Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-04-21
Tho Founding of WalhalIa.

ON ~ -~N't |S w. i| - ichtsh5
who resided in our sister town of
West Union, sold to G. Il. Sceba,
John A. Wagner, Claus Bulwinkle,
~. T.. Hcnckle and Jacob Schroeder,
as Trustees of the German Colonial.
ton Society, of Charleston, S. c.,
1850 acres Of land, situate in the
western portion of Pickens District.
The price paid was $4,000. Tho
town of Walhalla was located by the
officers of tho Colonization Society
near tho western boundary Of their
purchase. The first house within
the corporate limits was built by the
late Dcidrich Bicmann in the year
1851 1t was an old-fashionod log
cabin land occupied the site Of the
large two"story frame building, which
was aftcrward known for many years
as Biemann's Hotel. 1t was not long
until the arrival of other pioneer
settlers from tho Fathcrland, and
this soon became a distinctive Ger
man colony. Other houses of primi-
tive design were erected, principally
along Main street. In the course of
time substantial houses were
built, and, by reason of the natural
contour, tho town developed along
the gently %nndulating ridge, from
east to west. Thus early did Wal.
halla become known as the "Shoc-
string Town" because Of the unusual
length of its one street. This, how
ever, cannot be said of it any longer,
for it has steadily grown until its
width and length arc about equal.
The business houses, though, arc
located on Main street, which is
known far and ncar as one Of the
most beautiful streets that any city
. or town can boast of.
There was a steady influx of Ger
man immigrants, who, by habits of
industry and economy, soon became
n prosperous and contcnted people.
The site selected by them for build
ing the town lies six miles south of
Stump-house Mountain, aspur of the
great Blue Ridge range. The town
was not established with an idea of
being the County scat; but when
Pickcns District was divided, in
1868, into Oconce and Pickcns Coun-
ties, Walhalla was selected as the
capital of Oconec County. 1t has
been --""Trtaincd by actual survey
to be ~. Yin at least two miles of
tho geographical centre of the county.
The word "Walhalla" is borrowed
from Scandinavian mythology and
signifies "'aradisc of the Gods" or
a place Of rest and rcfrcshmcnt. We
think the town is appropriately
named, and that the name expresses
pnly what Walhalla really is--an
II place of sweet rest. No town
ta'all orr Southland enjoys a NOR
a dGghttul, refreshing and health
S2ing climate the y~cararound.
ATfhe town, originally scttl>1 by
my Germans, remained almost
lAsiveIy a German 6 Immunity
fifteen years. A~Nr the
House was Established
III there was a gradual influx
american citizens. The two
nalitics were on the best of
from the first, and it was O
until they were about equal in
per. The addition Of native
%ricans was agreeable to the Ger
a7- Ts 1iictttiGS". who learned 20 cherish
cng~ aSIations with their new
SSMfs.J This mixing and intcrming-
of American and German citi-
w , gradually resulted in American
6 the habits and customs of the
~ lpN' III SiolG Illllc, IiC Nlllcr-
OF nationality was kno wn prin-
PLY in name. Nearly all of the
Einal settlers have passed away,
their wholesome influence re.
ns. Their descendants nav
PIX another language, but
still maintain habits of
lit and economy which in the
| run make any people pros
bus and happy.
" alhalla's population is now about
thousand five hundred. She
pbors many progressive citizens
Png her inhabitants, VIII from
b to year, increase her b, sincss,
lguratc new enterprises and
lcVo success.
The Cid Blue Ridge Tunnel.
long in the iiftics the Blue Ridge
Nroad Company attempted to cut
nnel through Stump-housc Noun
4, The project was abandoned
~ breaking out of the civil