Book is intro to history of Edgefield

The Edgefield County Historical Society has published "The Story of Edgefield."

The idea for the book originated in 2006 during an informal class called the Edgefield History Class that meets every Sunday at the Edgefield Public Library.

"On one Sunday afternoon in the summer of 2006, members of the class discussed the fact Edgefield did not have a book for visitors to purchase which would give them an overview of the history of the town and the sites for them to tour. That afternoon, the class made the commitment to produce such a book, and thereafter almost every session has been devoted to writing it," writes Bettis C. Rainsford, historian, in the book's preface.

The goal of the book is to provide the reader with an introduction to Edgefield's history, a general thematic overview, a timeline of events, a history of many of the historic sites, biographical sketches of Edgefield's governors and other famous personalities and suggested readings on Edgefield history. The book includes details for both a walking tour and a driving tour.

The focus of the book is on the Town of Edgefield and includes information about a few of the most significant plantation houses.

The book covers the buildings and sites around the Courthouse Square, down Main Street, historic houses throughout the town and leaders of Edgefield.

The book covers the town's history from the beginning until the early 1970s.

"It (the book) is intended merely as a tool to introduce visitors to our community, to whet the appetite of readers and to encourage prospective authors to add to the historiography of this special corner of the world," writes Rainsford.

For more information, call the Edgefield County Historical Society at (803) 637-2233, wirte to P.O. Box 174, Edgefield, SC 29824 or e-mail info@historicedgefield.com.

Contact Rachel Johnson at rjohnson@aikenstandard.com.