In 1776, what was to become the Pendleton District was still considered to be Cherokee Indian land. In 1789, this area of South Carolina upcountry was named Pendleton County by an act of State legislature. Ten years after its establishment Pendleton obtained the status of village while simultaneously obtaining the distinction as district seat. The town plan consisted of 51 one-acre town lots and 43 “out lots” containing different acreage. The town grew quickly as evidenced in 1810, 38 of the town lots had been sold along with the construction of a new courthouse located in the town square. Another measure of Pendleton’s growth came in 1807 with the founding of Miller’s Weekly Messenger which later become the Pendleton Messenger. To illustrate its importance, the Messenger is believed to have been the westernmost newspaper in the entire nation at its inception. Between 1810 and 1820 more town lots and “out lots” were sold along with the construction of a new jail off the town square. In 1815 the Pendleton Farmers Society was founded. This raised Pendleton stature on a national stage as it was second to only Philadelphia in the formation of an agricultural society. The farmers’ society continued to grow as in the 1820’s many low country plantation owners began to view Pendleton as a perfect location for their summer homes as a means to escape the weather and disease of the low country. With such prominent low country families residing in Pendleton, it is no surprise that R.W. Simpson wrote that the very name of Pendleton became a synonym for refined and beautiful women, and for elegant high-toned and chivalrous gentlemen. The finest summation of Pendleton comes from David U. Sloan, nephew of Thomas Major Sloan, who in his 1891 book, The Fogy Days and Now of the World has Changed speaks of how “Fifty years ago old Pendleton was the fairest town in upper South Carolina, a community of wealth, intelligence, refinement and religion; and the home of the best people it has ever fallen to our lot to know.” Numerous families made extraordinary contributions in the history of Pendleton and the Sloan family played a major role in its local economy and civic affairs. 

The original house was built from 1840-1849 by Thomas Major Sloan and was “outlot” #25 in the Pendleton District.

Thomas Major Sloan (1799-1850) was born in South Carolina as the eighth child to an immigrant father, David McCurdy Sloan from Northern Ireland, and a South Carolina Mother, Susannah Majors.  Thomas Sloan built the house for his wife Nancy E. Ann Blasingame (Sloan) and their 15 children. Originally, known at that time as HOME PLACE, the house remained in Nancy Sloan possession until her death in 1872. Her family continued to own the home until 1904. Thomas Sloan along with his brother, Benjamin Franklin Sloan and his nephew, John Thomas Sloan formed Pendleton Manufacturing Company. The company was a cotton-spinning factory that began operation in 1838 and remained under Sloan family control until 1866 when it was sold to Grady, Hawthorne and Perry of Greenville. The company would later be known as La France Mills and holds the distinction of being the oldest continuous working cotton mills in the State of South Carolina. It is still in operation today just down the road in Greenville, SC.

