SC Picture Project » Hopkins

Columbia Mormon Temple

SCIWAY — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 20:49:06 +0000

The Columbia Mormon Temple is actually located in nearby Hopkins at 2905 Trotter Road. It opened in 1999 with much celebration, and is over 10,000 square feet big! People of Mormon faith from across our state come here to celebrate and worship. If you are interested in learning more about the temple, please visit its website here.

SCIWAY thanks frequent contributor Larry Gleason of Aiken for these great pictures!

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Hopkins

SCIWAY — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 14:40:41 +0000

This historical marker and welcome sign mark the area where there was once a thriving business hub for the township of Hopkins, located in Richland County. Up until the 1930′s, the Hopkins community was thriving with general stores, gin mills, industries, residences, a town hall, a rail depot, and a telegraph office.

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SCIWAY thanks D.S. Brooks of Hopkins for submitting this information and picture he took in September 2010.

Barber House

SCIWAY — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:52:34 +0000

According to the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, the Harriet Barber House was constructed in Hopkins in 1880. The house is an important landmark due to its ties to the SC Land Commission, whose goal was to give freedmen the opportunity to own land. Even though many freedmen lost their land over time, the land on which the Barber House was built has been owned by the same family since 1872.

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A former slave named Samuel Barber bought these 42 1/2 acres in 1872 and grew cotton on almost half of the land. Harriet, his wife, made the final payment in 1879 and received the title to the land. According to the Barber family, Samuel Barber founded St. John’s Baptist Church near Hopkins.

Samuel and Harriet Barber both died during the 1890s, and the land along with the house was passed to their son John, his wife, and their eleven children. John Barber continued to farm the land, but also was a public school teacher and a Baptist preacher throughout most of his life. John Barber passed away in 1957, and the house continues to remain in the Barber Family.

This image is copyrighted. You may not use it without written consent.

This majestic sugarberry tree pictured above is located on the Barber land, and was named a winner in the Treasured Tree designation by the Midlands Arbor Day Committee during Arbor Day 2009. According to Barber family tradition, the tree has always stood on the property purchased by Sam and Harriet Barber and is unique to the area. Family members attended a December reception at the Governors Mansion, honoring recipients of the Treasured Tree award from across the Midlands.

The Harriet Barber House is part of the South East Rural Community Outreach program, which is a coalition of representatives from Lower Richland community groups, historic sites, and local historians and preservation advocates who meet once a month to review projects and organize programs for this area.

Many thanks to D.S. Brooks of Hopkins, who provided these pictures and great information to SCIWAY in October 2010.