Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Lunney Museum was built in 1909 by its original residents Dr. William J. & Lilian Mason Lunney. The bungalow-style home was constructed in 1909. The property features a carriage house and a “two-seater” outhouse. The arts and crafts interior of the museum features art glass windows, original chandeliers, long-leaf pine woodwork, a quarter-sawn oak mantel, English fireplace tiles, and a flat panel wainscot with burlap inserts.
Dr. William John Lunney began his pharmaceutical career with Dr. Mitchell of Westminster, South Carolina. He later moved to Seneca where he established the Lunney Drug Store and was the active head for 40 years. In 1889 he married Lilian Mason, the daughter of Col. R. E. Mason. The couple had one son, Victor, who died at the age of 4 years. Dr. Lunney died at the age of 63 in 1929. Mrs. Lilian M. Lunney continued to live in the home until her death in 1969. Mrs. Myra Mason Lindemann donated the house and property as a museum to Oconee County (SC) in 1970. The Museum was transferred to the City of Seneca in 2009.
Our favorite old home so far! We LOVE arts & crafts/craftsman style homes, so this was such a treat!
The staff was SOO nice and took us on a great tour. We asked several questions and spent time chatting about having lived in older homes like this (not quite this old, but close!). The home is located in a quaint, peaceful neighborhood just at the end of the town of Seneca.
Another home for another time: The Bertha Lee Strickland Cultural Museum. This home was under renovations and not open to the public at the time of our stay. We do hope to return to Seneca someday, and this will be on our list of stops. The curator for this museum was helping out at The Lunney House the day of our visit and had great additional historic information. Amazing story between these two houses!
We did tell the curator of The Lunney House that if the Town of Seneca ever decided to sell it to let us know. 🙂 We probably could not afford it, but we can dream!
The Lunney House & Museum, 211 W South 1st St, Seneca, SC 29678