Phil Spotts says Newberry is a historical society that should have a historical hub just off Main Street to welcome visitors and display the county’s past and present, as well as current industry.

Otherwise, the current Newberry County museum is somewhat off-the-beaten path and not very viewer friendly, says Spotts, a member of the Newberry County Historical and Museum Society.

Even when Jim Clamp, society member and Historical Museum coordinator gives visitors perfect directions to the museum off Nance Street, they get lost, Clamp says.

“It’s too small and it’s out of the way,“ says Spotts.

That’s why Spotts, Clamp and other members of the Newberry County Historical and Museum Society have their eyes on the old post office on Friend and College streets, which was recently Newberry’s public library before the January completion of the Hal Kohn Memorial Library.

Now, nearly empty except for some downstairs furnishings and books from a recent book sale, the building holds the interest of many that gathered Sunday afternoon for the society’s first quarterly meeting. They would like to see it become Newberry County’s new museum.

“The building that concerns us now,“ said Newberry historian Ernest Shealy of the former library site built by James Knox Taylor. Taylor was chosen by the federal government to oversee construction of all its buildings in the early 1900s.

Taylor also designed the Philadelphia Mint and the Governor’s mansion in Alaska.

“I’ve always known the building was a gem,“ said Shealy. “And further research confirmed it.“

The 7,000 square foot building of brick, granite and limestone with a pantile roof is a “classic building“ that needs to be used “in a classic way,“ says Spotts.

And with a visitor-friendly, secure museum, Spotts thinks many local treasures will surface.

A lot of historic things in people’s attics and basements will come out of hiding, he says.

“There’s a lot of important history in people’s houses,“ agreed Les Hipp, who is vice president of the society, and currently on County Council.

Now that a museum moment has formed, a committee is in the making.

“I can’t see us ever getting rid of this building and seeing it in private hands,“ said Hipp. “Once it gets into the private sector, you can’t retrieve it.“

Hipp hopes the committee will have “a good objective view of stakeholders from each (Newberry County) municipality“ to establish a good use for the building “not just for Newberry city, but for the whole county.“

By the end of September, Hipp thinks the group will be ready to recommend to County Council the best use for the building for a resolution.

“It has all kinds of potential here for a great tourist attraction for Newberry County,“ said Jim Lander, former state senator and S.C. Comptroller General.

Lander and Jim Livingston toured the old post office building before the meeting, and both saw room for varied displays.

If the building becomes a museum, Livingston thinks it would be great to let industries like Louis Rich “and all the good corporations here“ showcase their business.

Lander, a longtime Boy Scout leader, would like the Boy Scouts to have a display too.

The county’s need is “focal, easy-to-get-to, visible museum,“ said Lander, “and this is just the place for it.“

Shealy, overhearing Lander promote the building, agreed.

“Keep going,“ Shealy told him.

Newberry businessman Owen Holmes, also on the self-guided tour, noted areas needing improvement.

“It would be very useful to us, with some maintenance and upkeep,“ Holmes said.

After the tour and before Shealy’s presentation, many gathered around papers showing historic Newberry.

There were pictures of Newberry’s Pope School, the “Graded School“ and one showing heavy horse and buggy traffic in front of the old courthouse.

But Jenny Carlisle and Ann Hunter found the “gem“ Shealy mentioned.

“I just love that building,“ said Hunter looking at the old post office.

“I do too,“ Carlisle echoed.