Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-01-04

essay by Miss Mary Ellen Will
son before the pulTo meeting Of Is
saquena Literary Society, of the Wal
halla High School, December 23d.)
Walhalla owes its birth to the Ger
man Colonization Society Of Charles
ton, South Carolina. About sixty
years ago this society purchased
from Rev, JOS. Gresham, Of West
Union, 1859 acres of land for the
purpose OF establishing colony.
They sought healthy climate, rich
land and good water, and after
sending out exploring expeditions to
various places they at last decided
that here they had found the natu-
raj conditions and resources so well
suited to the establishment Of a
colony.
On March s, 1850, the colony was
named "Walhalla." The word is
borrowed from Scandinavian my
thology and signifies paradise of
the Gods Happy Home" or "lla-
ven OF Rest" The Scandinavians
believed that if they were good and
served thnir aci:ic:s as they ought on
this earth they would pass to the
next world or "Valhalla," beauti-
ful garden where the brave reclincd
beside limpid streams, enjoying the
fruits Of many hard-carned victories.
The name may be written down as a
synonym OF peace and restfulness
Could this place have been more ar-
propriately named? No, ii could not
have, for Walhalla has long since
been synonym for the beauties OF
nature.
In 1880 this place was primeval
forest. The nearest markets were
Hamburg and Anderson, S. G., and
Athens, Ga. The country was then
not network of railroads, telephone
and telegraph lines as it is to some
extent now. Such delays that those
sturdy pioneers had to overcome
would madden us of to-day, but they
did not attempt to crowd a week into
day. Learn to labor and to wait"
was their motto; and labor they did
most faithfully were their tasks per-
formed.
After the site for the town had
been laid OF, the remainder OF the
large tract OF land was subdividcd
into small farms, ranging from fifty
acres upwards. The members OF the
German Colonization Society paid
'NaN money and took their choice OF
tncEo larms. After the members OF
th@ suet"ty were supplied with farms
zoe ""'' nder was subsequently sold
Ip on parties until the whole sur.
y"E =, parcelcd out and owned IN
fee simple by individuals.
Then began the actual work OF
construction. The mammoth pine
'na E,1nt oak, which stood in street
N"r. ike felled. In $50 the first
0.Ha" was built by the late Diedrich
".'mHaH. 1T was rude log hut and
a.. '.Da the site now occupied by
40 building famed lar and near as
Walhalla Hotel. Aid it is hard fol
us to believe that log hut could
have once occupied site on Main
street in the busiest section Of oul
town. Other houses went up in
rapid succession, and finally those
primitive huts were replaced by more
commodions and more substantial
buildings
But those early settlers had the
same trouble Walhalla had in later
years. Everybody wanted to live on
Main street, and 1t thus grew to such
an unusual length. Walhalla was
called "ShocString Town." a name
that is still very appropriate. But
who can blame any one for wishing
1 to live on Main street? 1t is 1926
4 feet wide and is adorned with shade
trees. 1t is one OF the most beauti-
ful streets that any city can boast Of.
The early growth Of Walhalla was
somewhat hindercd by the number
Of old-fashioned bar-rooms. 1t is
said that at one time there were sew
enteen licensed bars. It was in vain
that the venerable Methodist
preacher, Rev. Tyre b. Mauldn,
pleaded with the people to take some
interest In the temperance cause.
His work was in vain then, but It
had good effects later for now there
is not one licensed bar in Walhalla.
nor IN any other part of South Caro-
lima.
A charter for the town was Obtain