Kim. Beth, and  Matt in front of the mural

On Friday, Feb. 6, two Pizza Hut owners came from Greenwood, Kim Huckaby and Matt Tucker. They are co-owners with two other people. As they began the rebuilding after the fire that destroyed the earlier building in 2024, their thoughts turned to enhancements for the new building, this one being a depiction of Edgefield history in a mural on the wall.

Kim, in an Interview last week, came to the idea after seeing a most recent mural, (one by the artist Beth Clark – the peach fields on the northeastern wall at the intersection of Lee Street and Calhoun.  (If you live out of town, it is fairly recent and you may not have seen it, yet.) If one is driving toward Saluda and go through the intersection traffic light, on 121, one will see “pink” to the right on the brick wall – a fresh rendition of a Johnston peach field.

When Kim saw the mural of pink and trees, she knew she had to reach the artist, Beth, and did.  From there Beth started researching Edgefield history and its buildings.  Her research took her to Rev. Tim McClendon who is gaining recognition for his classes  (mostly on Old Edgefield Pottery which has made him knowledgeable of the underpinnings of Edgefield history).  The youngest son of the late Sadie Emma and Ralph McClendon, he had a brother whose knowledge of Edgefield history is known through publications and writings he did as well as the many historic tours of Edgefield Town and County that he fostered.

Through Beth’s research she chose certain early homes (some museums) to put into the mural. Businesses are also painted there, starting in black and white and gradually developing as a time line into “technicolor” and present-day Edgefield.

As one enters the dining area of the new Hut, The mural is on the right.  It actually features with the businesses the old (no longer there) Pizza Hut and the new. By Suzanne Derrick