Governor honors 2 York County keepers of SC history -- one for a lifetime of work
Two state honorees for work to preserve South Carolina history, one for a lifetime of service, were tabbed from York County.
Wenonah Haire received the Governor’s Award for significant, landmark and lifelong achievement in preservation of state historical structures or sites. Historic Brattonsville won a state Stewardship Award for restoration work on its brick house.
Both awards and others were presented by Gov. Henry McMaster at the statehouse earlier this month.
“It is incumbent on us, not only as South Carolinians with a great history, not only as Americans, but as people in general, to preserve those things from which we can learn, which stir our imaginations, and all of that makes us stronger,” McMaster said in an announcement from nonprofit Preservation South Carolina.
Haire is executive director of the Catawba Cultural Preservation Project. She is Native American graves protection and repatriation officer and tribal historic preservation officer for the Catawba Nation. Haire grew up in the Rock Hill area and graduated from Clemson University. Haire works as a dentist.
Catawba Cultural Preservation Project started in 1989. It’s located at the historic Catawba Indian School building on the reservation near Rock Hill. Lesser known than the separate schools for Black and white students during segregation, according to Preservation South Carolina, are the state-funded schools for Native American children. The Catawba Nation is the state’s only federally recognized tribe.
Haire leads archives, archaeology and cultural programs. Also, a craft store where Catawba pottery and other items are available for purchase. Some programs focus on pottery, language, drumming, dancing and bead working.
“I have always found arts and crafts to be an outlet for stress,” Haire said in the announcement. “Native American bead work is both very relaxing and rewarding when a piece finally comes together.”
As tribal historic preservation officer since 1992, Haire identifies and evaluates historic properties and archaeological sites of cultural or religious interest to the tribe. Included is work to avoid or minimize impact to properties if it’s disturbed for development.
Haire consults on discovered Native American burial sites and works on environmental issues along the Catawba River. She worked with universities on a 10-year plan to identify and excavate Catawba sites, and to preserve a 4,200-year-old dug-out canoe found in the Cooper River. Haire’s continued work includes efforts to put the historic cemetery on the reservation on the National Register of Historic Places.
Underground Railroad Network Program
Another area honoree for preservation work is Historic Brattonsville. It’s two-story Brick House was built in 1843 and was bought by the Bratton estate in 1962. It was sold to the York County Culture & Heritage Museums in 2001. Stablization efforts began in 2013 and two years later a plan was introduced to return the Brick House to the way it looked in 1871 for Reconstruction Era interpretation.
A phase of restoration wrapped up early last year, and soon after Brattonsville was accepted into the National Park Service National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program.
The Brick House opened to the public last fall with exhibits focused on the Black experience in this area at the time. Earlier this year the project led to the site becoming part of the National Park Service Reconstruction Era National Historic Network.
“To be recognized by state leaders and preservation professionals for the stewardship of the built heritage under our care is a true complement to our efforts,” said Joseph Mester, assistant manager and preservationist for Historic Brattonsville. “It encourages us to continue our work to safeguard the irreplaceable at Historic Brattonsville for current and future generations to learn the stories of the past in the place where it happened.”
Efforts like the Brick House restoration are integral to what Preservation South Carolina does.
“Part of South Carolina’s greatness is the history that is in our aging buildings – think historic places of worship, mills, homes,” said Preservation South Carolina board chairman Bill Fitzpatrick. “It’s imperative that we preserve these landmarks, so that future generations can have a tangible link to the past.”
This story was originally published July 27, 2022 at 2:58 PM with the headline "Governor honors 2 York County keepers of SC history -- one for a lifetime of work."
