Love pottery crafts? Looking for exquisite Christmas gifts? Then drive to Seagrove, NC the pottery capital of the world!

Join the 28th Annual Seagrove Pottery Festival on November 21 and 22 at Seagrove Elementary School.

Native Americans, the First Potters(data from NC Pottery Center exhibits)

Native Americans in the Carolina have been making utilitarian and ceremonial vessels for more than 4,500 years. The first pots were carved from soapstone. About 3,000 years ago indigenous tribes across the Southeast started to transform the clay into fired pottery.

• Women were the primary potters, digging the clay, mixing it with sand, crushed rocks or mussel shells to give the vessel strength and firing it in simple pits.

Pinching, coiling and hand-working techniques were passed from generation to generation.

• The fire pit model on display at the NC Pottery Center contains vessels with surfaces textured by beating with carved paddles, impressing textiles or burnishing with a polishing stone. Vessels were warmed around the edges then gently rolled into the coals to continue hardening.

• Native Americans did not use a wheel to make pottery. Instead they created wares by a process called coiling. Pots were built from a pinched base by stacking coils one on the other, or the reverse upside-down from a large coil on the rim to the pointed bottom. The smoke created black patterns as seen on the ones in the exhibit.

The European Influence

• At the time of European settlement, the most prominent tribes were the Tuscarora in the coastal plains, the Siouan in Eastern Piedmont, the Catawba in Western Piedmont and the Cherokees in the mountains. The Cherokees and the Catawba tribes are still active potters today.

• The earliest European wheel-turned and chambered fired pottery was found at the Santa Elena archaeological site on Parris Island, a Spanish fort established in the 16th century.

• During the 1700s potters of English and German descend emigrated to North Carolina where they set up shops which produced lead-glazed earthenware.

• In 1800s they transitioned to higher fired stoneware and alkaline and salt glazes.

A taste of local flavor…

The 19th century shop on display at the Pottery Center (including the tools and glaze mill), are an exact replica of the one used by Harvey Rienhardt and Burlon Craig in Henry, NC.

• Potters referred to themselves as “turners”

• Wheels are “lathes” (pronounced “lays”)

• Kilns (pronounced “kills”) are “burned”, not fired.

The NC Pottery Center, located downtown Seagrove, is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10AM to 4PM. Admission is $2 adults, free for kids 12 and under and for NCPC members. Every Saturday come enjoy Free pottery making demos with a local artist.

Just half an hour away is the NC Zoo, one of the best zoological parks in the country.

The John Mark Verdier House Museum is one of the most revered historic homes in Beaufort and the Sea Islands. If you are into colonial architecture and Civil War history then you’re in for a treat!

Double tiered portico facade - John Verdier House

The house is located on Bay Street across from the Waterfront Park playground. The museum is open Monday to Saturday 10AM – 4PM and admission is $5 (includes a guided tour of the house interior).

Listed in the National Register this magnificent Federal-style mansion is one of the finest example of early 19th century architecture in the Southeast.

John Verdier House highlights and interesting facts

• The house was graced by Marquis de Lafayette and became Union troops headquarters and Assistant General Office during the Civil War occupation.

• Beaufort’s first telephone was installed in the house ballroom.

• The ground floor was used to store food, household supplies and equipment. In the 1900s it became home to various business like the Lafayette Tavern, a fish market, ice house, yarn shop and a fruit stand.

• The brick arch still supports a chimney that expands 4 stories and served 4 fireplaces in the rooms above.

• The house was constructed using shipbuilding techniques and sturdy materials

Few of the remaining original furniture pieces

• The house didn’t have any kitchen, bathrooms, closets (all of these were outside). The furniture was kept to a minimum and stored along the walls.

• Each room had a fireplace decorated with fine, hand-carved mantels featuring allegorical figures, ribbons, fruit, flowers, and sheaves of wheat.

The rise of the freedmen (data provided by the Verdier museum exhibits)

• The Port Royal Experiment attempted to help the newly 10,000 slaves freed by the Union occupation. Many northern missionaries and teachers came to Beaufort to open schools, expand churches and prepare the freedmen to citizenship. Most famous was Harriet Tubman, who worked as a nurse, spy and military aide to Union troops.

