Orangeburg breaks ground on Railroad Corner revitalization project
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The city of Orangeburg celebrated an impressive milestone on Wednesday with the groundbreaking of the Railroad Corner Revitalization project.
The idea that inspired this project was first shared years ago. Community leaders and local residents celebrated the groundbreaking venture.
Russel, Magnolia, and Boulevard Streets is the site known as the Railroad Corner. City of Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler tells WIS this revitalization effort has been nearly 30 years in the making.
A beautiful day in Orangeburg filled with cheers, joy, and excitement about breaking ground to build new dreams through the highly anticipated Railroad Corner Revitalization project.
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“This has been a great opportunity, a true team effort, said South Carolina Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter. “We’ve had federal, state, and local investments into this and there is still more to come hopefully so that the vision can be fully actualized.”
The corner will include new and much-needed housing for Claflin and SC State students, along with additional commercial space and faculty housing.
“This gives the students at South Carolina State and Claflin University access to the same type of development, new housing, entertainment, as well as places to eat and socialize,” said South Carolina State President Alexander Conyers.
U.S. Congressman Jim Clyburn told the audience that in the 1960s, the corner was known as Orangeburg’s “Black Wall Street.” At the time it was the only place where African Americans were destined to pursue their dreams of being business owners.
Acclaimed photographer, Mr. Cecil Williams who attended Claflin University, re it well. Williams had a photography studio in the railroad corner.
“It is an integral part of the city of Orangeburg and was once the location of many African American businesses,” said Williams. “In fact, in 1960, I had my photography studio right at the very same place, we would be building a museum.
His pivotal work, documenting the civil rights movement in South Carolina, will be the heart of the development. The same place where his studio once stood will become the new Cecil Williams Civil Rights Museum.
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“South Carolina was one of the sixteen southern states that did not have a civil rights museum. To bring this all together I’m having the state’s first civil rights museum located in Orangeburg where there are two great HBCUs. You might say it’s one of the most present and memorable times of my life to have this come together,” said Williams.
The $22.8 million development is being funded by the Biden istration’s bipartisan Infrastructure Law along with state and local tax funding. City leaders say that the Cecil Williams Civil Rights Museum is expected to be completed in the next 14 months and the Railroad Corner is expected to be completed in summer of 2025.
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