Pickens County Museum of Art and History, 307 Johnson Street,

#107 Blackford's Beauty

Quilter: Gail Sexton

Sponsor: Pickens County Cultural Commission

The quilt was originally made by Gail Sexton. Mrs. Sexton told us, “I made a quilt called ‘Red Birds on Parade’ in 2012, using the Blackford's Beauty Block. I chose this block for the quilt trail because of its interesting history. Mrs. Sexton has been quilting for 30 years after working as an artist in oils and acrylics, painting mainly landscapes in the early 70s. “I like to incorporate my artist background into my quilts. I make traditional as well as non-traditional quilts and I currently teach and do trunk shows around South Carolina and neighboring states.”

Visitors often comment that the original Pickens Museum facility resembles a brick castle. It was built in 1902, this Turn of the Century Gothic architecture features crenellated turrets, a copper-colored tin roof, and is constructed of hand-rolled bricks which gives each brick a beautiful swirl pattern. But there are clues to the original purpose of the building when one notices many of the windows have bars. Yes, this lovely building was the old Pickens County "Gaol" and it served as a jail until 1975.

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