Historical Business Ventures, the Shamrock Hotel and the Noah Concept

A visitor's guide to the Friendly Midway, Columbia, SC, an area Where Friendliness Flows

Historical Business Ventures, Inc., is currently involved in two projects aimed at revitalizing the Blackville, SC, area.

The first of these is the Save Our Shamrock project, which is in the first step in saving one of the eleven most-endangered historic sites in South Carolina, as determined by Archives-in-History and The Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation.

The Shamrock Hotel, built in 1912, was abandoned and left to die in the late 1980s. Historical Business Ventures, Inc., a non-profit organization, is saving part of America's past with this S.O.S. (Save Our Shamrock) project.

You can help by making a contribution! $100 buys a brick and individual name plate, $1,000 buys a block and business or family name, and $5,000 secures a Charter Shamrock donor. (Plaque will be displayed in hotel lobby). Send your contributions to Historical Business Ventures, Inc., P.O. Box 7, Blackville, SC 29817. For more information, go to geocities.com/hbv29812/index.html.

HBV has completed Phase 1, a clear deed to the structure, and has secured, cleaned up the site, and partially stabilized the building.

The project recently completed step 1 of phase 2 by putting nearly $50,000 of P.E. Certified, 95% permanent build-back footers and steel, thus stabilizing the critical front section of the building, and has a ten-year covenant on the building. HBV continues accepting and protecting contributions, and increases in value!

HBV now seeks a partner to rebuild this historic hotel. The desired concept is to bring it back as a family-friendly historic hotel/bed-and-breakfast.

Deterioration of other building and the 2001 October fire on Main Street, lack of vision, funds, and cooperation from property owners, again brings concern to the project leaders. A letter to HBV's president from Palmetto Trust again named the historical downtown Blackville Core as one of South Carolina's (11th hour) most endangered sites! HBV, Inc., completed Archive in History Stabilization grant with its match, to achieve this critical first step of phase 2, creating some liabilities in doing so.

WILL YOU HELP? At the annual St. Patrick's Day Celebration, Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on the third Saturday in March 2007, you can be listed as a "Table Sponsor". $100 promotes your business and gets you eight $10 tickets for you and your associates, family, or guests.

State Charities #6131 and 501c3 status will allow HBV, Inc., to give you tax credit.

Promoting tourism benefits the local community and helps restore downtown Blackville, on SC Heritage Corridor, within three miles of Region 3's Discovery Center, in Thoroughbred Country, near Healing Springs, Barnwell State Park, Excels Blackville Plant, Comming Industrial Park, and within 55 miles of four major interstate highways!

A second major project underway in the Blackville area is the Noah Concept, a theme park and animal safari with exotic and domestic animals, walking and horseback trails, rides, pet shop, gift shop, etc.

This theme park will bring a much-needed message and a ray of hope to Barnwell County. It will boost the local economy through tourism and job creation. In addition, it will be a terrific educational opportunity for local and visiting children.

Three locations are currently under consideration: on the Heritage Corridor, near Region 3's Discovery Point, in Barnwell County's Blackville Industrial Park 7.

The project is a coalition of BCED, Blackville ED, Blackville CDC, Arts Grants, PRT Promotions, Churches, Foundations, Individuals and Families. It will maintain itself through revenues from entrance fees. An example group rate would be $75 for up to fifteen entrants, with $5 each additional person.

The project is under the leadership of HBV Org., doing business as NOAH. It has a seven member board of directors made up of veterans, attorneys, church and community members, CPAs, animal scientists, tourism officials, animal husbandry specialists, and a zoologist. We are currently looking for a 50 to 100 acre site with high visibility and easy accessibility, and we need church and community support. Please send your tax-deductible contributions to Historical Business Ventures Org., P.O. Box 7, Blackville, SC 29817.