I’m trying to catch up with my blogging, so I’m about a week behind. Last week was a busy one.
October 8, 2013
Tuesday evening Glynda and I made a trek up to Landrum for a showing of a film entitled “Merrittsville: The Lost Village of the Dark Corner.” Merrittsville is one of the towns on my ghost town list, so I was very interested to hear what they had to say about it.
I had a little bit of information about Merrittsville. I knew it was once on the North Saluda River on land now inundated by the Greenville Watershed Reservoir. That meant that it was completely off limits – we couldn’t even venture along the banks to see if something remained of the town. Merritsville School was once located just below the reservoir dam, but is now long gone, demolished to make way for the water utility. North Fork Baptist still stands, and Laura and I have attended a wedding for one of her students there.
Glynda and I headed up early on a spectacular fall day. Along the way she mentioned that her friend Sarah Hart’s family was from Merrittsville. The Ward and Davis families lived in the area, and Sarah’s great-grandfather operated a boarding house in the village called “The Poinsett.” According to Glynda, there was a statue in front of the house which now rests in from of The Poinsett Westin downtown. I’ll have to check that out at at some point.
First we stopped in downtown Landrum at one of my favorite establishments, The Hare and Hound. We had a good meal, then headed over to the Landrum Library for the viewing. When we walked in there was a table set up with books for sale. There were several books on the history of the Dark Corner by Mann Batson, and a novel by the evening’s host, Anne Blythe. A good group of about 30 people gathered to view the film.
As Glynda and I took our seats, the librarians fumbled with the laptop and projector used to display the film. For some reason they couldn’t get things to work. Glynda punched me and said, “You should go help them.” I politely refused, stating that I don’t do that anymore, and they probably didn’t want an interloper messing with their equipment. Eventually they did get it going, and we were ready to begin.
Anne Blythe introduced the video, describing its production by videographer Ron Long, then the video began. At first Glynda and I thought we were watching raw footage rather than a completed project. The video started with narration by Anne Blythe, then cut to interviews with Mann Batson. The interviews jumped abruptly, without any smooth transitions. It was a bit unsettling.
Production values aside, there was some very good information about the town. There were a couple of old photos of Merritt’s Mill and some other historic photos of the area that I’d love to find somewhere. Batson described the development of the State Road through the area. Under the direction of Joel Poinsett, Abram Blanding laid out the road through Saluda Gap, following a winding path that would minimize strain on a wagon pulled by oxen. The route over the mountain was called “The Winds” (with a long “i”) because of the twists and turns.
Poinsett Bridge was one of three stone bridges build along the State Road, and is the only one to survive. While Poinsett Bridge has a Gothic arch, the others had barrel-vaulted stone arches. One of the bridges was at the village of Merrittsville, where there was a toll booth for those wishing to continue up the mountain. Various houses in the village had large pens where drovers would drive their animals while taking them to various markets. Most likely, the boarding house operated by Sarah’s family was one of these drover lodges.
One of the most amazing discoveries for me was that there is a large water fall, called “Big Falls”, that plummets straight into the reservoir. It can only be viewed from the reservoir, and is now completely inaccessible. There was some nice video footage of the falls in the video.
The video itself was only 15 minutes, but there was lots of raw video of Batson just talking about history in general. Blythe let the video run through the unedited interviews. Batson is a wealth of information about the area, and rambled on about the families in the area, and the Dark Corner in general.
After the video there was a question and answer period. Most questions were about the Dark Corner in general, and not about the town. Glynda and I both had lost of questions – What was the town actually like? How many people lived there? How many were displaced with the Greenville Watershed was constructed? There was quite a bit that was not covered in the short video.
Even so, it was a good evening out with some interesting history of the area. It’s frustrating not to be able to visit Big Falls and some of the locations because of watershed property, but I did enjoy hearing the tales of the area.
In my search on on Ancestry shows my great,great ,grandparent’s by the name Farmers and Burrell’s lived in Merrittsville S.C lived .I typed in this name trying to find where they was from .Last year I also read about the play about Dark Corners never guessing they was connected. I want to know more .I feel my husbands family settled close ,Metcalf .Saluda or closer .Need to know more.
