Faith Cabin Library at Seneca Junior College facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Faith Cabin Library at Seneca Junior College
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Faith Cabin Library at Seneca Junior College
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | 298 S. Poplar Street, Seneca, South Carolina |
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| Built | 1937 |
| Architectural style | Log cabin |
| MPS | Faith Cabin Libraries in South Carolina 1932-ca.1960 MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 12000942 |
| Added to NRHP | November 14, 2012 |
The Faith Cabin Library at Seneca Junior College was a special place. It was a Faith Cabin Library built to help the African American community in Seneca, South Carolina. This library was located on the campus of Seneca Junior College. This unique log cabin library building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 14, 2012. This means it's an important historical site.
Contents
What Were Faith Cabin Libraries?
In the early 1900s, getting books was hard for many people in rural South Carolina. Because of unfair rules called segregation, African Americans often had no access to libraries. Only a few cities like Charleston and Columbia had some access.
A white mill worker named Willie Lee Buffington had an idea. He worked with his African American childhood friend, Euriah Simpkins, who was a teacher. They wanted to create libraries for African Americans. They asked preachers to help get books donated from communities. A church in New York gave about 1,000 books!
With so many books, the first library was built in Saluda, South Carolina. African Americans built it themselves. They named it the Faith Cabin Library. This was because one woman said, "We didn't have money, all we had was faith."
How the Libraries Grew
Willie Lee Buffington went to college and became a teacher. He taught at colleges like Benedict College and Paine College. He helped the Faith Cabin Library program grow into Georgia too.
About 30 Faith Cabin Libraries were built in South Carolina. Around 70 more were built in Georgia. Today, only a few of these original library buildings still stand in South Carolina. These include the one at Seneca Junior College, the Faith Cabin Library at Anderson County Training School, and the library at Bettis Academy and Junior College. Many former library locations now have special historical markers.
The Seneca Junior College Library
This log cabin library was built in 1937. It was right next to the Seneca Junior College campus. You can find it at 298 South Poplar Street in Seneca.
This specific library had a special name within the Faith Cabin Library system. It was called the "Oberlin Unit." This name honored the students from Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, who donated many books.
Why the Library Closed
Sadly, this library was only open for two years. Seneca Junior College closed down because of the Great Depression. This was a time when many people lost their jobs and money. Also, a new high school for African Americans was built in Seneca.
The Building Today
The main part of the log cabin library is shaped like a "T." It sits on a strong stone foundation. The back part of the building rests on concrete supports. The roof is pointed, like a triangle, and made of metal.
The building has windows on both sides of the front door. There's also a stone chimney on the left side. You can see two more windows on the right side and one on the back. The ends of the roof (called gables) are covered with wooden planks and have a window.
The other buildings that were part of Seneca Junior College are no longer there. Today, the Seneca Institute Family Life Center has a newer building. It was built in 1978 and is not part of the historic site.