• Freedman’s Bank open in 1895 in Robert Chisolm’s former house on Bay street to help freedmen save money earned during the war as soldiers, cooks, tradesmen and farmers.

• The Republican Party in Beaufort started during those times. Robert Smalls, a freed slave, organized the local Republican Party at the Stevens House hotel on Bay Street. African-Americans will dominate the political scene and the Republican Party in Beaufort for the next 30 years.

Robert Smalls, legendary figure and local hero

Model of the Planter Confederate ship

Smalls was thrust into the national spotlight after bravely piloting Planter, a Confederate ship, into Union hands. This event led to his commissioning as 2nd Lieutenant, and eventually he became Major General. With the prize money received from piloting Steamer he was able to purchase the same house where he was born a slave and live in it until his death in 1916.

After Civil War Robert Smalls entered the political scene serving as SC Senator and US Congressman when he was instrumental in helping to establish a permanent military training and recruiting base on Parris Island.

Things to know before you go
1. You’re not allowed to take pictures while on tour (however you can take photos of the artifacts on the ground floor). The National Register website has beautiful pictures of the John Verdier House interior and details on its architectural designs.

2. Little kids will get bored while on the tour so better go alone or have someone to baby sit downstairs. You can’t bring strollers, food or drinks inside the house.

3. The tour goes rather quickly. At times I felt overwhelmed with the amount and the speed of architectural and historical details thrown at us by our guide. It helps to ask lots of questions, if nothing else you get a tirade break!

4. If you care to remember, write it down. Unfortunately the museum doesn’t have good handouts materials, nor could I found much on the Historic Beaufort Foundation website.

5. Once done touring the house you can relax along the Beaufort marina and let the kids loose at the Waterfront Park playground. For lunch I recommend the Ice Cream and Lunch Parlor at the other end of Bay Street.

Ready for more history tours?

• Visit the vibrant St. Helena Episcopal Church, the second oldest and still active congregation in South Carolina (free admission).

• Be a Marine at the Parris Island Museum and admire incredible weapons, enemy captures and heroic soldiers stories (free admission).

• Join in the 2009 Beaufort Fall Festival of Houses & Gardens held on October 23, 24 and 25.

Be inspired, thrilled and for ever humbled at the amazing Parris Island Museum near Beaufort, an 8,000 square feet ode to “The Few.The Proud. The Marines”.

Admission is free and the museum is open daily 10AM – 4:30PM except New Year’s, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. More info (843) 228-2951 or the website.

In front of 1935 Japanese field gun at Parris Island museum

The pass also gives you access to the free Parris Island driving tour, a 15 mile loop, where you can explore memorable monuments like Iron Mike and Iwo Jima, the Bulldog Mascot Cemetery, the Leatherneck Square, where in the summer you can see recruits undergoing hand-to-hand combat training, the Douglas Visitor Center and the St. Helena History Trail.

Just for kids activities: Little ones can earn the “Junior Recruit” title by successfully completing the museum exploration challenge.

Interesting artifacts and enemy captures

• Terrible homemade IEDs, simple yet deadly. The Iraqi “Pressure Plate” was used all over Iraq as a speed bump triggered bomb.

The “Viet Cong Booby Trap” made of a metal spike, a Coke can, wiring and grenade it was usually placed under rice paddies and wetlands. When you stepped on it the spike will penetrate the boot and foot; jerking the foot to get loose will detonate the bomb.

Viet Cong IED - The Boot and Foot Booby Trap

• Soviet designed Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) Sight equipped with night vision.

• A model of a T-72 Iraqi tank, dubbed “Dolly Paton” for the noticeable bulge on its turret from the extra armor added to better protect against direct hits.

• Japanese Occupation Flag – unlike other captured enemy flags inscribed with patriotic slogans, this one looks into the future with a Good Luck message to United States and Japan.

• 17th century sword was among the many weapons given up by Japanese troops in Seoul. The sword was designed by Yoshimichi of Yamato and despite having 18th century fittings it was used through 1945 battles.

• Lucky helmet that saved Paul Hatfield’s life during the Cape Gloucester assault in 1945.