Benjamin Bonneau Harris (1851-1925) purchased the property in 1904 from the Sloan family and changed the name to HARRIS HALL. Bonneau Harris was born on a farm where his father was born in Oconee County near Fairplay. His great grandfather who immigrated from Scotland was the man for whom Harrisburg, Pennsylvania was named. Today, Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania.  At the close of the War of Secession (1861-1865), the American Civil War where 11 Southern States seceded from the Union to form the Confederate States, Bonneau Harris went to work on his father’s farm as a laborer. This is where his desire to be a farmer was born. Bonneau Harris married Miss Nancy Hudgens of Laurens, SC and they had 11 children, eight being boys. One of Harris’s daughters had the reputation of being the best farmer in South Carolina. At age 25, Benjamin Bonneau Harris moved a short distance from Pendleton, SC and began working for one of the most brilliant men and most progressive farmers in the state, John C Calhoun. After finishing two crop years he was deeply in debt and decided to try raising livestock. Harris was the manager of Woodburn Stock Farm from 1877 until 1910 when A.T. Smythe sold Woodburn Estate. When he purchased HARRIS HALL in 1904, he operated it as a livestock farm. Evidence of the livestock farm can be seen at the rear of the property near Liberty Hall Drive with the existence of 8 brick barn stalls buried in the ivy at the rear of the property. You can also see a grain silo and brick building behind the property which has been converted into a pool and community hall.  The building and silo are original barns to Harris’s livestock farm. Mr. Harris was a pioneer in the state for breeding Jersey cattle (dairy cows), Berkshire hogs, standard horses, and Percherons (a breed of draft horse similar to the Clydesdale).   In 1905 Mr. Harris was elected Vice President of the Anderson Fair Association and in 1915 he was appointed the State Commissioner of Agriculture (1915-1925). He was also President of the State Farmers Union and in just two years convinced 6,000 farmers to join the union. In taking up the duties of this office he was dedicated to every movement for the betterment of agriculture. He had been practicing diversified agriculture for 35 years and therefore he was competent in advising farmers that they must follow the plan of organization, cooperation, and diversification to be a successful farmer. He was the first farm in the state to rid his livestock of the Texas fever tick. A pest that was spoiling his cattle. He greased his cattle once a week with crude oil kerosene for a year to eradicate the tick.    When he died in 1925 the house was purchased from his estate by a family member J.J. Harris. Bonneau Harris, his wife and many of his decedents are buried at the First Presbyterian Church just a few hundred yards from Liberty Hall.  J.J. Harris owned the home until 1948 and operated it as a boarding house.

A.R. Brown purchased Liberty Hall in 1948. He also owned and operated Brown’s Dime Store in Pendleton square. He rented rooms at Liberty Hall to Clemson students and thereby continued to operate as a boarding house. The house was left abandoned for a number of years and fell into disrepair. 

In early 1984 Diane Duron, Elsem Hedetiemi and Robert Carr, three Virginians saw great promise in the now unoccupied and derelict property and named the site Liberty Hall.  A large-scale remodel took place, but many of the original features and materials were preserved. The windows, shutters (downstairs), Fireplaces in each room and Pine lap flooring in many of the rooms and the stairway banister are original to the home. They restored the site to include 11 guest rooms and private baths in each room. The Country dining room featured a Chef’s Choice all-inclusive fare of home cooking.    

In the early 2000’s Kevin and Jane Martin purchased the Bed & Breakfast and operated the site as both a restaurant, bar and Bed & Breakfast. Kevin was a chef from Florida, and many have commented about the delicious food served at Café Leisure. Dinner’s included Filet Mignon, Duck, King Crab and Chicken Piccata. Meals ranged from $15-$18 for dinner.  The house and restaurant changed hands several times and was last an Italian Restaurant prior to falling into disrepair again.

In 2015 a local Pendleton resident and real estate executive, Susan Bristow purchased Liberty Hall, now in foreclosure and set out with yet another remodel of the house. She remodeled the commercial restaurant kitchen back to a large home kitchen in the rear along with adding a second deck outside the dining room. Today, much of the interior design of the Liberty Hall bedrooms can be credited to Susan. She painted and completely refurnished the entire house with most of the furniture. Just one piece of original furniture is located just inside the kitchen.

In October 2021, four Californians visited Liberty Hall during homecoming weekend at Clemson University and fell in love with the home, the surrounding community, and the opportunity to run a Bed & Breakfast near an NCAA university. Andy & Devon Rymer and Andy’s sister Angela and her husband Michael Chunka purchased Liberty Hall Bed & Breakfast in March 2022. We welcome you to Liberty Hall and look forward to hosting our guests. In January 2024, the rear yard was transformed into an outdoor wedding and event venue to include a gazebo ceremony location, a 2,400 sq ft event tent and over 12,000 sq ft of outdoor space. Liberty Hall has unique wedding packages that include exclusive access to the entire property and 10 bedrooms for your wedding party, family and guests.

Liberty Hall hosts weddings, rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, birthday parties, baby showers, graduation parties and for the active sports minded the property has two pickleball courts.