Beneath a bright morning sky, community leaders, library supporters and local officials gathered to celebrate the ceremonial groundbreaking of what many hope will become far more than a new building in Turbeville.
The future Dr. Kate E. Smith Library, a new Clarendon County library branch, will bring a long-discussed project to life while honoring the legacy of one of Turbeville’s most beloved figures.
“This new branch will proudly carry the name of Dr. Kate E. Smith, who served Turbeville as its sole physician for more than 50 years and was awarded the Order of the Palmetto for her extraordinary service to her community and the state,” Harvin Clarendon County Library said in a statement following the event.
The April 17 program included remarks from Clarendon County Administrator Walt Ackerman, County Council Chairman Jay Johnson, Dr. C. Dorn Smith III, Harvin Clarendon County Librarian Holly Cockfield and County Councilman J. Pat Coker.
In her remarks, Cockfield called the new branch “a new chapter” for the county library system.
“For years, the Clarendon County Library has worked to serve every corner of this county — through our main branch, our mobile library, and the dedicated people who believe deeply in access to knowledge and opportunity,” she said. “But today marks a new chapter. This new branch will bring those opportunities even closer to the people of this community.”
Turbeville Mayor Tammy Hicks said the project has been in the works for years and has long been seen as an important addition for the town.
“I don’t think there was ever a question that it was gonna happen,” Hicks said. “It’s just when.”
Hicks said part of the delay came down to timing, as officials wanted to use the same contractor who built the county’s other library branches and had to wait for that firm to complete other work.
Now that construction is finally beginning, Hicks said she hopes the library becomes more than a place to check out books.
“I’m hoping that it’s gonna be like a vital hub for meetings and gatherings in the future,” she said. “Today is not just a groundbreaking or a construction project — it kind of represents the investment in our future.”
The new branch is named for Smith, who returned to Turbeville after medical training and spent nearly six decades caring for the community she loved. Known simply as “The Doctor,” she practiced medicine in Turbeville for nearly 60 years and became known for making house calls, treating generations of local families and serving in numerous civic and professional leadership roles. She died in 2020 at age 83.
State Rep. Fawn Pedalino said she was honored to play a small part in the project.
“I hope this new library, named after Dr. Kate Smith, serves as a place of learning, inspiration, and opportunity for the people of Turbeville for generations to come, while continuing to reflect the legacy she left behind,” Pedalino said.
The library system also credited Dr. Dorn Smith, the Drs. Bruce & Lee Foundation, the State of South Carolina and former Rep. Kimberly Johnson with helping move the long-discussed project from years of planning to the start of construction.