• The humble all purpose towel, became an essential item during Vietnam War. Soldiers used it to dry themselves and their equipment, as pillow, bandage, shoulder cover and scarf.

Just for laughs…

• The Boot Camp cartoons tell a compelling, brutally honest, yet very funny story about the tough life on Parris Island: the food, hair styles, drill instructors, combat training even the mighty sand flea…nothing is spared!

Join the Marines for an exciting adventuruous life!

• Joyful and exciting 1920 Recruiting Poster

• Airmen Blood Chit, a cloth caring a message in English and Korean: “This is a crash-landed U.N. soldier. If you can lead him to the nearest U.N. troops we shall greatly appreciate it”.

• Dreaded MRE package, it came in 24 different meal varieties of about 1,250 calories. The MRE was heated by a flameless ration heater activated by water and meant to last for 3 years.

• Uniform for Pregnant Marines – For a long time being pregnant resulted in immediate involuntary discharge. After 1976 expecting women were allowed to remain in active duty and finally maternity uniforms were issued in 1980.

US Marines Traditions
The Uniform – Although the uniform changed shape, colors and material over the years there are some elements preserved to date:

- The Blood Stripe, first used in 1798 now it commemorates the service of men at the Chapultepec battle.

- The Quatrefoil, it originated in the 18th century when Marines used a cross-shaped rope on top of their covers to differentiate between friends and foes at rigging.

- The Mameluke Sword, were first given as gifts by Turkish viceroy of Egypt during Barbary Wars. Long time ago, Mameluks, slave warriors who fought for Moslem overlords used this style of curbed swords. They eventually overthrew their masters and established their own Kingdoms.

The Leatherneck nickname started in 1785

• The Hymn is the oldest official song of all armed services. The words date back to 19th century but its origin and author remain unknown. The music comes from the 1859 opera Genevieve de Brebart.

• The Semper Fidelis emblems built from scrap metal by Wheeler Hembert, a metal worker at the new bridge to Parris Island construction during WWII. They were mounted and stayed on the front gate from 1943 to 2001.

• The Mascot – English bulldogs became popular as Marines mascots after BGen. Smedley Butler enlisted “Jiggs” at Quantico in Virginia in 1922. Marine Barracks in D.C. now name all their bulldogs “Chesty” in honor of the most decorated Marine, Lewis “Chesty” Puller. Many Marine units have their own bulldog.

“Mess with the Best, Die Like the Rest!”

Have a memorable and happy family vacation in Beaufort, South Carolina!

Recently I visited one of the most iconic churches in Beaufort and the Lowcountry, the St. Helena Episcopal Church. Thanks to our lovely guide the free tour was a pure delight (that’s quite a feat with my young and restless 5 years old!).

The superb St. Helena Church...South Carolina second oldest and most active churches

Getting ready to celebrate 300 years of existence, the venerable St. Helena is the state second oldest church, and remarkably, one the fastest growing in the diocese.

St. Helena History and Interesting Facts (content courtesy of St. Helena Church website)

• Built in 1724 (construction delayed by the 1715 Yemassee War), St. Helena was made out of ships ballast bricks and then smoothed over with stucco, bolstering excellent proportions and fine interior decorations

• In 1734, Captain John Bull gave a silver Communion service in memory of his wife, who disappeared during the Yemassee Indian War.

The chalice, paten and tankard, engraved “The gift of Captain John Bull to the Parish of St. Helena” are still used today on special occasions.

The Baptismal Font, only original item left after Civil War

A wound inflicted at the battle of Port Royal in February 1779 left a scar, which marked him for the remainder of his life.

• During Civil War, Union forces occupied Beaufort in November 1861, the entire congregation fled and the church was converted to a hospital.

The church was stripped of its furnishings, balconies were decked over to make a second floor and slab gravestones from the graveyard were used as operating tables.

Bishop Thomas noted soon after the war was over “the church was a wreck of its former self and could not be used”. All that remained of the antebellum furnishings was the 1784 baptismal font.

The St. Helena Church graveyard and the legends…

The old cemetery, enclosed by a brick wall constructed around 1804, is entrenched in the local history.

