Woman intends to see cabin replica placed downtown

By LARRY HILLIARDLedger Staff Writer

Sketch shows what MichaelGaffney’s cabin probably looked like in its original condition.

Gayle White believes her ongoing effort to locate a replica of Michael Gaffney’s log cabin on a parcel adjacent to the new Gaffney City Hall will have a happy ending.

“I feel there is a lot of community support for this,” said White, owner of a downtown antique business and co-chair of the former Gaffney Bicentennial Commission.

White said she will soon be placed on a city council agenda to request council begin negotiations with county council to acquire the county owned land.

White said there’s enough support on city council to approve her request.

“This would be the perfect way to promote the downtown area,” she said. “It’s a perfect spot for it. What city wouldn’t want the chance to construct its founder’s cabin from the original logs?”

Despite support from the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce and the Uptown Business Association, some city and county leaders haven’t shared White’s enthusiasm for the proposal.

In early February, White asked county council to lease the property to the Gaffney Bicentennial Commission, which has raised funds to restore the cabin. But liability concerns moved council to form a committee with city leaders to discuss the issue.

That joint committee, which included Cherokee County Interim Administrator Ben Clary and councilman Rufus Foster as well as the city’s building and grounds committee, favored relocating the cabin to the county’s historical museum at the former Central Elementary School on College Drive.

Gaffney Mayor Henry Jolly has said he favors locating the cabin at the future history museum which is several blocks from the downtown area.

But White opposes that idea because of security concerns at the museum.

“To me this is a no-brainer,” she said. “It’s a win-win for the city and county.”

White said nothing will deter her.

“I’m not going to shut up about this until I get this done,” she said.