the
Civil War, Newberry College was used as a hospital for Confederate Troops and later Union Troops.
As
we explored this quaint town, we learned quickly how the town was
full of friendly folks and what a laid back atmosphere surrounded us.
There are many unique shops and restaurants to visit when in this
beautiful town that has done a wonderful job in preserving it’s
history. The town didn’t become a city until 1976, after not
reporting the change to the census bureau for more than 25 years. It
is the county seat of Newberry County. There is so much to do and
see in Newberry, so let’s get started.
Newberry
Old Courthouse was built in 1852, during a period of
wealth from cotton crops and was built in a Greek Revival style. It
was designed by Jacob Graves and built by John Damron. In 1876, after
the Civil War, Osborn Wells was hired to remodel the courthouse.
This courthouse stayed in use until 1906. It is the fourth
courthouse erected on the site. The old courthouse features 6 fluted
Tuscan columns and has an elaborately detailed design on the top
featuring an eagle carrying an uprooted gamecock which is said to be
crowing defiantly. At the trees crown is a dove holding an olive
branch. It is a gorgeous building and is now used as Newberry’s
Community Hall and Chamber of Commerce. It is located at 1207
Caldwell Street, Newberry, SC.
The
Newberry County Courthouse is the fifth courthouse to serve the
county and was built of red brick and terracotta in 1908. The three
story building was built in a Neo Classical style by Frank Pierce
Milburn. This stunning building is listed on the National Register
and is a part of the Newberry Historic District and is the current
courthouse still in use.
The
Newberry Opera House, located at 1201 McKibben Street, is another
gorgeous building that was built in 1881. This gorgeous theater is
not to be missed when in town. They give tours in the afternoons
where you can feel the history of the theater come alive. Please
refer to my write up on this theater in another blog.
https://sepielli.blogspot.com/2020/10/newberry-opera-house-newberry-south.html as I have a lot more information on this historic site there.
The
Old Newberry Inn was built by the same
architect as the Opera House, G. L. Norman. The hotel is located at 111 Caldwell Street and was built in 1878 and
later one of the corner spires burnt down. In 1998, a matching tower
was added on after the building and was closed since the 1950’s.
It has since been renovated and now includes rental spaces, the
Center for Contemporary Art, office suites, and live in and working
lofts. This gorgeous building stands out in the historic downtown.
Figaro
Market is an eclectic market that is a deli, lunch place, and
market that sells gourmet groceries, beer and wine. It is a lovely
store to go in and explore that sells a little bit of everything. It
is located at 1202 Caldwell Street and is a must stop on your tour.
Wells
Japanese Garden, 1608 Lindsay Street, Newberry is a lovely small
garden to see in town that has a tea room, Chinese lantern, bridges,
and exotic gardens. Check out this unique garden and if you would
like to know more about it check out my blog on it. I have a lot
more information there about it’s history. https://sepielli.blogspot.com/2020/11/wells-japanese-gardens-newberry-south.html.
The
Ritz on Main Street was opened on October 16, 1936 as a movie
theater. Since the Newberry Community Players were founded in 1970,
they have been using the building starting in 1974 as a preforming arts
theater. This is such a neat looking building that I wish would
have been open to go inside as the pictures of the inside look
amazing but no one was around the day we were there.
Steelhorse
Smokehouse is a nice restaurant at 1506 Main Street where we got
a nice lunch owned and run by Heather and Jim Roller and family.
They just became members of the SC Barbeque Association. Joe got the
brisket and I ordered a burger. The theme of the restaurant was
about motorcycles and the owner of the restaurant completed at least
two Hoka Hey Rides which is an extremely long motorcycle ride that he
did in record time. They serve a variety of draft beers and various
wines as well as soft drinks.
C.
T. Summer Hardware and Antique Store on Boyce Street is a
fabulous huge hardware store that is stocked from floor to ceiling
with unique items. This unique three story hardware store was
featured in the show American Picker and as soon as you enter the
store you can see why. It also has one very special item which is a
copy of the owners father’s Noble Prize. Go check them out and
speak to Bill, the owner. He is quite the character and a great
guy. If you want to read more about it check this out: https://sepielli.blogspot.com/2020/10/clarence-t-summers-inc-hardware-store.html.
Carter
and Holmes Orchids, located at 629 Mendenhall Road, and is a
great place to buy orchids and house plants. This orchid farm is a
family run business that was opened in 1947 with thousands of beautiful orchids for you to choose. They sell directly to individuals or commercially
or they will ship worldwide. For more information, check out my blog
about the nursery. https://sepielli.blogspot.com/2020/11/carter-and-holmes-orchid-nursery.html.
Enoree
River Vineyard and Winery was our last stop that day. We highly
recommend a visit to this vineyard as it is beautiful, peaceful, and
picturesque. The views are lovely, the wine is amazing. It is a
great place to relax and enjoy a glass or bottle of wine. The
owners are very friendly and make you feel right at home, making it a
great place to visit. For more information and pictures, check our
my blog about the nursery. https://sepielli.blogspot.com/2020/11/enoree-river-vineyard-and-winery.html.
We
so enjoyed our day in Newberry and know you will too. The people of
this town are truly friendly and make this town extra special. It
is a beautiful town to visit with so much to offer. We had a great
time and will be back so we can see the rest of this grand town. Maybe we will see you there.
Till next time. Bye for now.
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