A tornado that stays on the ground for 135 miles sounds like something from a horror movie or the 1939 movie, The Wizard of Oz. But that nightmare became a reality on April 30, 1924. The Horrell Hill Tornado is considered one of the worst disasters and the longest in the state’s history. The disastrous…
Historic 2015 South Carolina Flood
This historic storm had a significant impact on the lower part of the state, including Columbia. The major flood event consisted of a four- to five-day stretch of on-and-off heavy rainfall in early October 2015. It started with an early-season cold front, which stalled off the coast after pushing through the southeast. While Hurricane Joaquin…
2024 Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Helene is the deadliest hurricane to hit the contiguous United States since Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. The storm caused at least 248 deaths, with 175 of those deaths directly related to this massive storm, whether by wind, flood, or other immediate impacts, and racked up almost $80 billion in damages. Helene has officially…
The 1946 Greenville Ideal Laundry Explosion
On November 19, 1946, one of the worst accidents occurred in the history of South Carolina, which left four to six people deceased, with another hundred to a hundred fifty injured. Around 6:00 PM, 3,500 gallons of propane exploded at Ideal Laundry and Cleaners in Greenville. The blast was felt as far away as Gaffney…
Is Union County, South Carolina, Sitting on Civil War Treasure
Down Highway 49, past Monarch, near Browns Creek Baptist Church, sits a swamp and plenty of pasture land. The highway once served as a former stagecoach route that connected Union to Charlotte. After the Civil War ended, the Union army entered the Upstate, pulling wagons and distributing food to the local population. A German man…
The Great Depression, Public Enemies, and the Number One “G-Man”
Many may be shocked to learn that the person who was responsible for bringing down more public enemies was Melvin Purvis from South Carolina. Purvis was born in 1903 in the small town of Timmonsville, South Carolina. He graduated from the University of South Carolina’s law school in 1925 and passed the bar. After 20…
The 1923 Cleveland School Fire
The Cleveland School Fire occurred in May 1923 near Camden, South Carolina. It is one of the deadliest school fires in American history, killing 77 people during a school play. The incident should have never happened, as the school was set to close permanently after the 1923 school year. The two-story school, which employed only…
The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral Had Nothing on this Small S.C. Town
The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral had nothing on this small South Carolina town. On August 12, 1878, two Edgefield County families had a shootout downtown to settle an almost 10-year feud between the two, when in 1869, Benjamin Booth killed Luther Toney. In the midafternoon, Brooker and Mark Toney sat in the bar room…
The Ghost Train of Hilda
You may be ALL ABOARD with this story. The mysterious ghost train continues down the tracks in Barnwell County- Destination unknown. Residents in this small town have reported hearing the horn of a locomotive at night. As the train moves closer, nothing is there. It’s enough to make you lose your mind. Written By: John…
The Legend Of Mayucha
Mayucha was a town in Oconee County, South Carolina, from 1850 to the early 1900s. Many unknowns exist about this mysterious town, including its exact location and the everyday life of the people who called it home. In many ways, it has slipped into the abyss of South Carolina folklore. Rumors have swirled for generations…