Cherokee County Historical Society has launched a new initiative to preserve the history of the Bell's Store building, which will be demolished at the end of the month to accommodate a new Flash Foods gas station at the corner of Union Hill and Highway 20 in Canton. While the history of Bell's Store was chronicled in the book, "Buffington and Macedonia in Days Gone By," by W.F. Bell, Cherokee County Historical Society will photograph and document the interior and exterior of the building prior to demolition.

Also, in an effort to preserve remnants of the building and begin a seed fund for future preservation projects, Cherokee County Historical Society will receive some of the exterior bricks from the building. "We would like to use the bricks as a fundraiser to begin an endangered properties preservation fund," says Stefanie Joyner, executive director of Cherokee County Historical Society. "Our president, Jeff Brown, came up with the idea as a way to honor the legacy of Bell's Store and also generate some start-up money if we are faced with a similar scenario in the future."

Individuals can support future preservation efforts by purchasing a commemorative brick, which will be engraved with the donor's name and placed at a new courtyard at the Cherokee County Historical Society's Rock Barn. Volunteers will be needed to clean the bricks and assist with moving them offsite. Contact Stefanie Joyner at 770-345-3288, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.