About Fairfield County, SC

Winnsboro, SC Museum

If you find yourself in the Winnsboro, SC area and you're a history buff like me, then you'll probably like to visit the Winnsboro, SC Museum. Winnsboro, SC is located about 30 minutes outside of Columbia, SC and is easily reached from both I-77 and I-20.

The Winnsboro, SC Museum itself is found right on Main Street and can't be missed. The building itself is a part of the history of Winnsboro and staged within it's red brick walls, you'll find tons more history about this small town.

So if you're looking to make a day trip from Columbia, or you're in the Winnsboro area, the check out the museum. They have some wonderful standard exhibits and change out special exhibits on a regular basis.

The other day a I wrote a post about the Fairfield County museum in Winnsboro, SC. Currently they are holding a special exhibit for one of their native Sons, William Belk, that displays many of the artifacts that he has saved and collected over the years and through his travels. To the left is a picture of one such artifact that is currently on display during the exhibit.

It's the blindfold that William wore when he was a hostage in Iran. He was one of more than 60 Americans who spent 444 days in captivity when the US Embassy in Tehran was overrun. I can't imagine what the experience must have been like or how frightened those that endured this ordeal must have been.

Luckily, William was returned and finished out the rest of his career serving the U.S. He like many of the people those that were captured with him, have lived on to share their story with the rest of us. A frightening reminder of what those who have served and protected our country have gone through ensuring our safety.

I can't imagine for the life of me what it would be like knowing that a family member was in this situation. Not knowing if they were safe. Not knowing if they were alive. And not knowing if they would return home or if you would ever have the opportunity to see them again.

I can however ask those who were around at the time what it was like. According to my family it was a frightening time indeed. William Belk in my cousin, and from what I understand, what was in our measurement of time just over a year, felt a lot like an eternity. I'm sure for William it felt like the whole thing lasted a lot longer. These days he is happy and healthy and has put a lot of this behind him.

And now rightfully so, the Fairfield County Museum is honoring one of it's native Sons in this current exhibit. So if you get a chance, stop by and have a look for yourself. Sometimes it's powerful to see history close up.

Fairfield County Museum in Winnsboro, SC

Located about eight miles off of I-77, between Columbia, SC and Rockhill, you'll find a small town with a quaint main street known as Winnsboro, SC. Winnsboro has a long history and maintains it's small town charm after all this time. Right there on Main Street, known as Congress Street, is the Fairfield County Museum.

The Fairfield County Museum, much like the rest of town, is not a huge place. However, it is well worth a walk through to see what it has to offer. The main focal point is the history of the county in which it resides. With lots of artifacts like pottery and arrow heads that have been found throughout Fairfield, the museum offers an excellent opportunity to see living history right before your eyes. Of course, they also have special exhibits from time to time, like the current exhibit that show cases William Belk, a Winnsboro native and Iranian Hostage.

So if you find yourself in the vicinity of Winnsboro, SC and you'd like to see a bit of the town's history, then you should stop by the museum and take a look. Admission is free, so it doesn't cost anything to check it out and see what you think. As always museums can be a fun learning experience for the whole family and this one has the added bonus of being priced right.

The Fairfield County Museum

Location - 231 South Congress Street Winnsboro, SC 29180

Phone - 803-635-9811

Email - fairfieldmus@InfoAve.Net

Hours - Tuesday-Friday 1:30-4:30
Wednesday 10:30-4:30 (Genealogy Room open)
Saturday 10:30-3:00

Columbia, SC Real Estate