• One of the earliest burials was Colonel John Barnwell (1671-1724), better known as “Tuscarora Jack,” a famous Indian fighter and a founder of Beaufort Town in 1711.

• Two British officers, killed in the battle of Port Royal at Gray’s Hill during the American Revolution in February 1779, are buried in the churchyard.

British Officers died during Revolutionary battle of Port Royal at Gray’s Hill

“Soldiers and fellow citizens: We have now shown our enemies that we have not only the courage to face and best them in the field, but that we have the humanity to give their dead a decent and a Christian burial.”

• Two Confederate generals rest in peace in the old cemetery, Lieutenant General Richard Heron “Fightin’ Dick” Anderson and Brigadier General Stephen Elliott, Jr.

• Beware of John, legend has it he asked to be buried with a jug of milk (or was it wine?), a loaf of bread and an axe so when the time comes he can come out his tomb!…

A wicked story...

How St. Helena Church changed over the years…

• The church has been enlarged 3 times, in 1769, 1817, and 1842. The northeast corner of the building and the original bricks in the outer walls have been retained over the years

The exquisite interior galleries

• The 1817 west side extension was retained in 1842 while the rest was demolished. The present sidewalls were constructed at that time, and the foundations of the 1769 church were used to support the interior galleries.

• In 1874, a new roof was put on the church. Two years later a new organ replaced the one lost in the Civil War and the original cedar box pews were replaced with heart of pine benches.

Beautiful altar designed by USS New Hampshire sailors after Civil War

A hurricane in 1896 destroyed the east end of the church. When the debris was cleared away, the altar remained intact. The building was subsequently rebuilt in its present form.

• The present steeple was built in 1941, (the old one was removed for safety during Civil War). Designed by Simons and Lapham of Charleston, it stands 118 feet high, the only existing specification of the earlier steeple.

• The church was repaired and redecorated in 1959 following Hurricane Gracie, which ripped off half of the roof. Disaster struck again on Easter Sunday 1970, when a hailstorm broke 150 windowpanes on the south side of the church.

St. Helena Church organ

• By 1998, the 286-year-old church was badly in need of restoration and repair. 19 months of hard work and $2.6 million later, the church reopened on Palm Sunday 2000.

With its Gregorian makeover edition St. Helena is now ready to celebrate its tricentennial in 2012. No need to wait that long, you are always welcome to visit this magnificent church year around from 9AM to 4:30PM.

Worship Services are on Sunday at 8AM, 10:15AM and 6 PM, Wednesday at 5PM and Thursday at 11AM.

St. Helena Church is located downtown Beaufort at 505 Church Street Check out the official website for sermons, tours, summer camps and ongoing events.

Welcome visitors!

Open your heart and free your mind in spiritual Lowcountry region of South Carolina!

On my second visit to Beaufort and the “Palmetto Phoenix Church” I discovered touching stories of love, passion, freedom and despair.

Old Sheldon Church view as you come in the yard

The heart-breaking loss of a child…

“I’ll weep no tears upon the grave
Where lies my darling out of sight
God has but taken what He gave
And made my child a Seraph bright
He early tastes the promised bliss
And shall I, Can I, weep for this”

Old Sheldon Church Ruins - front view

The rite of passage at St. Helena Episcopal Church in Beaufort…

In 1734, Captain John Bull (brother of William Bull who helped built Old Sheldon Church) gave a silver Communion service in memory of his first wife who dissapeared during the 1715 Yemassee masacre. The chalice, paten and tankard, engraved “The gift of Captain John Bull to the Parish of St. Helena” are still used today on special occasions.

Both John and his second wife Mary are burried in the Sheldon Church graveyard.

1771 tombstone of Mary Bull, John Bull's second wife

The Stono Rebellion… (excerpts from PBS article “Africans in America” and “Beginnings” from USC Press)

In September 1739 a group of African slaves led by an Angolan named Jemmy, seized weapons near the Stono River south of Charleston and began to march towards Florida shouting “Liberty!” They burned and plundered plantations, taverns, and shops killing about 20 whites before stoping to rest for the night at Edisto River.

Entrance to the extended parking lot across the road

The better armed and trained militia defeated the slaves and roughly 40 whites and 60 blacks died in the melee.

