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Due West in Abbeville County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
 

Erskine College

South Carolina's First Four-Year Church-Related College

 
 
Erskine College Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, December 23, 2008
1. Erskine College Marker
Inscription.
Erskine College was founded in 1839 by the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church as South Carolina's first four-year church-related college. The college grew out of an academy for men established in 1835 and seminary founded two years later at Due West.

In 1859 Due West Woman's College was founded and continued for 70 years until it was merged with Erskine in 1929.

Today Erskine's academic excellence as a liberal arts college continues with consistent ranking among the country's best small colleges. The campus, which is dominated by ancient oaks, is a blend of nineteenth and twentieth century architecture. The cultural center of the school is the modern Bowie Arts Center with its permanent and changing galleries.
 
Erected by South Carolina Heritage Corridor.
 
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & ReligionEducation. In addition, it is included in the South Carolina Heritage Corridor series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1839.
 
Location. 34° 19.917′ N, 82° 23.433′ W. Marker is in Due West, South Carolina, in Abbeville County. Marker is on Depot Street. Marker is located northwest of the intersection of Depot and South Main Streets. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Due West SC 29639, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
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At least 10 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Abbeville County (here, next to this marker); Bryson College Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); William Moffatt Grier (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Camp-Walker Plaza (about 500 feet away); Rev. J.I. Bonner Monument (approx. ¼ mile away); Due West (approx. ¼ mile away); Angela Marlow Newton (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Donalds Grange No. 497 (approx. 3.3 miles away); Templeton-Drake Cabin ca. 1764 (approx. 3.3 miles away); Action at Pratt's Mill (approx. 3.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Due West.
 
Also see . . .
1. Erskine College. A Christian liberal arts college which is a part of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian tradition. (Submitted on December 28, 2008, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.) 

2. Erskine College. Erskine College is a four year, Christian liberal arts college located in Due West, South Carolina. (Submitted on December 28, 2008, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.) 

3. Erskine College-Due West Historic District. The Erskine College-Due West Historic District, located in the small town of Due West in Abbeville County, South Carolina, consists of eighty-eight properties, which as a unit illustrate
Erskine College Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, December 23, 2008
2. Erskine College Marker
the development of the village and Erskine College from ca. 1840 to 1930. (Submitted on December 28, 2008, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.) 
 
Additional commentary.
1. Erskine College / Due West Historic District
The Erskine College/Due West Historic District contains fourteen properties of particular architectural or historical significance and seventy-four supporting properties. The district is located in the small town of Due West in Abbeville County, South Carolina, and centers around the Erskine College campus. About one-third of the buildings within the district boundaries are associated with the college. Many of the other buildings, located in the adjacent residential and commercial areas, are or were owned by persons connected with the college. The majority of the buildings were constructed between ca. 1840 and 1930 and reveal an evolution of architecture from the early years of the area's settlement to the early twentieth century. Many of the buildings constructed within the past fifty years, although not considered contributing properties at this time, blend in well with the older buildings and are not considered to be intrusions to the district. Most of the buildings in the district have been continuously used and have been
Town of Due West, Home of Erskine College, c. 1890 image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, November 2, 2010
3. Town of Due West, Home of Erskine College, c. 1890
kept in good repair.

Significance: The Erskine College/Due West Historic District, located in the small town of Due West in Abbeville County, South Carolina, consists of eighty-eight properties which as a unit illustrate the development of the village and Erskine College from ca. 1840 to the present. included in the district are portions of the campus of Erskine College, the first four-year denominational college in South Carolina, which was founded in 1839 by the Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, and the Due West Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, whose early congregation played a large role in the formation of the village and college. Also included in the district are a residential section, containing many properties either at one time or presently associated with the college, and the commercial area. The varied architecture of these areas dates from ca. 1840 to ca. 1941 and illustrates the growth of the town. Modern Due West is dependent on the college for its continued existence and as such life in the village revolves around Erskine.

Additional Information: The origin of the name Due West is unknown but it is probably that it is a corruption of the earlier names for the area: Dewises Corner, Devises Corner, Jewett's Corner, Dewitt's Corner, and Duet's Corner. The village took Due west from the Associate reformed Presbyterian
Dormitory, Due West Woman's College, c. 1900 image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, November 2, 2010
4. Dormitory, Due West Woman's College, c. 1900
Church of that name which had moved from Duet's Corner to a more central location in the present village by 1790. in 1846 the town was incorporated under the name Selma. But the name Due West had been associated with the settlement for so long that in 1856 the charter was revised and the name changed to Due West. Due West had a thriving business community in the late 1800s and early 1900s; however, the mobility of the twentieth century has resulted in the centralization of businesses in larger towns and cities nearby. Due West today has only a few commercial enterprises which offer basic necessities. It is very clear that the major employer and influence on the town of Due west is its college.

