Kerry Gilstrap/Courier

The old Bantam Chef in downtown Easley has been demolished to make way for the beginning of the Doodle Trail.

By Ben Robinson
Staff Reporter

brobinson@thepccourier.com

EASLEY — Just before breaking for Labor Day, the City of Easley began taking down the old Rosa’s Bantam Chef at the end of Fleetwood Drive near S.C. Highway 8 downtown, making room for the beginning of the proposed Doodle Trail.

Work has already begun on the trail, according to Easley city administrator Fox Simons, with the picking up of railroad ties along the trail.

“They are about two miles into eight and a half that they’ll have to do,” Simons said.

The Doodle Trail will follow the path of the historic rail line between Pickens and Easley that was once used by commuters to reach their jobs. Many textile workers who lived in Pickens but worked in Easley depended on the Doodle to reach work daily. The trail fell out of use with the popularity of the automobile.

Developers are now working with the cities of Easley and Pickens on “the Doodle Trail,” celebrating the historical significance of the trail and providing recreation for today’s residents of the two cities.

Plans are to eventually make the trail an educational site for school field trips.

Simons plans to wait and see what the city of Easley needs to do next.

“Once we get done with this, we will wait and see what comes next,” Simons said.