The response to the rebellion proved swift and brutal. Travelers on the Old Post Road (present day US Hwy 17) would have seen the heads of the rebels placed on pikes up and down the route.

The loyal devotion…

As you rest your body and spirit under the lush oak trees remember Biz and Bill Campbell, who for over 75 years cared with deep love for these sacred grounds.

Romantic picnic at Old Sheldon Church

The church is located on Old Sheldon Road between Beaufort and Yemassee, about 2 miles from the intersection of Hwy 17 and Hwy 21. A free public service is held each year on second Sunday after Easter. Call (843) 522-1712 to inquire about reserving the church yard for personal events or wedding celebrations.

Come as you are, leave as you wish!

The Charles Towne Landing Visitors Center has an incredible exhibit showcasing the Carolina beginnings. Step in the shoes of white English settlers, Native Americans, or African slaves and experience first hand how life was like in the late 17th century.

Samuel Benwood a successful tailor, became a free man after 2 years

• How much money can you make if you were a woman?
• What skills were most sought after?
• What kind of crops and trade were the most lucrative?
• How much land can you own as an indentured servant?
• What were the interactions between the settlers and the Native Americans?
• What kind of wildlife roamed the Carolina Coast back then?

There are incredible drawings, artifacts and recollections that paint a vivid image of our primordial past. Here is just a sample:

The cash crop of the Barbados that started it all…

Molasses Cone and Jar in the 1650s

On March 15, 1670 The Carolina finally made it to shore.
“Everywhere they looked, they saw chattering flocks of birds, small game such as rabbits and squirrels, and rivers filled with fish and turtles…they saw miles of unspoiled, seemingly uninhabited land and unlimited potential for their future lives.”

The Carolina

The Cassique of the Kiawah welcomed the white settlers and trading of furs and Indian slaves soon flourished. One settler recollects “…when we came a shoare they stroked us on ye shoulders with their hands saying Bony Conraro Angles, knowing us to English be our collours (as wee supposed) we then gave them Brass rings & tobacco at which they seem well pleased…”

The Welcome

Here’s a look at how the Albermarle Point colony developed during its first 10 years.

The first 10 years at Albermarle Point colony

The white English settlers tried to replicate the Barbados style colonial plantations, were indentured servants, and especially African slaves, did the all the work: building houses, working the fields and harvesting the crops. They tried to grow tobacco, indigo, rice, sugar, olives, grapes, flax and cotton.

Life as an indentured servant

Slaves were brought in from Barbados to work on the new colony. Soon their contribution became indispensable, yet they lived under miserable and inhumane conditions, never allowed to own land or benefit from their hard work.

Pain and suffering...slave ships living Barbados for America

Wildlife was abundant along the Carolina coast. However the very lucrative fur trade lead to ravage hunting and the agricultural expansion to massive deforestation, negatively impacting the fragile ecosystem. Many species declined and some went extinct.

Natives hunting gigantic alligators

“…The Healthfulness of the Air; the Fertility of the Earth and Waters, and the great Pleasure and Profit will accrue to those that shall go thither to enjoy the fame”

Advertisement of the Carolina by the Lord Proprietors

History is great, but what about the children?

Relax, there is plenty of activities to enjoy throughout the park. Here are just a few fun things kids can do inside Charles Towne Landing.

Be a proud Carolinian at the historic Charles Towne Landing!

Would I know where to kneel and dig?
Who first covered the fort’s walls with molasses and lime?
What treasures still lie beneath my feet? – from “Molasses” by Ed Madden

A trip to Fort Moultrie and Sullivan’s Island is filled with emotions, mysteries and soul searching questions. The fort is most famous for the Patriots bravery and ingenuity during the Revolutionary War that lead to a historic victory, the state flag and its marquee Palmetto symbol.

But there is more behind the old stucco fortifications. If only the walls could talk…

Inside Fort Moultrie

There are closed tunnels, locked gates and hidden passages that lead nowhere. Who built them and why?

What about the unusual colors “the color of onion and okra”, “the chalk wash”. Apparently the interior brick walls and buildings were painted yellow to protect the soft brick from the elements. The sulfur on the inside walls comes from molasses, used to thicken the mix of water and lime!

