New “Welcome to Powdersville” Sign Unveiled

A project long in the works was unveiled to the Powdersville Community Thursday afternoon.

The new “Welcome to Powdersville” sign is located in front of Walgreen's at the intersection of SC 153 and Highway 81.

A large crowd gathered for the unveiling of the sign.

“This has been going on since November of 2011,” said Pam Bridges, Powdersville Business Council Chair. “There's been a lot of work put into this sign behind us.”

The project was an effort between the Powdersville Business Council and the Powdersville Garden Club, according to Barb Schuster with the Powdersville Business Council.

The PBC raised the funds needed for the project and the Powdersville Garden Club provided the landscaping.

Schuster said the sign was needed.

“There's generally been a sign out here for many, many years saying “Welcome to Powdersville,” Schuster said. “When they had to take it down, everyone missed it. It's a community thing. Everyone in the community really missed it. As you can see from the turnout today, everybody was really excited about it.”

Greater Easley Chamber of Commerce Chairman Sean Thornton said proceeds from the PBC's Golf Tournament helped pay for the sign.

Thornton thanked Anderson County, the law firm of Babb & Brown, Lester Farmer for the electrical work on the sign, the Powdersville Garden Club and Dr. Freddie Zink.

A local company, Masstar Signs, built and installed the sign.

“We appreciate them,” Thornton said. “We also want to thank Walgreen's for letting us put the sign on their property.

Doris and Dottie Morgan were happy to see a “Welcome to Powdersville” sign return.

“We're back on the map,” Doris Morgan said.

Her sister-in-law Dottie agreed, stating she and Doris remembered a time when the SC 153/81 intersection wasn't the economic engine that it is now.

“We remember before there was even a red light,” Dottie said. “There was just a stop sign.”

Doris said Garden Club members took great pride in doing the landscape work for the new sign.

“We're just delighted the business association joined with the Powdersville Garden Club and made it even more beautiful,” Doris said. “We're a proud community today.”

Willie Garrett has been a Powdersville resident for “76 of my 86 years.”

A part president of the Powdersville Garden Club, Garrett remembers raising money for the former sign.

“Afterwards, the money from our plant sale and our yearly fees paid for the flowers around the sign, she said. “I'm been involved with it for over 20 years and now it's time for me to turn it over somebody else.”

Garrett said she loves the new sign.

“I think it looks real neat and that everbody will notice it and feel welcome when they come,” she said.

The garden club meets the first Tuesday of every month at 10 am at Bethesda United Methodist Church.

Sue Ercolini, current president of the Powdersville Garden Club, said the club is preparing for next month's Powdersville Garden Club Plant Sale.

The sale will be Friday, April 26 at the Powdersville Ingles.

The sale starts at 8:30am and goes to about 1pm.

“We have lots and lots of little plants that most of us grow from our yard, that we dig up and that we sell for an extremely reasonable price,” Ercolini said.

Ercolini said the club is exploring future landscaping options for the new sign.

Anderson County Council Chairman Francis Crowder said Powdersville is “the hotspot of the county right at this particular time.”

He said that as Powdersville continues to grow, it maintains the great quality of life that will continue to draw business to the area.

Interim County Administrator Rusty Burns said Powdersville is “one of the fastest-growing spots not only in Anderson County, but in South Carolina.”

“It's quality growth and it's fueled by quality people,” Burns said.

He said he was happy that there have been economic development announcements along I-85. Burns said infrastructure work needs to be done to help Powdersville grow even more.

“But also grow in a controlled manner that's pleasing to the citizens,” he said.

A surprise guest came to the unveiling – Congressman Jeff Duncan.

“What a great day it is for Powdersville,” Duncan said.

He remembered telling people two years ago that he was doing an event in Powdersville.

“And they said, 'Where?'” Duncan said. “But they came and they saw. Now folks will come and they'll understand where they are. What great success small communities like Powdersville experience when you put up a sign and have an identity. You can see all the economic growth, from what you can see just by standing by the this sign, what has happened under the leadership of everyone I see here today.”

In addition to paying for the sign's construction, the Powdersville Business Council will pay the power bill for the sign each month.

“We've committed to do that,” Schuster said. “I'm really pleased with the way it looks. I've looked at the drawings for so long, but it doesn't look the same. I'm thrilled to death. It looks really great.”