Would you vacation on an island if it were named Coffin Island? One such place existed in South Carolina. Today, Folly and Morris Islands are beautiful places near Charleston, but both were once home to a storied past that included pirates, shipwrecks, war, disease, and bootleggers. Folly Beach was once known as Coffin Island before…
The Haunted History of Stumphouse Tunnel
Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel in Oconee County, South Carolina, is an incomplete tunnel for the Blue Ridge Railroad of South Carolina in Sumter National Forest. The tunnel was first proposed in 1835 by residents of Charleston, South Carolina, as a new and shorter route for the Blue Ridge Railroad between Charleston and the Ohio River valley…
The Mysterious Healing Springs
Just 56 miles south of Columbia, South Carolina, lies a small community with a popular Artesian well. It’s called Healing Springs and is found a few miles north of Blackville, South Carolina, off SC Highway 3. The cool water flows freely from spigots located behind the church. Ample parking is available next to the well,…
Forgotten History of Duke’s Mayonnaise
It is almost tomato sandwich season in the South. Southerners know a few things about food, especially when it comes to our preferred mayonnaise. Duke’s Mayonnaise is a staple here, like sweet tea and fried food. While most of us use this tasty condiment, many may not know its background or why it is part…
The Haunted History and Spirits of Whig Hill
This plantation near Thicketty Creek in Cherokee County on Hwy 18 was settled around 1767 by John Nuckolls, Sr., a native of Virginia. During the American Revolution, as the war in the backcountry escalated into a vicious civil war, the plantation became known as “Whig Hill” due to Nuckoll’s support of the patriot cause. He…
Woodward Baptist Church ties to the Civil War
Woodward Baptist Church is a beautiful and historic church in Chester County, located on Ashford Road, but we locals refer to it as Ashford Ferry Road. The church was built in 1830 and should be considered a vital piece and link to the Civil War’s last days. In 1865, Jefferson Davis and his cabinet left…
In 1969, a Non-Dairy Creamer Rained Down on This SC Town
There are several things you would expect to fall from the sky: you know…rain, sleet, snow, hail, but… creamer? In Chester County, SC, in 1969, a non-dairy creamer manufacturer released creamer particles into the atmosphere, causing them to appear as if it were raining coffee creamer across the town. Cremora is a non-dairy creamer manufactured…
1913 Chester Train Wreck
On June 30, 1913, seventy-nine passengers loaded the #16 train en route to Chester for a baseball game. Tragedy struck when the train derailed at the Hooper Creek trestle in Chester County. Sadly, three passenger cars plunged into the creek below, killing five people. The wreck almost put the railroad out of business, but Leroy…
The Devil’s Crossroads
The Devil’s Crossroads is a spot in Newberry, South Carolina. No one knows why the intersection earned its nickname, but it may have ties to a tavern that once occupied this corner. Trying to cross this road at night after a few pints of beer could have been a devil. Today, the Devil’s Crossroads are…
The South Carolina Video Poker Boom of the 1990s
The late 1990s provided visitors with numerous opportunities and reasons to visit South Carolina from neighboring states. One of the biggest was in the way of gambling, thanks to video poker casinos that seemed to pop up overnight on state lines. The bright lights of these establishments lured the brave, who sought a little lady…