Skip to content

Random Connections

A collection of photography and exploration focusing on Upstate South Carolina and beyond.

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Photos
  • Resources
  • Other Voices
  • Post Archives
  • Podcast
  • Home
  • History and Genealogy
  • Page 4

Category: History and Genealogy

A Wedge of Waxhaws

Posted on February 16, 2020February 16, 2020 By Tom 2 Comments on A Wedge of Waxhaws
History and Genealogy, Rambling

Each year Alan Russell and I do an exploration on the Matin Luther King holiday. This got to be a tradition because both of us were available on a day when we didn’t have family obligations, etc. This is the first year since Alan has been retired, so this time he DID have MLK Day … Read More “A Wedge of Waxhaws” »

An Electric Crybaby

Posted on October 26, 2019October 27, 2019 By Tom 1 Comment on An Electric Crybaby
History and Genealogy, Photography, Rambling, Weirdness

The story of a “Crybaby Bridge” seems to be a common trope in tales of the paranormal. There are Crybaby Bridges all over the country. Each bridge has a similar story. Usually, a distraught mother kills a baby by tossing it into the water below. Thereafter, any travelers crossing the bridge at night will hear … Read More “An Electric Crybaby” »

Exploring Underground Anderson

Posted on October 21, 2019October 21, 2019 By Tom 5 Comments on Exploring Underground Anderson
History and Genealogy, Local, Photography, Rambling

For many years I’ve known about the underground railroad passage in Anderson, South Carolina. The passage hints at a forgotten history and neglected part of the city. I’ve visited the entrances to the passageway several times, but just never got up the nerve to explore it by myself. This past week fellow explorer Alan Russell joined me, and together we finally got a chance to explore Underground Anderson.

Exploring Berry Shoals Pond from Tygerberry

Posted on September 28, 2019September 28, 2019 By Tom 4 Comments on Exploring Berry Shoals Pond from Tygerberry
Geocaching and Maps, History and Genealogy, Local, Paddling

For many years I drove over the bridge over the South Tyger River at Berry Shoals, looking longingly at the old steel trestle bridge downstream and the twin lakes of Berry Shoals Pond and Silver Lake. I wanted to explore the area. However, I was always in route to one of my schools or on some other school district business, so I never got a chance to explore…until now. Sadly, my explorations were cut short, all for want of a hat.

The Oeland Churches

Posted on September 5, 2019September 5, 2019 By Tom 6 Comments on The Oeland Churches
History and Genealogy, Local, Miscellaneous, Religion

For many years I was music director at McCarter Presbyterian Church here in Greenville. McCarter is a small church located prominently at the intersection of Pelham Road and East North Street, a spot it has occupied for the past 123 years. It seemed a unique little church in the bustle of a major neighborhood that somehow managed to survive.
But then I found out that it wasn’t unique.

Journey to Nazareth

Posted on August 30, 2019August 30, 2019 By Tom 2 Comments on Journey to Nazareth
History and Genealogy, Local, Photography, Religion

I worked in Spartanburg county for fifteen years. During all of that time I never got around to visiting Nazareth Presbyterian Church. I knew it was one of the first churches in the area, having been established around 1765, but for some reason I thought that the building had been updated and no longer retained its historic character. I was wrong. When I had driven by it I had seen the new Family Life Center (a.k.a “gym”) and had thought that IT was the church, somehow missing the older building right next to it. While out doing some research on another project about church architecture Alan Russell and I finally paid Nazareth a visit.