The Middle Passage and the houses of pain and sorrow
The pest houses are gone now, but the fact remains: 40% of all Africans brought to North America from 1700 to 1775 first arrived on Sullivan’s Island.

Few historical monuments and markers pay (and are planned to pay) tribute to the millions of enslaved Africans:

Bench by the Road Ceremony - Photo by Tony Morrison Society www.tonimorrisonsociety.org

• Bench by The Road - a 6-foot-long structure with a small bronze plaque mounted on its back. The bench was revealed last summer during the Fifth Biennial on Sullivan’s Island in a ceremony lead by Toni Morrison, the 1st African American Nobel Prize for Literature winner and main catalyst of the project.

• A marker erected in 1999 that says tens of thousands of African captives arrived on Sullivan’s Island’s shores between 1700 and 1775.

• Future planned exhibit “Passages” connects the West Coast of Africa with Lowcountry Gullah-Geechee culture.

• Future commemorative markers of the four Pest Houses where slaves were quarantined and kept in abominable conditions. The houses were demolished at the end of the 18th century so residents could better enjoy their island.

Fort Moultrie Park Entrance

Admission to Fort Moultrie is FREE. The fort is open 9AM – 5PM year around except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Check out these awesome photos that several visitors posted on Flickr.

More area attractions

• Fort Sumter in the Charleston Harbor where the Civil War started. Free admission, must pay for ferry to get there

• USS Yorktown Aircraft Carrier in Mount Pleasant. “The Fighting Lady” is home to dozens incredible war jets, a submarine, a flight simulator and more.

• Charles Towne Landing, the birthplace of Charleston and South Carolina, is an incredible park featuring a historic trail, Horry plantation ruins and the Animal Forest Zoo.

North Carolina is one of the most decorated and beloved battleships in US naval history. During World War II North Carolina participated in every major naval offensive in the Pacific and earned 15 Battle Stars. She became the first of 10 fast battleships to join the fleet in WWII.

Military Highlights (courtesy of Battleship NC website)

The Showboat North Carolina

• The Battleship carried out 9 shore bombardments, sank an enemy troopship, destroyed at least 24 enemy aircraft, and assisted in shooting down many more. Despite its extensive combat North Carolina had only 10 men lost and 67 wounded.

• North Carolina was considered the world’s greatest sea weapon. Armed with nine 16-inch/45 caliber guns in three turrets and twenty 5-inch/38 caliber guns in 10 twin mounts, North Carolina proved a formidable weapons platform.

• 144 commissioned officers and 2,195 enlisted men, including 100 Marines had the privilege to serve on the Battleship. Here are some of the most intimate combat encounters and funny recollections about the life on the Battleship.

Despite all her accomplishments, she was almost scrapped in 1958. Luckily a statewide SOS campaign led by NC citizens saved her from destruction and on April 29, 1962, North Carolina became a state memorial to its WWII veterans.

Exciting Things To Do on the Tour

Battleship Stern Turret 3 with 16-inch Guns

• Discover the ship’s city-like lifestyle with diners, movie theater, church, post office, laundry, ice cream shop, newspaper, barber shops and repair shops.

• See one of the 7 remaining Vought Kingfisher floatplanes in the world.

• Make a Wish – You will see several ammunition loading trunks on the tour. A trunk is a series of openings for transporting supplies (projectiles, powder cans). One of them was turned into a Wishing Well. All coins go to the Restoration Fund.

Tips to Know Before You Go

• Wear very comfortable shoes. Get ready for steep walks and even crawls up and down the decks. Beware there is some construction going on the main deck. When in doubt, just pick-up and carry the kids to avoid any drama.

• The tour is well marked. You may end up going in circles but you can’t really get lost. Just follow the “Yellow Road” signs and you’ll be fine.

Checking Turret 2

• Spend time and read the inscriptions. The are touching stories and funny quotes from former Battleship seamen. This is when the ship really comes to life!

• The only handicap accessible area is the main deck. Accessibility to most of the exhibits should increase once Phase III of the Restoration Project is complete.