Closely related to this topic is a book titled “Distilling the mystery of Hogback Mountain” available at the Greenville library.
Metcalf is definitely mentioned in there.
I am a METCALF living right above the greenvill watershed we’ve been there 200 years which family are you be glad to help
Hi,I’m married to Roger Keith Metcalf, youngest son of John Davis Metcalf his family an mine was a part of this place an Saluda. My grandparents was Burrells.Love to hear from you.
I am the Great Granddaughter of James Andrew Broadus Middleton. I am looking for information on the original Middleton home place. I was told that the Greenville Water Shed bought Middleton property. George Washington Metcalf was married to Salena Middleton who was the daughter of James Washington Middleton. Do you have any information on the Middleton Family? My Grandmother was Sarah Francis Middleton who married Clarence Bradley.
Mr. Metcalf… Do you have any photos of the area covered by the North Saluda Reservoir? I am looking for a picture of Wildwood Lodge, but am interested in any photos of that area. My parents grew up around Merrittsville in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Mom was a Guest and Dad was a West. His dad built the existing North Fork Baptist Church and her dad was treasurer for several years. Mary West Owens
I also am looking for a photograph of the Wildwood lodge. I have several photographs of my father at the park in the late 1920’s and two excellent photographs of the the swimming pool.
Hi James Metcalf. I am looking for the grave of Horatio Forrester who is listed on the 1860 census (and earlier) as living in the Merritsville Post Office area. Does this last name ring a bell?
Thanks,
Jason F
Hello – I just stumble upon your website.
As I was working on my genealogy I noticed that Sarah Merritt
Lived in Merrittsville, SC born about 1780.
Looking forward to wandering around your site to see if she is apart of the city name.
Nancy Kimzey Anderson
NIKandCo@hotmail.com
Nancy… Sarah Merritt was my great grandmother 6 times removed. She was the daughter of Benjamin Merritt, for which the town was named.
Hello, Mary, I am interested in your Merritts and the town. My grandmother b 1895 in Union County, NC was a Haywood but recent dna evidence, both y-dna and autosomal dna indicate that our most distant Haywood ancestor b 1790 may have changed his name from Merritt in the early 1800’s and we match Merritts from Capt Robert Merritt’s line and Merritts from Sampson County, NC and Pensacola, FL. Are you into the Merritt genealogy in your neck of the woods? There is a Benjamin Merritt going back to Florida over 200 years ago searching for his brother Clemson Hall. There are Halls and Buchanans who also match Merritts around the country. Would love to know more about your Merritts and any possible connections. Thanks,
Mr. Tom.
In your readings and research have you come across the Wildwood Park. Every map that I have seen the even shows the Park, show it down under North Saluda Reservoir. But in one article, seems it is was up on the west side of Hogback Mtn. below the WSPA tower. It also mentions the “Winds” section of the trail also above Wildwood Park. I know of a resort up on the Hogback location, but never got a name for it or the exact location. Is that the Wildwood Park? Thank you sir. Hope you are all doing well.
Tripp Clement
Tripp, I did come across the name, but there wasn’t that much information about the park. I’ll have to see if I can find those notes.
The resort at the summit of Hogback was called Blue Ridge Forest. It went bankrupt in the Great Depression. There are only a few traces of it left.
The Wildwood improvements were not covered by the reservoir. The original entrance to Wildwood is still visible along Highway 225 at a point that it crosses Fall Creek. I very much would like to get a copy of any photograph of the lodge. I have copies of photographs of several of the cottages that were assigned to the various mills for their employees as well as the swimming pool.
I have seen recent photos of the huge stone chimneys, which are overgrown but still there, and the swimming pool. I have not been able to find any old photos of the lodge from when it was still standing.
From what I’ve read, Wildwood Park was a resort for the Woodside Mill employees in the 1920’s. I’m sure that the swimming pool outline is is there and could even swear that I saw video of the it on PBS years ago.
That’s what I seem to remember, as well.
