St. Matthews in Calhoun County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
West End Public Library
In 1950, West End Calhoun County Library opened in a rented 4-room building off Calhoun Road to serve Black residents of Calhoun County. It was organized by local African Americans, who sought Calhoun County Co. Public Library (CCPL) support to help secure resources. Its collection of 3,000 books originated from those given in 1937 by Rev. J.L.C. Riley of Lone Star to a library service run by the Works Progress Administration.
To provide a larger, more permanent facility for the library, a concrete block building was built here in 1960 on a lot owned by the Calhoun Co. Colored Teachers Association. Funded by a legislative appropriation, the 936-sq. ft. structure cost $6,500 and could house 8,000 books. West End became a CCPL branch library after desegregation. It closed in 1996 after the retirement of its longtime librarian, Hennie Owens Parker.
Erected 2020 by South Carolina Department of Archives and History, sponsored by Calhoun County Resrouces, Inc. and Wegoja Foundation. (Marker Number 9-22.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music
this page online
Location. 33° 40.195′ N, 80° 46.979′ W. Marker is in St. Matthews, South Carolina, in Calhoun County. It is at the intersection of Calhoun Road (State Road o-21) and Carr Street, on the right when traveling east on Calhoun Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1708 Calhoun Rd, Saint Matthews SC 29135, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, in Congaree Country, and specifically in Santee Cooper Country. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8
Credits. This page was last revised on February 13, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 25, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 25 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 25, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
