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AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Snow fell all across the CSRA on Saturday, and some “magical” things took place.

The first snowfall of the season brought memorable moments to families across Edgefield and Aiken counties.

In Edgefield, little Callie experienced her first snow after her father Jeff drove the family up from Central Florida specifically for the weather event.

“When we saw it on the windshield, it was squeals and oohs and ahs – it’s a magical time,” Jeff said.

Jeff decided to make the trip north when he saw the forecast calling for snow in the area.

“We don’t get snow, we don’t get to experience it, and it’s kind of magical. We watch YouTube videos where people are playing in snow, and she’s been wanting to see it ever since,” he said.

Callie said snow angels were on her agenda for the day.

In Aiken, the snowfall provided the backdrop for an unexpected marriage proposal at Hopeland Gardens as Robert surprised Ashley during his brief visit home.

“This was the best surprise ever,” Ashley said.

Robert had flown down from Canada, where he is currently working, for just one day to propose.

The couple has been together for four and a half years.

“This has been coming... and we finally got a chance to do it,” Robert said.

And funny enough, another family made a four-hour drive from Florida to the S.C. midlands on Saturday to catch a glimpse of snow.

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Justin Mak said his family made their way up from Jacksonville to downtown Lexington so his children could experience a little bit of winter.

“We found there was a winter storm coming. These guys [his children] are always begging me to see snow,” he said. “We see the beach and the sand all the time, and that’s kind of normal for us. But seeing snow is not as normal. When I found out it was going to be close by...it’s only a four-hour drive. We got a hotel room last night and just to come up here to see it.”

EDGEFIELD — Redevelopment of Edgefield’s historic hotel, the Plantation House, is now underway.

Bryan Beal, owner and developer through B&B Real Estate, said he’s targeting a summer 2027 opening for what’s to be a 24-room boutique hotel in the style of an upscale lodge — the themes drawing from Edgefield’s tourism niche, the outdoor sportsman.

Jan. 8 was the kick-off for it, though some work had been ongoing both inside (the non-historic annex is torn down. Carted away are the dusty glass counters and faded checks from the 1960s and ‘70s when the place served as veterans housing).

Beyond the hotel, plans for a full-service restaurant — possibly a steakhouse — plus a basement speakeasy are there. So, too, plans for three retail spaces on the ground floor and courtyard event space.

It will all be locally managed.

“Given the community and the historical nature of this site, it just felt right,” Beal said, to keep it here and not outsource that part of the business to a larger chain.

And anything salvageable will be used, Beal said. Custom windows are being manufactured. All or most of the flooring will remain, even if it has to be taken out for refinishing and then put back in place. The columns and woodwork will be the same as they’ve always been.

“We want to make a lasting mark here; we don’t want to do anything halfway,” he said.

Edgefield Mayor Ken Durham said he’s excited to see this property revitalized.

“We’ve had a lot of people come to Edgefield over the last five to 10 years. They’ve invested in our town, they’ve invested in out spirt, they’ve invested in our vision,’ he said.

And, he added with some cheek, “They have brought vision to us country boys who grew up right here.”

“Think of all the history that’s happened here and in this place,” Preservation South Carolina’s Chairman John Hildreth said.

The building itself dates to before the war, the war in this case being the First World War. Construction on what would become the Dixie Hotel began around 1913, the Dixie opening in 1920 before being foreclosed a year later.

The property has already been two different hotels. Before this, the property held a pair of taverns, the full legacy stretching to 1787 and predating the town’s schools and churches.

It’s been owned by former South Carolina Gov. Storm Thurmond. And by James Longstreet, father of the Confederate General of the same name. It was at one point destined for tear-down after being deemed a hazard and before being stabilized.

The important thing about preservation, though, Hildreth said, “is that it’s really not about the past; it’s about our future.”

Preserving buildings and the stories that go with them, he said, “it’s giving new life to some of those places and continued service to others.”

It’s all about “preserving places that tell a story,” he added. “Sometimes, stories that are told by historic places are stories of celebration. And sometimes, they’re stories of hard truth. But all those stories are important to us, and a community is knit together and built by all those different stories that are represented in the bricks and mortar around us.”

“What a team effort this has truly been,” developer Beal said. “The creative process was intensive — it was intensive. It takes a lot to make this all happen through architecture, engineering; obviously, working with the city and county here and with everybody that played a part in this. It was an intensive, well-thought-out process.”

