Society Hill’s plans for train depot museum get a boost
By Bobby Bryant
Editor
Society Hill Mayor Tommy Bradshaw is donating $20,000 to help the town put a new roof on its 19th-century train depot, which officials hope will one day become a museum. “I thought to myself, ‘I’ve got to get this thing done,’” Bradshaw said. “ … The town of Society Hill needs this museum desperately.” The museum, which the town has planned for years, would tell the history of railroading in the South and the history of Society Hill. The depot – listed on the National Register of Historic Places — was built in 1866, and has a flat roof, Bradshaw says. The depot’s roof has been leaking and needs to be replaced in its entirety, Bradshaw says. The estimated cost will be nearly $30,000. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), using money from Hurricane Florence repair funds, has agreed to put up $7,000 to repair the depot’s roof, but not replace it. The town of Society Hill was able to offer $2,500 from hospitality taxes to help the depot. That still left the town about $20,000 short of what was needed for a new roof. Bradshaw announced at the Feb. 9 Town Council meeting that he would make up the difference himself. He said he has been anonymously donating “substantial” amounts of money for years to help with the upkeep of the depot, which Bradshaw said is believed to be the oldest depot in the state. FEMA might still come through with more funds for the depot; Bradshaw said the town can appeal FEMA’s decision to only offer $7,000 for fixes rather than a whole new roof. But that might take at least a year. If FEMA does eventually decide to offer more, Bradshaw said the money will go into a dedicated account for the depot.