For about an hour prior to the sale of the Bradley-Boggs House, the scene looked much like a family reunion at grandma’s house, but when the auction began it only took minutes for Rhonda Duncan of Innovations In HealthCare of Easley to cast the winning bid of $52,000.
Duncan told The Sentinel she plans to fix up the house.
“My partner told me about it,” she said. “He said it was a diamond in the rough and that I would have to have a vision.”
Before bidding started, auctioneer Larry Meares announced that the house was being sold as is, kudzoo and all.
“We’re not offering an infestation letter, because there might be a bug in there,” he said.
He also noted that the highest bidder would have to pay an additional 10 percent over the winning bid.
The house was once the home of Sentinel founder Maj. D.F. Bradley and was later purchased by the Boggs family who lived there for many years.
But in more recent times, it was known at the Jaycees Haunted House.
The Pickens Jaycees purchased the house in 1997 and held their most successful fundraiser there each Halloween season, generating thousands of dollars that went back into the Pickens community.
But after more than 50 years of serving the community, the Jaycees folded, and the haunted house era of the Bradley-Boggs House came to an end.
After the city condemned the house last year, interest in it was renewed, and officials with the Palmetto Trust for Historical Preservation determined that its oldest portions date pre-Civil War.
That group, the Pickens County Historical Society, as well as others in the community, sought was to ensure the home’s preservation.
Court-appointed receivers of the house, former Jaycees Bob Lofink and Wade Greer, arranged Saturday’s auction, and Lofink said he considers selling the home, and the plans to donated proceeds to traditional Jaycees’ charities, to be the former civic group’s final act of good will to the Pickens community.
“The haunted house gave a lot to the community, and today, it’s doing it one last time,” Lofink said. “I know the new owner is going to take good care of it.”
Lofink thanked those who helped generate interest in preserving the house, including members of the community, the Palmetto Trust, the Historical Society, and area newspapers.
He said that Jaycees Camp Hope and Pickens Jaycee Park will be the primary beneficiaries of the proceeds, but other charities will also be considered.
After closing takes place in 30 days, he said a meeting will be held with as many Jaycee alumni as possible to discuss how to divide the money.
“We will collect opinions to see how they want to divide it up,” Lofink said.
Until the money is distributed, he said it will be placed in a trust.
And he said they hope to put the haunted house sign in the Pickens County Museum.
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