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Category: History and Genealogy

Gimme Shelter

Posted on May 1, 2025May 3, 2025 By Tom 3 Comments on Gimme Shelter
History and Genealogy, Local, Rambling

A spiritu fomicationis,Domine, hibera nos.From the lightning and the tempest,O Lord, deliver us.From the scourge of the earthquake,O Lord, deliver us.From plague, famine, and war,O Lord, deliver us. From the place of ground zero,O Lord, deliver us.From the rain of the cobalt,O Lord, deliver us.From the rain of the strontium,O Lord, deliver us.From the fall … Read More “Gimme Shelter” »

From Kingsbury to Stoneboro – Rambling in Lancaster County

Posted on April 28, 2025April 28, 2025 By Tom 6 Comments on From Kingsbury to Stoneboro – Rambling in Lancaster County
History and Genealogy, Rambling

One of the ghost towns I’ve wanted to explore is Kingsbury, in Lancaster County, South Carolina.  Located on the Catawba River, Kingsbury started out as a ferry town.  It appears on the 1825 Lancaster District Map in Robert Mills’s Atlas of South Carolina. In the late 1700s Andrew McIlwaine chartered a ferry across the Catawba … Read More “From Kingsbury to Stoneboro – Rambling in Lancaster County” »

We’ll Always Have Paris

Posted on March 2, 2025March 2, 2025 By Tom 3 Comments on We’ll Always Have Paris
History and Genealogy, Local

I was browsing through the University of South Carolina’s collection of Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps. These maps are highly detailed maps of towns and cities from the early 20th Century and are excellent for historical research. According to Wikipedia… Sanborn maps are detailed maps of U.S. cities and towns in the 19th and 20th centuries. Originally … Read More “We’ll Always Have Paris” »

Slabtown, Equality, and the Thalian Web – MLK 2025

Posted on January 22, 2025January 22, 2025 By Tom 3 Comments on Slabtown, Equality, and the Thalian Web – MLK 2025
History and Genealogy, Local, Rambling

As usual, fellow explorer Alan Russell and I planned to a ramble on MLK Day, as we do each year. We brainstormed several options, and decided to head to upper Anderson County to the community of Slabtown. I had actually visited these sites back in 2021 with the intention of writing a blog post about … Read More “Slabtown, Equality, and the Thalian Web – MLK 2025” »

Seeking Shelton

Posted on December 19, 2024December 19, 2024 By Tom No Comments on Seeking Shelton
History and Genealogy, Photography, Rambling

With all the chaos post-Helene I haven’t had much of a chance to get out and explore. I’ve been working on scripts for season 2 of Carolina Ghost Towns, which will include an episode on the ghost town of Shelton in Fairfield County. It had been awhile since I had visited, so I thought it … Read More “Seeking Shelton” »

Antioch and GPR

Posted on November 2, 2024November 2, 2024 By Tom No Comments on Antioch and GPR
General Technology, History and Genealogy

I needed to do something totally unrelated to dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. For several months Debbie Weeks from the Upstate Cemetery Preservation Alliance has been inviting me to join them on several outings, but the timing just never worked out. This time the planets aligned and I was about to join them. … Read More “Antioch and GPR” »

Catfished at a Family Reunion

Posted on August 11, 2024August 12, 2024 By Tom 6 Comments on Catfished at a Family Reunion
Family, History and Genealogy

…or, rather, catfished AFTER a family reunion. Most of my ancestors have stayed right here in South Carolina and lived within a couple of hours drive of where I now live. That makes genealogy a bit easier for me. Especially on my mother’s side you just have to head down to the Greenwood-Abbeville-Edgefield-Saluda area (AKA, … Read More “Catfished at a Family Reunion” »

MLK Ramble 2024 – Mayesville and Salem Black River Church

Posted on January 23, 2024January 24, 2024 By Tom 1 Comment on MLK Ramble 2024 – Mayesville and Salem Black River Church
History and Genealogy, Rambling

Each year I try to do a photo expedition on the MLK holiday. This tradition got started years ago when I was still working in the schools. MLK was an unexpected Monday off and I hated to waste it. I’ve been retired for quite a long time now, but I still try to do an … Read More “MLK Ramble 2024 – Mayesville and Salem Black River Church” »

Christmas Carols at Conestee, McBee Chapel

Posted on December 17, 2023December 17, 2023 By Tom No Comments on Christmas Carols at Conestee, McBee Chapel
History and Genealogy, Local, Music

It started with a notice on Facebook. McBee Methodist Church would be holding a Christmas carol singing on Saturday, December 10 at 6:00. I had visited the historic chapel many times and had photographed it from the exterior, but I was dying to see the inside. This would be my chance. McBee Methodist Church, aka … Read More “Christmas Carols at Conestee, McBee Chapel” »

In Search of the Road Builder

Posted on January 29, 2023January 30, 2023 By Tom 6 Comments on In Search of the Road Builder
History and Genealogy, Local

One of the rare non-rainy days this week I found myself wandering up to Jones Gap State Park. It was a beautiful brisk day as I walked along the trail, enjoying the rush of the Middle Saluda Waters. My mind, though, was thrown back several decades into the past, when I haunted these trails as … Read More “In Search of the Road Builder” »

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  • Brendan W. on Gimme Shelter
  • Tom on From Kingsbury to Stoneboro – Rambling in Lancaster County
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