Bishop Holston, others gather for dedication of Burdine Lodge…

Asbury stayed at Burdine Lodge as he established Methodism in the late 1700s

PICKENS—A large crowd gathered at the Hagood Mill historical site Oct. 31 for the long-awaited groundbreaking for the restoration of the 18th-century Burdine Lodge.

Led by Bishop Jonathan Holston, resident bishop of the South Carolina United Methodist Conference, and Dr. Roger Gramling, chair of the United Methodist Foundation and secretary-treasurer of the South Carolina Methodist Historical Society, Methodist leaders from across the state gathered to participate in this event.

The bishop addressed the historic value of this day and delivered a Liturgy of Consecration, as well.

The Burdine Lodge is a documented location where Bishop Francis Asbury stayed as he established Methodism in the South Carolina Upcountry in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

Built in the 1760s, the historic log house was moved in the 1790s to Old Vinland School Road in the Dacusville community of what was then known as the Pendleton District. In 1796, it became the home of Samuel Burdine, an early Methodist. Asbury would stay there when traveling from North Carolina into South Carolina thrugh the Saluda Pass.

In his journal, Asbury documented visits with Burdine in November 1800, accompanied by Bishop Richard Whatcoat, and again in November 1892. The Burdine home also became a meeting place for a Methodist Society, which today is known as Antioch United Methodist Church of the North Easley Charge in the Greenville District.

The rebuilding is scheduled to begin sometime in November and take at least a year.

Sen. Rex Rice and members of the Pickens County Delegation, County Councilman Wes Hendricks, County Administrator Gerald Wilson, Mayor David Owens, City Councilman Patrick Lark and a sizable contingent of members of the Pickens County Historical Society were present at the wooded site selected for the re-building. Also in attendance were representatives of Anderson District United Methodist Men and the South Carolina Conference Historical Society.

“We are restoring an important part of our local history to Pickens County that will be here for generations to come,” said Historical Society President Ken Nabors, who supervised the careful deconstruction of the structure several years ago.

Methodist Lay Speaker and Pickens County Historical Society member Chuck Blowers will lead the construction team.

“What a glorious, beautiful fall day we had for this groundbreaking ceremony/service,” Blowers said. “The site of the groundbreaking and future location of the Burdine Lodge is a secluded, serene creekside site.”

A grand opening event will be held when the log house is completed.

The Hagood Mill Historic Site, located at 138 Hagood Mill Road just off Hwy. 178 approximately three miles north of Pickens, is home to a number of historic buildings.