At 4:30 a.m. on April 12, 1861, Confederate troops fired the first official shots of the Civil War on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, under the command of Louisiana native P.G.T. Beauregard. His sword still hangs in the Charleston City Hall. Just 34 hours later, Major Anderson of the federal army surrendered Fort Sumter…
P.G.T. Beauregard Saves Charleston
Beauregard is my favorite Confederate War general for numerous reasons. One, he protected Charleston, and he was the commanding officer when the Confederates fired on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, taking the fort in just 34 hours. Furthermore, if Beauregard had been promoted to a higher command, the Union Army would have probably lost…
The Iconic Georgetown Town Clock
The Greek Revival market and town hall were built in 1842 after a fire destroyed many frame buildings on Front Street in Georgetown, South Carolina. An open-air market occupied the first floor, and the town hall occupied the second floor. The clock tower and belfry were added in 1845. On February 24, 1865, the town…
The Most Prominent and Wealthiest Black Plantation Owner in the State
Sumter County, South Carolina, is rich in history, haunts, and folklore. From the haunted Church of the Holy Cross, containing not one but two popular ghost stories, to the historic Ellison Plantation, the entire county should have a permanent historical marker stamped on every street corner. One community, Stateburg, is home to William Ellison Jr.,…
The 1886 Charleston Earthquake
On August 31, 1886, the most damaging earthquake in the Southeastern United States and one of the most significant historic shocks recorded in Eastern North America struck Charleston, South Carolina, at 9:51 P.M. local time. Many buildings in the old city were destroyed or damaged. The earthquake, which had an estimated magnitude of 7.0-7.3, had…
The Devastating 1893 Sea Islands Hurricane
Some believe the devastating Sea Islands Hurricane, which struck near Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston on August 27, 1893, to be one of the most catastrophic natural disasters in the history of South Carolina, even surpassing the 1886 Charleston earthquake, Hurricanes Hugo and Helene, and the 1924 Horrell Hill Tornado. And, we can never forget the…
The South Carolina Great Flood of 1908
The great flood of 1908 was the most extensive flood of record. A low-pressure center formed in the Gulf and moved northeast across South Carolina, causing unprecedented statewide flooding. All major rivers in the state rose from 9 to 22 feet above flood stage. This historic event occurred in late August, affecting over 80% of…
The Abandoned Amusement Park in South Carolina
In 1925, Springs Recreation Park was a thriving hub for residents of Lancaster, South Carolina, and the surrounding areas. The textile industry was booming during this time, with several operational facilities nearby that provided employees with financial security. Recreation Park seems too modest a term to describe Springs Park. By all accounts, it was more…
The 1958 Mars Bluff Atomic Bomb Accident
On March 11, 1958, the lives of a family and a community changed forever early that afternoon. A rare occasion occurred over Mars Bluff, just outside Florence, South Carolina, when a nuclear weapon fell from the sky into the woods behind the Gregg family home. According to The State, the highly destructive weapon was dropped…
Yogi Bear Honey Fried Chicken: South Carolina History
We all loved Yogi Bear so much that we decided to cash in on his popularity during the 1950s. Celebrity restaurants were popular at the time, and Gene Broome set out to find the next big thing to bring to South Carolina. Broome reached an arrangement with Hanna-Barbera for the naming rights to the franchise….