Olson Cassette 1, Side 1
Media
Part of Interview: Olson, Edward S. and Mary L.
Title
Olson Cassette 1, Side 1
Source
Edward S. and Mary L. Olsen Interview
Date
1988-09-01
Description
Cassette 1
Side 1
00:07: By 1988, Edward and Mary Olson had lived in Clemson for 37 years. They arrived in February of 1951. Edward initially was employed as a Research and Development Chemist at the Milliken Excelsior Finishing Plant in Pendleton, SC. In 1959, he joined the Textile Research Department at Clemson as a Research Development Chemist. The department was headed at the time by Thomas Efland and Bill Rainey. Edward remained with the University from 1959-1983, upon which he retired. Mary Olson taught History and French for 18 years at Daniel high school. She retired in 1976.
1:50: The couple are the owners of the establishment known as "Calhoun Corner's." "Calhoun Corner's" was originally the Boggs store. They first purchased the building in 1974. The idea of buying the property had occurred to Mrs. Olson as early as the couple's first arrival to the area in 1951. While on sabbatical in Europe during the early 1970's, the couple was again inspired to purchase and preserve the old store. They had been exposed to cities where virtually every building was several hundred years old, and thought it would be a great shame if the Boggs store were allowed to fall into complete disrepair. When they returned to South Carolina they learned that the store was being sold by the Boggs family. They purchased the building in 1974, and enlisted the help of Clemson Architecture professor John Jacks to oversee the renovation project.
5:00: Megginson enquires if the couple knows when the building was built. It is believed that Dr. Doyle bought the land in 1892. Doyle commissioned John Wesley Cochran to build the store (this information was given to the Olson's by Mary Crawford, Mr. Cochran's daughter). John Wesley Cochran owned a brickyard near the Seneca River, where the railroad trestle is now. Mr. Cochran built the "old textile building" (Godfrey Hall) on the Clemson campus, the Trustee Building, a mill in Spartanburg, SC, and the Smith store in Calhoun, SC.
9:05: Mr. Olson states that there was a great variability in the consistency of the brick at "Calhoun Corners." He speculates that perhaps the bricks were fired at different temperatures.
9:50: The general layout and structure of the building is discussed. The foundation walls are 18 inches thick. A 90 foot deep well was found during renovations. It would have been located on the original back porch of the Boggs establishment.
13:23: Megginson traces the evolution of the establishment as he understands it. Dr. Doyle originally bought the land in 1892. The Doyle family continued to own the land from 1892-1940. Various individuals ran the store over the years. There was J.D. Morgan; Morgan and Boggs; the Holden's (1910?); and Norman Boggs. Two other families that were believed to have operated the store in later years were the Nichols's and the Carter's. No records from the early decades of the establishment have ever been found.
17:55: Mrs. Olson states that over the years the upstairs "hall" was used as a meeting place for the Woodmen of the World, magistrate court, the Presbyterian Church, the Freemasons, and for social events such as dances.
23:45: Voter registration took place at the Boggs establishment. The group tries to determine if the post office was ever located in the Boggs store.
25:17: Mrs. Olson begins reading from a Messenger news article dated August 14, 1974. Covered are the "prank" electric bench at Boggs's, and the original story behind the large stones at the front of the establishment.
28:00: Mrs. Olson reads from a couple of letters concerning the placement of bicentennial celebration markers at the establishment. The first letter is from Wright Bryan.
29:50: Audio ends.
Side 1
00:07: By 1988, Edward and Mary Olson had lived in Clemson for 37 years. They arrived in February of 1951. Edward initially was employed as a Research and Development Chemist at the Milliken Excelsior Finishing Plant in Pendleton, SC. In 1959, he joined the Textile Research Department at Clemson as a Research Development Chemist. The department was headed at the time by Thomas Efland and Bill Rainey. Edward remained with the University from 1959-1983, upon which he retired. Mary Olson taught History and French for 18 years at Daniel high school. She retired in 1976.
1:50: The couple are the owners of the establishment known as "Calhoun Corner's." "Calhoun Corner's" was originally the Boggs store. They first purchased the building in 1974. The idea of buying the property had occurred to Mrs. Olson as early as the couple's first arrival to the area in 1951. While on sabbatical in Europe during the early 1970's, the couple was again inspired to purchase and preserve the old store. They had been exposed to cities where virtually every building was several hundred years old, and thought it would be a great shame if the Boggs store were allowed to fall into complete disrepair. When they returned to South Carolina they learned that the store was being sold by the Boggs family. They purchased the building in 1974, and enlisted the help of Clemson Architecture professor John Jacks to oversee the renovation project.
5:00: Megginson enquires if the couple knows when the building was built. It is believed that Dr. Doyle bought the land in 1892. Doyle commissioned John Wesley Cochran to build the store (this information was given to the Olson's by Mary Crawford, Mr. Cochran's daughter). John Wesley Cochran owned a brickyard near the Seneca River, where the railroad trestle is now. Mr. Cochran built the "old textile building" (Godfrey Hall) on the Clemson campus, the Trustee Building, a mill in Spartanburg, SC, and the Smith store in Calhoun, SC.
9:05: Mr. Olson states that there was a great variability in the consistency of the brick at "Calhoun Corners." He speculates that perhaps the bricks were fired at different temperatures.
9:50: The general layout and structure of the building is discussed. The foundation walls are 18 inches thick. A 90 foot deep well was found during renovations. It would have been located on the original back porch of the Boggs establishment.
13:23: Megginson traces the evolution of the establishment as he understands it. Dr. Doyle originally bought the land in 1892. The Doyle family continued to own the land from 1892-1940. Various individuals ran the store over the years. There was J.D. Morgan; Morgan and Boggs; the Holden's (1910?); and Norman Boggs. Two other families that were believed to have operated the store in later years were the Nichols's and the Carter's. No records from the early decades of the establishment have ever been found.
17:55: Mrs. Olson states that over the years the upstairs "hall" was used as a meeting place for the Woodmen of the World, magistrate court, the Presbyterian Church, the Freemasons, and for social events such as dances.
23:45: Voter registration took place at the Boggs establishment. The group tries to determine if the post office was ever located in the Boggs store.
25:17: Mrs. Olson begins reading from a Messenger news article dated August 14, 1974. Covered are the "prank" electric bench at Boggs's, and the original story behind the large stones at the front of the establishment.
28:00: Mrs. Olson reads from a couple of letters concerning the placement of bicentennial celebration markers at the establishment. The first letter is from Wright Bryan.
29:50: Audio ends.
Rights
Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives.