Tamassee DAR School

Riding through the area surrounding Lake Keowee, one sees the natural beauty of the area but many years back, people who lived in these isolated mountain areas had to face difficulties with little help. One of the main problems was having no schools near their homes so many children were faced with illiteracy. This led the South Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution (SCDAR) to establish a school in this remote location. It took several years before the SCDAR was able to find just the right offer but finally came upon 110 acres of land, which included a spring. The nearby town of Walhalla had business men that generously offered to help contribute towards a school building. Sadly, the first World War delayed the process but by 1918 the first boarding house for girls only was completed which also served as a day school for any within walking distance. Finally in the fall of 1919, the boarding rooms were opened and Tamassee DAR School was founded. It wasn’t until spring of 1932 that boarding was made available for boys of the area so many of the brothers were left in the mountain homes while the sisters were off to learn. Since the start of this great school, many buildings and facilities have been built on campus by DAR state organizations from all across the United States.
To this day, this school continues as a non-profit children’s home and family service organization that helps many boys, girls, and families that find themselves in crisis. To see the many ways to give to this passionate organization, please go to their website at TDARSchool.org. There you will find information about their thrift store, special events, and much more!