In 1836 the Synod of the ARP Church established a two-year classical academy at Due west and in 1839 expanded the school into a four-year college. Shortly after the founding of the academy the Synod established a theological seminary as well, named Clark and Erskine Seminary. The two schools, closely associated since their foundings, have been known as Erskine College and Erskine Seminary since about 1842.

In 1852 a group of ARP ministers and laymen founded the Due West Female College, later the Due West Woman's college. Privately operated until 1904, the college came under the control of the ARP church from that year until it merged with Erskine in 1927.

Key
Memorial Hall, built in 1912 image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, November 2, 2010
5. Memorial Hall, built in 1912
Properties

1. Nickles House, West Main Street (ca. 1886): Two-story, weatherboarded, Victorian farmhouse has boxed cornice with returns and decorative brackets. Hipped roof porch has wooden posts with brackets, spindle frieze, and turned balustrade. Porch pediment features spindle frieze with pedants and sawn and spindle tympanum.

23. Euphemian Literary Society Hall, Erskine College Quadrangle (1912): One-story, brick building on a raised foundation. Built in Neoclassical design. It features a large central pedimented portico supported by four fluted wooden ionic columns. The central double doors have an arched fanlight. the interior features a central meeting hall with sloping floor, high ceiling, and tall fluted pilasters. A marble podium from an earlier (1858) building is still in use. H.J. Burdette was the contractor for this building.

25. Erskine Building, Erskine College Quadrangle (1892): Three-story, brick building with central pavilion and two wings. Notable features include two towers and central dome. The west tower has a doomed observatory. The east tower has an octagonal section containing the college clock and features elaborate brick work. Fenestration varies, but all windows have rounded arches. The northeast wall incorporates a section of a wall of the original building (1842) which burned in 1892.

26. Philomathean Literary Society
Bowie Arts Center, Erskine College image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, November 2, 2010
6. Bowie Arts Center, Erskine College
Hall, Erskine College Quadrangle (1859): Two-story stuccoed building in the Italian Renaissance Revival Style. Thomas Veal of Columbia, S.C., was the architect for the building. Facade features a central pedimented pavilion with paired Corinthian pilasters at either side of a Palladian window. Single doorways, with round-headed windows above, are at either end of the central pavilion; colossal Corinthian pilasters are located at the corners of the building. Recessed balustrades are used for decoration.

29. Galloway House, West Main Street at Depot (1897): Two-story Victorian, weatherboarded house. Multiple gables feature decorative bargeboards. Front door is heavily carved and has multi-paned stained glass window. The interior of the house contains the original mantels, molding, wainscoting and decorative details. The rear ell and a shed in the backyard were parts of an early house. The Galloway family was prominent in the development of Due West, Due West Woman's College, and the Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church.

34. Due West Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (1925) and Cemetery: Two-story, brick building with gabled roof. Two-story pedimented portico had dentil cornice, cartouche with swags, and is supported by four granite Tuscan columns. Central islet steeple is square and had dentil course, louvers, balustrade, pilasters, and dome with an octagonal
Euphemian Hall, Erskine College, c. 1914 image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, November 2, 2010
7. Euphemian Hall, Erskine College, c. 1914
base.

35. Brownlee-Kennedy House, Church Street (ca. 1800): Two-story, rectangular, weatherboarded house with gable roof. Recessed, two-story porch is supported by six stuccoed pillars. Central single doorway has sidelights with a decorative surround and corner blocks. second story has a central, single entrance doorway with sidelights opening on to a small cantilever balcony with a decorative railing, modeled after the "Lindsay style." This house is believed to have been extensively altered in the mid 1800s giving it the style that it has today.

48. Sloan-Neel-McCain-Lesesne House, West Main Street (ca. 1840): Two-story weather boarded residence with a two-story pedimented portico supported by four large, square pillars. First story entrance has double doors flanked by four-light sidelights and seven-light transom and features corner block molding. Second story has central balcony supported by decorative brackets and with a decorative balustrade, Single entrance doorway has four-light sidelights and molding, reflecting the "Lindsay style."

