The Tony Harper Exhibit Hall hosts most of our permanent exhibits. We will always be grateful to the contributions Tony Harper made to the Laurens County Museum.

Serving in Laurens County

Many Laurens County natives gave their life in service to the military. We want to honor their sacrifices and patriotism in this exhibit. We have a large collection of photographs from the Vietnam War and many uniforms from modern wars.

Witherspoon Bedroom

Our current building was donated to us by John Witherspoon in 2011. He donated this Rococo Revival bedroom suite along with other documents and artifacts. He traces his history back to revolutionary war heroes in Laurens County, South Carolina.

Ann Pamela Cunningham: Rosemont to Mount Vernon

Ann Pamela Cunningham was America's first preservationist. From Waterloo, South Carolina, she is responsible for saving the home of George Washington from ruin. She established the Mount Vernon Ladies Society in 1853, and this organization still maintains Mount Vernon today.

The Road to Education for Black Americans

This Black History exhibit paints a picture of what education was like for Black Americans from pre civil war times to modern day. It includes a replica of a one room school house. 

The Martha Franks Collection

Martha Franks was an outstanding citizen of Laurens county who spent her career as a missionary in Asia. She later retired to Laurens county and started the Martha Franks Retirement Community for missionaries. The community has expanded to include hundreds of residents, skilled nursing, and memory care.

Laurens County Industry

Laurens County has a rich history of agriculture which eventually moved into textiles and cotton mills. This exhibit shows past economic and industrial endeavors that were the foundation for industry today.

Laurens Glass Works

Laurens County Glass Works was one of the largest employers in the county for many years. It was a prominent business in South Carolina and bottles from the Laurens plant were sent all over the world.