On the 1930’s USGS quad map, Wildwood is shown with many buildings around the switchbacks on the Old State Road north of Merrittsville and west of Big Falls. This area is in the watershed, but not under the lake. I’ve also read there were stone retaining walls constructed on these switchbacks or “winds” of the old road, by the masons of Poinsett Bridge, North Saluda Bridge, and the third bridge (I believe at Hodges Creek).
Tom: Benjamin Merritt was my 6th great grandfather. I would like to know if you ever located any of the photos shown in the film and is the film still housed in a library locally? Thank you.
My name is Terry Nelson. My family had a summer cabin at Carolina Lake Colony, near Wildwood Park (both now underwater of the reservoir).
I have a Defense Mapping Agency relief map (24″ X 36″)which shows the
Wildwood Park. The map is sold by Mast General Stores and along the
Blue Ridge Parkway. I would dearly love any old photos of the lodge and the rock pool with the fountain in the center. I remember swimming in it and how cold the water was. Also the lodge square dances. Or any other information about what was there before the
reservoir. I remember the mill and the Log Cabin Restaurant too!
My ancestors were the Bryant’s who lived in the area since the early 1800’s. Does anyone have any information on Bryant mountain? I know it’s on the water works property and I assume my ancestors lived on the mountain at some point. Thanks
Mary, Our family is related by dna to the Nobles Family which goes back to your Bejamin Merritt and Merrittsville. Thanks again, Bob
I am searching for information on Col. Levi Merritt’s wife Melvina Lilly S. Martin. I have read that she was 2 when both of her parents were killed. She was raised by a ward of the Presbyterian Church in Little River Valley, South Carolina. Levi and Melvina Lilly Merritt are my 4th great grandparents and I am hoping someone could shed light onto the history of the Merritt’s family and if anyone has information on Melvina Lilly S. Martin’s parents and childhood.
Thank you and please email me with any info at: bowersfamily.group72@gmail.com
My 6th great-grandfather was Benjamin Merritt in which Merrittsville got its name from. I would love to talk with anyone who has any more information on Benjamin Merritt or the Merritt family.
I have been trying to research Lilly Merritt and always come up with a gun dead end. She was my 3rd great grandmother. Would like to correspond with you and see if we might come up with some answers.
Bob Merritt
Bob, As you probably know the Merritt family was large about 200 + years ago and show up particularly in Eastern NC, Sampson County and Granville County, NC, Merrittsville, SC, and the Florida panhandle where they were Indian fighters. We think around 1800, at least one of the families had a big fight and more than one of the young men changed their names and left the family and some of this explains why there are several Halls, Buchanans, Nobles, and Haywoods who match Merritts especially through y-dna. The autosomal dna matches are now becoming so remote that they hardly show up. A branch of my family (Haywood) shows up as Merritt with y-dna. My cousins and I did a lot of dna testing and research into the Merritts but could not find a paper connection. Besides Merritt, we also match a lot of the other surnames mentioned above. I remember the Nobles have some connections to Merrittsville. I can supply you with a lot of correspondence and dna links to various info which may help you.
Have you had dna testing, particularly y-dna or Family Finder at Familytreedna.com or dna at ancestry.com? Thanks, Bob Baker (ncbakerfam@yahoo.com)
I have been trying to research Lilly Merritt and always come up with a gun dead end. She was my 3rd great grandmother. Would like to correspond with you and see if we might come up with some answers.
Bob Merritt
My comment didn’t include my email. Maybe it will be included now so I can be contacted.
My email is no1morganton@yahoo.com
I have a few pictures of a cabin at Carolina Lake Colony, and possibly big falls.
This is my 3rd Great Grandmother:
Manerva Catherine Merritt was born on 22 December 1803, in Merrittsville, Greenville, South Carolina, United States, her father, Wheaton Merritt, was 23 and her mother, Eva B Hodges, was 24. She married Nathaniel Joseph Beddingfield in January 1818, in Merrittsville, Greenville, South Carolina, United States. They were the parents of at least 10 sons and 8 daughters. She died on 27 October 1860, in Zirconia, Henderson, North Carolina, United States, at the age of 56, and was buried in Henderson, North Carolina, United States.
From the comments, several of us a related. 🙂