The Charleston/Calhoun/Hiwassee Historical Society’s Carl Colloms, from left, Darlene Goins and the Chamber of Commerce’s Melissa Woody talk about how to take down the “For Sale” sign now that the society has bought the former branch bank building.CHARLESTON, Tenn. — The Charleston/Calhoun/Hiwassee Historical Society has bought an empty branch bank building that will become a heritage center and anchor a history and nature interpretative greenway through town to the Hiwassee River.
David Fair of Regions Bank was on hand Friday to present the keys to the historical society’s board chairman, Carl Colloms.
“There is a story to tell here, and we want to share it,” Colloms said.
The center will have exhibits and information about the region’s Civil War and Cherokee historical sites and will be staffed by local college students. The city has agreed to pay the utility bills. Middle Tennessee State University is doing much of the research and preparing the exhibit posters.
“If you don’t tell the story, it will die,” said Faye Callaway, society president.