Finding Camp Meeting

Posted on August 20, 2019August 20, 2019 By Tom 4 Comments on Finding Camp Meeting
History and Genealogy, Religion

Wilmore Camp Meeting circa 1960, Wilmore, Kentucky My Background Growing up in a Pentecostal preacher’s household, one of my earliest memories is attending camp meeting each summer at Beech Springs Campground near Pelzer, South Carolina. Those earliest memories were of an open wooden tabernacle with sawdust on the floors. The activities lasted all week with … Read More “Finding Camp Meeting” »

Return to Ferguson

Posted on July 18, 2019July 20, 2019 By Tom No Comments on Return to Ferguson
History and Genealogy, Paddling, Photography

The ghost town of Ferguson has been on my mind quite a lot lately.  I’ve written a couple of articles about it and my blog posts about the town continue to be the most popular.  I’m involved with a project dealing with Lake Marion and Ferguson that I’m not at liberty to discuss online, but … Read More “Return to Ferguson” »

Cypress Adventures – Part 2, Ebenezer Creek

Posted on May 28, 2019June 29, 2024 By Tom 2 Comments on Cypress Adventures – Part 2, Ebenezer Creek
Geocaching and Maps, History and Genealogy, Paddling, Photography

Thursday was Sparkleberry Swamp with the Tri-County Blueway Paddlers. Since this was a Second Saturday, it also meant that it was time for a trek with Lowcountry Unfiltered. We would be doing a trip through yet another cypress swamp, this time along Ebenezer Creek in Georgia. I drove down Friday night so that I wouldn’t … Read More “Cypress Adventures – Part 2, Ebenezer Creek” »

Remembering the Walke

Posted on May 26, 2019May 27, 2019 By Tom 6 Comments on Remembering the Walke
Family, History and Genealogy

Both my late father and Laura’s father served in the US Navy in WWII. Dad talked a little about doing MP patrols in Paris and being stationed in Guam, but really didn’t talk about the war. Mr. Wright was also reticent to talk about the way. I guess some experiences are just too hard to discuss. Now they are both gone, and those stories with them. However, there is one story from Mr. Wright that was told to Laura, not about WWII, but his later service in the Korean War. It was the story about how his ship, the USS Walke, was torpedoed in the Sea of Japan.

Posts pagination

Previous 1 … 3 4 5 … 28 Next

Categories

  • EdTech (197)
  • Entertainment (201)
  • Family (123)
  • Gear (114)
  • General Technology (98)
  • Geocaching and Maps (208)
  • History and Genealogy (275)
  • Internet (141)
  • Local (458)
  • Miscellaneous (557)
  • Music (202)
  • Paddling (265)
  • Photography (781)
  • Podcast (18)
  • Rambling (233)
  • Rants (161)
  • Recipes (36)
  • Religion (48)
  • Restaurants (165)
  • Science (48)
  • Things Overheard (29)
  • Travel (413)
  • Uncategorized (143)
  • Washington Sabbatical (113)
  • Weirdness (59)

Recent Posts

  • Carolina Ghost Towns – The Kingdom of Happy Land
  • Carolina Ghost Towns – Mitchellville
  • Carolina Ghost Towns – Paper Towns
  • Kayaking on Wolf Creek Lake
  • Carolina Ghost Towns – Colonial Dorchester

Recent Comments

  • Curtis V Fink on Carolina Ghost Towns – The Kingdom of Happy Land
  • Brendan W. on Gimme Shelter
  • Tom on From Kingsbury to Stoneboro – Rambling in Lancaster County
  • Eric Catoe on From Kingsbury to Stoneboro – Rambling in Lancaster County
  • Tom on From Kingsbury to Stoneboro – Rambling in Lancaster County

Tags

blogging cemetery Christmas Columbia Edisto River edtech Entertainment family Flickr Florida Furman Furman University gear Georgia geotagging Ghost Town Ghost Towns Google Earth Google Maps GPS Greenville Greenville Chorale history Instructional Technology kayaking Lake Jocassee LCU Lowcountry Unfiltered maps Music North Carolina Paddling Photography rambling restaurant Restaurants review singing social networking South Carolina time-lapse Travel video Washington Washington State
July 2025
S M T W T F S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
« Jun    

Copyright © 2025 Random Connections.

Theme: Oceanly by ScriptsTown