No stranger to historic properties, Beal’s company has transformed other historic sites and is behind both the Mill at Fountain Inn and the Fountain Inn Brewery, Vaughn’s Food Hall in Simpsonville and Trade Street Social in Greer.

That work has led to a familiarity with South Carolina’s various tax credit programs meant to incentivize this type of work, and it’s led to connections with Hildreth’s group.

Preservation SC’s revolving fund provided some of the capital, and the nonprofit was also the one to take over the property when it was donated in 2017, ensuring its legacy even before anyone showed it interest.

“This is what we’re passionate about,” Beal said, “and I can feel the same from those in this community.”

EDGEFIELD, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - A group of Buddhist monks spent their third day in South Carolina on Thursday, walking from Edgefield to Saluda, where they had lunch and planned to spend the night.

A crowd followed them to Edgefield on Wednesday, where the monks served the followers food and handed out friendship bracelets.

It was the 74th day of the monks’ peace walk to Washington, D.C.

On Tuesday, hundreds gathered at the McCormick EMS headquarters to hear the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara spread his message.

“Everywhere we go now, the crowd is getting larger and larger. That shows us that everyone is joining this walk together with the monks,” Pannakara said.

The walk for peace has drawn crowds from across America on the monks’ journey from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C.

Tuesday brought that crowd to McCormick.

“What they’re doing here is bringing peace, love, and compassion. Everything that this town and the surrounding towns need,” said Ardreika Pratt, from McCormick, who came to walk with the monks.

Glenda Green, who also came to walk, called the journey remarkable. “Amazing. Astonishing. It takes a lot of dedication,” Green said.

Pannakara acknowledged that the journey has not been easy.

“Sometimes we step on nails, sometimes we step on screws and glass and things like that,” he said.

Despite the challenges, the monks continue their calling.

“Hopefully, everyone will practice to have love and kindness and compassion so that peace will bloom,” Pannakara said.

Some supporters offered gifts to show solidarity with the monks’ message.

“I share in their message and want to show that they’re not alone, that their message is heard,” said Doc Kahn, who came to walk.

Others provided support for the journey itself.

“Everybody doesn’t have the strength, everybody doesn’t have the passion, everybody doesn’t have that kind of dedication and commitment,” Pratt said.

Numerous people lined the streets again on Wednesday to see the monks, with some describing the experience as witnessing history. Many waited for hours to participate in the event.

“This is not the most beautiful place, but that’s what it’s about. It don’t have to be in the most beautiful place to experience peace. You know, this is peace right here. You know, and everybody feels it,” said Chrisanthia Hawkins and Daryl Chandler.

Diverse crowds gather

Susan DeBruhl noted the variety of participants drawn to the events.

“The variety of people who show up to these events because they are from all walks of life and from everywhere. I think that having the walk through a rural area is really eye-opening and enlightening for people who would not get to experience this otherwise,” DeBruhl said.

The monks spread their message through actions as well as words, with community members providing food and water to participants.

“For them to open their arms up to feed everybody, come on, hands down. Yeah. And it’s not only them, but it’s like people out here, you know, if somebody don’t have water, they’re saying, you know, you want something to drink, you know, or you want a snack. It’s people just coming together,” Hawkins and Chandler said.

Personal connections

Participants came for different reasons but many left with similar feelings. One attendee shared a personal motivation for joining.

“I almost lost my life because of a cell phone and I’m here to be a part of their history and to understand, what peace is about because humanity has shifted so much,” Hawkins and Chandler said.

Bhikkhu Pannakara, one of the Buddhist monks, explained the mission’s purpose.

“Peace is what the people, all kind of beings, are really in need right now, that’s asking and looking for every day. And we are Buddhist monks, we walk just to raise that awareness that peace has already been with us for so long. All we need to do is just pause and stop and look back within, and peace will begin from right there,” Pannakara said.

The monk said the community response has been meaningful.

“And that message, I think, has been heard. So that is why so many people come out to show love and support on this mission and walk together with us like that,” he said.

Pannakara said the walk through the CSRA will stay with him permanently.

“I think that it’s a lot of love that people support in us. And I think with all those emotions, that will be with me for the rest of my life,” he said.