52. Lindsay-Bell House, Abbeville Street (ca. 1845-1850): Two-story, square, weatherboarded residence built in the late 1840s by James Lindsay for his son. This house is the last of many houses known to have been built by James Lindsay, although other display the same style. The entrance was a wide, central, single
Abbeville County (left) and<br>Erskine College (right) Markers image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, December 23, 2008
8. Abbeville County (left) and
Erskine College (right) Markers
The building behind the markers is the McCain Library (1949, 1973).
door, mullioned sidelights, transom and fluted trim with corner blocks in a bill's-eye design. Second story has a balcony with decorative railing supported by curved wooden braces. The single doorway had sidelights and fluted trim with plain corner blocks. There are four stuccoed end chimneys.

52a. Student Cabin: Used ca. 1850-1890 as a dormitory. One-story, single room, rectangular building with a gable roof and one exterior end chimney. This is the last remaining of many student cabins which were used before the first dormitory was built. It was restored in the early 1970s and is presently used as a museum.

58. Bell-Mitchell House, Abbeville Street at Cleveland Street (1913): One and one-half-story bungalow with gable roof. Sheathing is weatherboard and shingle. The large porch posts feature guttae trim. Fenestration varies, with several windows having diamond-shaped panes. Gables feature half-timbering and exposed rafters with brackets.

85. Alumnae Memorial Hall, Woman's College Circle (1912): Two-story, Greek Revival style, brick building on a raised brick foundation. The truncated hipped roof has metal shingles. There is a two-story pedimented portico supported by four stout Doric columns. The entablature features triglyphs, metopes, and guttae. The central pavilion has three sets of double doors. The interior contains an auditorium with sloping
Erskine College Entrance -<br>Across from Due West ARP Church<br>Due West Historical Marker Center image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, January 17, 2009
9. Erskine College Entrance -
Across from Due West ARP Church
Due West Historical Marker Center
roof and decorative ceiling.

88. Carnegie Hall Dormitory, Woman's College Circle (1906): Three-story, molded concrete block building with a hipped roof. Concrete molding varies with each story. Decorative features include a belt course between the first and second stories, concrete water table, and dentil course around cornice. One-story hipped roof porch is supported by Ionic columns on low piers. The interior features spacious hallways with open staircases, carved mantels, and Ionic columns.

115. Bonner-Burrows House, Hayne Street (1882): One-story, Victorian cottage with a gable roof. Three front gables have bargewoods, cross pendants, and rectangular louvered vents. The boxed cornice has returns and brackets. Flat roof porch is supported by chamfered posts with sawn balustrades and brackets.

Other Properties Contributing to the Character of the District:
2. Ellis-Fleming House, West Main Street (ca. 1924): One-story, weatherboarded residence with cross-gable roof. Hipped roof porch is supported by wrought iron posts on brick piers.

4. Janette Crawford House, West Main Street (ca. 1924): One and one-half-story, weatherboarding bungalow. Front gable has pent roof, tripartite window, and wooden shingles. Windows are four-over-one. Two interior chimneys have corbeled caps.

5. McIlwaine-Ashley House, West Main Street (pre-1911):
Erskine College Entrance -<br>Across from Due West ARP Church<br>Erected by the Class of 1922 image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, January 17, 2009
10. Erskine College Entrance -
Across from Due West ARP Church
Erected by the Class of 1922
One-story residence with asphalt siding, two front gables. Hipped roof porch is supported by four Doric columns on low concrete piers.

6. Seawright House, West Main Street (ca. 1910): One-story, weatherboarded residence with gabled roof. Porch with attached gazebo is supported by tapered posts.

8. Haddon-David-Ferguson House, West Main Street (1907): Two-story, weatherboarded house with hipped roof. One-story, hipped roof porch supported by turned posts with brackets extends across facade and right side.

9. The Andrew May House, West Main Street (1908): Two-story rectangular house with asbestos shingle siding. Central portico has gabled roof with boxed cornice and returns and is supported by four posts with turned balustrade. The house was built in 1908 by Andrew May.

13. Clinkscales-Hagen-Pruitt House, Abbeville Street at West Main Street (1909): One-story, weatherboarded residence with high, hipped, metal roof. Front slope of roof has projecting gable with small, mullioned stained glass window. Hipped roof porch supported by nine turned columns extends across facade and right elevation. Fenestration is two-over-two.

15. Brownlee-Huntley House, Abbeville Street (ca. 1878): One-story, weatherboarded residence with shed roof porch supported by chamfered posts. Two front gables have boxed cornice with returns, sawn brackets, and rectangular
Erskine College image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, December 23, 2008
11. Erskine College
louvered vents.

