Tamassee in Oconee County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
May Erwin Talmadge Auditorium/Gymnasium
1950-1952
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, October 6, 2021
1. May Erwin Talmadge Auditorium/Gymnasium Marker
The National Register
of Historic Places
South Carolina
Department of Archives
and History
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Charity & Public Work • Education • Fraternal or Sororal Organizations. In addition, it is included in the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the National Register of Historic Places series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1950.
Location. 34° 52.982′ N, 83° 1.084′ W. Marker is in Tamassee, South Carolina, in Oconee County. Marker can be reached from Bumgardner Drive just north of Cain Drive, on the right when traveling north. The marker is mounted at eye-level, directly on the subject building, on the right side of the front entrance. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1925 Bumgardner Drive, Tamassee SC 29686, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Indian Trail and Thong Tree (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Texas Friendship Cottage (about 400 feet away); In Memory of George R. Ryder (about 400 feet away); Josephine C. Peters — West Virginia Cottage (about 400 feet away); Tamassee DAR School (about 400
this page online
Regarding May Erwin Talmadge Auditorium/Gymnasium. Contributing Property, Tamassee DAR School, National Register of Historic Places #12000289.
From the National Register Nomination:
This Colonial Revival building is two stories over a basement and has a stone foundation and walls, a wooden bracketed cornice, as well as a hipped asphalt shingle-clad roof. Begun in 1950 and dedicated in October 1952, it was named for May Erwin Talmadge (1885-1973), President General of the National Society, DAR from 1944-1947, and was the first National Society school project at Tamassee DAR School. Completed by the South Carolina Society, the combination auditorium and gymnasium was adopted by the Georgia Society since Mrs. Julius Young Talmadge was from Athens, Georgia. The symmetrical façade has an inset two-story loggia with three double-height stone arches in the center. There are double-leaf doors centered within each of the loggia's arches,each door panel containing six lights. Each entrance carries an arched transom of twenty-four lights. Above each of the doors, on the second level, is a single eight-light steel-frame window with a central awning window panel. A stone tablet above the center entrance readsPhotographed By Cosmos Mariner, October 6, 20212. May Erwin Talmadge Auditorium/GymnasiumThe marker is mounted on the right side of the front/west entrance."May Erwin Talmadge To the rear of and recessed behind the main or front block of the building is the auditorium block that extends eastward for four bays and features a hipped roof and no cornice. The principal bays consist of three large twenty-four-light arch-topped windows along the auditorium side walls at main level. The third block of this building is an attached gymnasium wing located to the rear (east) of and slightly downhill from the auditorium; it contains a hipped roof as well. There are five twenty-four-light metal windows on the upper floor of the gymnasium.
Chapters' Auditorium-Gymnasium
Erected 1950".
Also see . . .
1. Tamassee DAR School (Wikipedia). Excerpt:
The Tamassee DAR School is a school founded in 1919 by the Daughters of the American Revolution to serve the underprivileged children of Appalachia. Historic buildings can be observed on the DAR School campus. The school survives and thrives to this day, consistently graduating classes of children between(Submitted on January 14, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)the ages of 7 and 18.Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, October 6, 20213. Mrs. Julius Young Talmadge Memorial(also mounted on the right side of the entrance)
Georgia Chapters
Daughters of the American Revolution
gave right half portico
in honor of
Mrs. Julius Young Talmadge
President General 1944-1947
2. May Erwin Talmadge (Find A Grave). Excerpt:
(Oconee Hill Cemetery, Athens, Clarke County, Georgia) May Erwin Talmadge was the 18th President General of the Nation Society Daughters of the American Revolution and the first from a Southern State. After her term, she was made Honorary President General. After serving in several positions on the Georgia Society Executive Board, she served as George State Regent before advancing on to positions in NSDAR.(Submitted on January 14, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
She was very involved in youth and education, and the Georgia Daughters established the May Erwin Talmadge Student Loan Fund. The State of Georgia named her as a member of the State Board of Education, which she held for many years. She very active with DAR schools helping them to meet financial goals.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, October 6, 2021
4. Mrs. Marshall Pinckney Orr Memorial
South Carolina Chapter
Daughters of the American Revolution
gave left half portico
in honor of
Mrs. Marshall Pinckney Orr
State Regent 1942-1946
Vice President General 1948-1951
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, October 6, 2021
5. May Erwin Talmadge Memorial Cornerstone
The Chapters’
Auditorium—Gymnasium
given in honor of
May Erwin Talmadge
President General N. S. D. A. R.
1944—1947
”The hills shall be thine.”
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, October 6, 2021
6. May Erwin Talmadge Auditorium/Gymnasium (northwest elevation)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, October 6, 2021
7. May Erwin Talmadge Auditorium/Gymnasium (west/front elevation)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 14, 2024. It was originally submitted on January 14, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 59 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on January 14, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
