Community members save 18th century house from demolition

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LEXINGTON, S.C. (WOLO) — For the past week, the Dutch Fork Historical Society, and other Lexington County residents have been trying to save an icon in the community that chances are, you don’t even know exists. Wednesday, a buyer swept in to make sure the 18th century Coogler-Meetze house doesn’t ever see a wrecking ball. “The deal is about 90% done, and we’re very excited,” Dutch Fork Historical Society president Liesha Huffstetler told ABC Columbia. The developer of the Wellmore senior citizen community recently bought the land the house sits on. They don’t want to keep it, so they scheduled it for demolition September 13. Huffstetler says the new owner will pay to have it moved to a new site in Lexington before then. The space will be leased commercially. “It’s one of the few houses that we have left in the area like this,” Huffstetler says. “This is a rare house” The Coogler-Meetz house sits down a winding road across from a shopping center along Sunset Boulevard. The house was built by the son of a German immigrant. The Cooglers lived in the house from the time it was built, until 1964. “That is something that is rare,” Huffstetler says. “You don’t find that anywhere.” To this day, Meetze, is a name found in various forms across the Midlands. Be sure to stay with ABC Columbia, as we continue to follow this story.