TOCCOA — The Stephens County Historical Society’s museum expansion project got quite a boost Friday morning when representatives from Eaton Corporation presented the group with a $25,000 donation.

Toccoa officials plan to renovate the old Norfolk-Southern Railroad train depot downtown into a welcome center, and the historical society is working with them to build a bigger county museum at the same location. Part of the project includes building an addition to house the historic World War II stable Camp Toccoa soldiers stayed in during the D-Day invasion.

Eaton Corporation’s donation will bring them closer to their fundraising goals, president Brenda Carlan said. The historic society needs to raise $200,000 for the addition and another $25,000 to put the stable back together.

"So this is definitely a plus," she said. "We’re ecstatic."

Anthony Harrison, human resources manager for Eaton Corporation in Toccoa, said the group’s historical link to the paratroopers combined with the museum’s educational and cultural benefits made it a good candidate for a corporate donation.

The company was previously called Aeroquip. It manufactured parts for the C-47 aircraft that paratroopers jumped from during WWII, Mr. Harrison said. Eaton, an aerospace manufacturer, still builds many of those same products today.
"It feels really good to know we’re doing something that will place Eaton in the history of Toccoa," Mr. Harrison said. "We’re tickled."

He said the company also hopes its donation will be a challenge to other Toccoa businesses to back the project.

Tax deductible donations can be mailed to Stephens County Historical Society, P.O. Box 125, Toccoa, GA 30577. The group also accepts payments through www.paypal.com. Use stephenscohistoricalmuseum@alltel.net as the Payee.