• You can spice up your trip and arrive at the Battleship by water (from downtown Wilmington) aboard the historic Maffitt River Taxi.

They also do sightseeing cruises on the Cape Fear River. Call 1-800-676-0162 for details.

Battleship Admission and Hours
Admission is $12 adults, $10 seniors and military, $6 children 6-11 and FREE for children 5 and under.

North Carolina is open daily year round. Memorial Day through Labor Day from 8AM to 8PM. All other days the ship is open 8AM to 5PM.

The self-guided tour usually takes 2 hours to complete. For the enthusiast, it can easily take 4 hours to fully experience the ship given the extensive signage throughout the ship.

Drive to Charleston SC to pay tribute to “The Fighting Lady”, the USS Yorktown Aircraft Carrier and to see the historic Fort Sumter National Monument where the Civil War started.

While in Wilmington visit the one and only Cape Fear Serpentarium featuring the world’s largest collection of deadly venomous snakes. It cost only $8 to get it and see the incredible live feedings.

Be a proud American aboard Battleship North Carolina!

“I’m Dizzy Gillespie from Chee-raw, South Carolina”

Dizzy's bronze statue on the green

Every year on the 3rd weekend in October thousands of music afficionados, tourists and Cheraw locals flock to the SC Jazz Festival to pay tribute to the King of Jazz.

Interesting facts and trivia about Dizzy Gillespie:
• His given name was John Birks Gillespie, friends still refer to him as John Birks.
• Dizzie always played music by ear; it was Norman Powe, Dizzy’s long time friend who thought him how to read music.
• He had a wonderful sense of rhythm. As a little boy he often danced at the Chiquora Club, located behind the Town Hall.
• He was passionate about movies or “moving pictures” as he put it. Dizzy used to sneak in at The Lyric Theatre – present day Theater on the Green – to see the shows that finally the manager offered him a job to keep other kids at bay!
• Cheraw first honored Dizzy Gillespie in 1959 with a big parade. In 2002 the town dedicated a 7 foot bronze statue and a park. Artist Bob Doster and Cheraw school children created the park’s modern sculptures, stainless steel benches and the fence depicting the notes from Salt Peanuts.

Having fun with the chalk on the walk

Fun things for kids at the SC Jazz Festival
• Show your bepop skills at the parade with performance by The Equinox Jazz Band
• Dance and listen to the daily free concerts on the Town Green
• Be an artist on the Green: paint with marbles, chalk on the walk, color a gigantic jazzy canvas and get your face painted by the clowns
• Get grooving in the park at Dizzy’s birthday party
• Admire dazzling creations by the Artisans of the SC Cotton Trail

“In Cheraw mischief, money making and music captured all my attention.” – Dizzy Gillespie

Christmas is not Christmas without a fresh-cut, aroma pine exhuberating tree. You know what I’m talking about. It’s more about choosing and cutting it as it is about decorating it.

This weekend families young and old came in droves at the friendly Old Congaree Run farm in southeast Columbia to get their perfect Christmas tree. Some wanted a small fluffy tree, others preferred the tallest most majestic pine they could find. There were couples who came for more than 20 years as well as newly weds rookies. Either way there’s was happiness all around. That’s priceless!

In case you’re wondering what’s going on, here are some pictures:

Start by browsing the majestic Fraser Firs

What about this one mom?

Entertain your kids on the FREE hay ride

Ecstatic kids on the hay ride

You know you got it when you see it

Choosing the perfect Virginia Pine

The tree search climax….cutting it down (they give you a saw and a hand if needed)

The Big Moment!

The tree goes to the cleaning, drilling and bagging stations:

Bagging the Christmas tree

You can choose Fraser Fir, Red Cedar, Virginia Pine, Carolina Sapphire and Leyland Cypress trees. Prices start at $6 a foot. TIP! Get the $20 “Tim Mitchell” design drill stands. They’re sturdy, will last a lifetime and will keep your tree steady.

The farm is family owned and operated. People there are extremely friendly, knowleadgeable and quick to give you a hand or tree maintenance advice. Learn more about the owners and see additional farm photos here.

Come to Old Congaree Run Christmas Tree Farm for a magical family holiday tradition!