16. Due West Railroad Depot, Depot Street at Bamboolevard: One-story, rectangular building with gabled roof and two four-paneled doorways in gable end facade. Shed roof across facade is supported by plain wooden graces. Fenestration (two-over-two) varies to each side. Building is currently used for storage. Andrew May from Donalds, South Carolina, built the depot in 1907-1908.

17. Men's Infirmary, Erskine College Campus (ca. 1920): Small, one-story, rectangular, weatherboarded building with hipped metal roof. Front porch us supported by wood posts with pierced panels and has a simple balustrade. Presently used as the Alpha Psi Omega Society House.

18. Alumni Gymnasium, Erskine College Campus (1929): Tall, one-story, rectangular building with two wings and a truncated hipped roof. Central bay has double doors and projected brick pavilion with arched entrance way flanked by large arched windows. Small single story wings to eahc side are symmetrical. To the rear is an outside pool.

20. Erskine College Campus: Vacant lot.

(Source: National Register nomination form.)
    — Submitted November 5, 2010, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.
 
Erskine College -<br>Bowie Divinity Hall image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, December 23, 2008
12. Erskine College -
Bowie Divinity Hall
Erskine College -<br>McQuiston Divinity Hall (1938) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, December 23, 2008
13. Erskine College -
McQuiston Divinity Hall (1938)
Erskine College -<br>Euphemian Literary Society Hall (1912) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, December 23, 2008
14. Erskine College -
Euphemian Literary Society Hall (1912)
Erskine College -<br>Reid Science Hall (1949) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, December 23, 2008
15. Erskine College -
Reid Science Hall (1949)
Erskine College -<br>Lesesne Auditorium (1892) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, December 23, 2008
16. Erskine College -
Lesesne Auditorium (1892)
Erskine College -<br>Lesesne Auditorium Towers image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, December 23, 2008
17. Erskine College -
Lesesne Auditorium Towers
Erskine College -<br>Lesesne Auditorium Southwest Wall image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, December 23, 2008
18. Erskine College -
Lesesne Auditorium Southwest Wall
Erskine College -<br>Lesesne Auditorium Clock Tower Detail image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, December 23, 2008
19. Erskine College -
Lesesne Auditorium Clock Tower Detail
Erskine College -<br>Lesesne Auditorium Southeast Entrance image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, February 3, 2009
20. Erskine College -
Lesesne Auditorium Southeast Entrance
Erskine College -<br>Robinson Hall Dormitory (1922) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, January 17, 2009
21. Erskine College -
Robinson Hall Dormitory (1922)
Erskine College -<br>Carnegie Hall Dormitory (1906) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, January 17, 2009
22. Erskine College -
Carnegie Hall Dormitory (1906)
Erskine College -<br>Memorial Hall (1912) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, January 17, 2009
23. Erskine College -
Memorial Hall (1912)
Erskine College -<br>Younts Infirmary (1929, 1976) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, January 17, 2009
24. Erskine College -
Younts Infirmary (1929, 1976)
Erskine College -<br>Kennedy Hall Dormitory (1960) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, January 17, 2009
25. Erskine College -
Kennedy Hall Dormitory (1960)
Erskine College -<br>Bonner Hall Dormitory (1906) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, January 17, 2009
26. Erskine College -
Bonner Hall Dormitory (1906)
Erskine College -<br>Bowie Arts Center image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, January 17, 2009
27. Erskine College -
Bowie Arts Center
Permanent exhibits include:
• 18th & 19th Century Furniture & Decorative Arts Collection
• World Class Antique Mechanical Musical Instruments
• Edward S. Curtis Photographs of Native Americans
• "An Upcountry Excursion" - Historic Photographs of Abbeville County
• Contemporary South Carolina Art
Erskine College -<br>Philomathean Literary Society Hall (1859) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, February 3, 2009
28. Erskine College -
Philomathean Literary Society Hall (1859)
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on October 12, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 28, 2008, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 4,469 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on December 28, 2008, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.   3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on November 5, 2010, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.   8. submitted on December 28, 2008, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.   9, 10. submitted on January 26, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.   11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. submitted on December 28, 2008, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.   20. submitted on February 4, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.   21, 22, 23. submitted on January 26, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.   24, 25, 26. submitted on January 27, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.   27. submitted on February 2, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.   28. submitted on February 4, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.

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Mar. 19, 2024