The Edgefield Hotel
In 2017, a leading Edgefield citizen donated the town’s historic hotel to Preservation South Carolina with but one condition: Could you please use your resources to determine if this property, that has been closed for a number of years, could be reopened as a boutique hotel? We agreed to take on the project.
History: The former Dixie Highway Hotel, most recently named the Plantation House Hotel, is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. It sits on the site of former hotels that welcomed guests and served the community since the town was established. It tells the story of economic and social transitions in the town’s history and its participation in a national movement to better connect towns and cities across the country. And because the Plantation House Hotel was conceived of and built by the people of Edgefield, it has always been a source of community pride.
The original hotel was built in 1813 and known as the Planters Inn, and later, as the Ryan Hotel after the Ryan family that owned it at the time. For much of the 19th century, the property was used as a tavern and hotel. This early frame structure would burn in the fire of 1892. It was not until 1919, when local leaders of Edgefield, invested in building what we see today.
Over the building's lifespan, it was owned by the likes of South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond, and W.W. Mims. The hotel was a part of the social scene in Edgefield, where dinners, receptions, and parties were regularly held. During the 1960s, under ownership of W.W. Mims, the building was used as a housing tor countless World War II survivors (pictured).
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Today
We are pleased to share that we are negotiating a sale with a developer, with engagement of the town, for a historic adaptive reuse that will greatly benefit Edgefield.
We hope to announce a groundbreaking project in early 2024. Stay tuned!
Virtual Tour
A behind-the-scenes tour of the hotel with Board member, George Thornton, and Preservation SC Director of Outreach and Preservation, Joanna Rothell.