The Donalds Grange No. 497

<br> The Donalds Grange No. 497 is significant for both its architecture and its contribution to the social development of the community and Abbeville County. For these reasons, Donalds Grange No. 497, Patrons of Husbandry, was entered into the National Register of Historic Places on January 9, 1995. Construction in 1935 by local Works Progress Administration (WPA) labor on land donated by W. Maxie Agnew, the building served originally as the home of the town hall, the grange, and the public library. Since its inception, the fieldstone building has been the meeting hall for the agricultural organization known locally and most commonly as the Donalds Grange. <br><br> In 1942 Donalds Grange sponsored the Abbeville County Circulating Library, including its popular bookmobile. The building became headquarters for the Abbeville County Library system and served as such until 1959, when the Grange sponsored construction of the adjacent W. Maxie Agnew Branch Library. <br><br> <b>Architecture of the Grange</b><br> The architectural significance of the property stems from its local design and its construction by WPA labor. The fieldstone construction and locally produced lumber are evidence of the participation of local labor in this important example of Depression Era public buildings.