Cheraw Is Finalist For "Prettiest Painted Places" Honors

Thanks to a national competition to find the "Prettiest Painted Places in America," people across the country are discovering what local residents have long known: Cheraw is one of the most beautiful towns to be found anywhere.

Over the next few weeks, the Cheraw Historical District, along with downtown Anderson, South Carolina will represent the Palmetto State in vying with nominees from across the country for regional and national honors. Judges with expertise in color selection, exterior painting, and home improvement review the entries, conduct additional research and make selected site visits. The Paint Quality Institute, sponsor of the contest, will announce finalists in late September, and the nation's 12 "Prettiest Painted Places" will be revealed in mid-October.

"We feel there is no better way to demonstrate the importance of exterior paint color than to focus on these beautiful real-world communities that take so much pride in their appearance," said Debbie Zimmer, paint and color expert at the Paint Quality Institute.

"The places involved in our competition are a tremendous inspiration to us all, and by giving them recognition, we hope to instill in the public a better appreciation for the role exterior paint can play in protecting and enhancing the appearance of any home or building," she said.