Wild Kingdom of Harleyville, SC

Bear carving, Harleyville, SC

I always look for the bear carving when driving through Harleyville, SC. I almost missed him this time but sure enough, he is still there! There must have been a wood carver living in the town at some point because the eagle a little further up the road appears to be done by the same artist. Familiar roadside art work that I always look for.

The driveway gorilla was a new surprise and required squealing brakes and backing up for a shot. Thanks Harleyville!

Care for some water with your jail sentence?

Walterboro Water Tower, Walterboro, SC   

It is a dramatic water tower. I remembered a story about the base being used as a jail and according to this information that is correct. Multipurpose!

Atlas Obscura:  Constructed of reinforced concrete and standing 133 feet tall, the Walterboro Water Tower is one of only three standpipe systems in the state of South Carolina.There is a small door at the base of the tower that leads to a space that was once used as a county jail. Long since out of penal service, there are six small cells, and just a couple of windows. Some say that these cells later served as sleeping quarters for stranded travelers who needed a place to stay for a night. Not exactly five-star accommodations – or really any-star accommodations. Unless you count the star on the sheriff’s jacket that may have locked you up back in the day.  

Confederate Statue - Kingstree, SC

Kingstree, SC 

Finally a Confederate statue that makes me grin with glee! It is a blooper. In front of the courthouse in Kingstree, SC is a statue honoring Confederate soldiers. There is a tiny discrepancy. The statue is that of a Yankee. The mistake is so delicious I had to get a picture for myself. Meanwhile no one seems to mind and the standard inscription honors Confederate soldiers.

KINGSTREE, SC — Around the turn of the 20th century, as veterans of the Civil War began dying off at a frightful rate, there was a burst of activity, both in South and North, to erect monuments to honor their dead and their veterans.
Williamsburg County was no exception, and May 10, 1910 was the great day of the unveiling of the Confederate soldier’s statue by the Courthouse in Kingstree. The statue was a result of much effort by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, who had raised the funds by holding many ice cream socials and strawberry festivals, and hired a noted Italian sculptor to create the monument.
According to local historian Bessie Swann Britton, there was a gasp of astonishment as the statue was unveiled and the crowd realized that it was the image of a Yankee soldier.As it turns out, the sculptor had mass produced many statues for towns all across the country, and he had switched the Kingstree statue with one intended for a Union memorial in York, Maine.
In York, the error was discovered before the unveiling ceremony, but the frugal New Englanders refused to pay for a second statue, and they went ahead to erect the Confederate statue in the center of town.
At the time, neither town knew where their intended statue had gone. Today, both statues remain in place, perhaps due to the cost of rectification, or maybe as a symbol that it’s time to let bygones be bygones.
The story is told, perhaps apocryphal, of a Confederate veteran who was present at the Kingstree unveiling, but had been imbibing freely ahead of time. When the statue was uncovered and he saw a Yankee soldier on the pedestal, he raised his arms into the air and cried, “Grant, I surrender!” before pitching forward into a ‘shine’ induced slumber.Posted by Brock Townsend at Thursday, February 06, 2014 

Mail call!

Salters, SC    

This is an original! Every once and a while I consider doing a series on fun mail boxes and then I forget about it. This one called for a quick turn around for a photo op. Send these folks a letter!

I can't help think of all the excited kids ready for the first day of school in Charleston County tomorrow. I'll be looking forward to all the first day at school photos on Facebook tomorrow. 

On the road - April's Playhouse

April's Playhouse, Florence, SC   

It's called Charleston Daily Photo but some days ya just have to get out of town. This was from Saturday's road trip to Florence, SC. My friend Rosie was driving and I knew I had seen this little structure when I had briefly been at McLeod Regional Medical Center at a workshop. With my confused directions we kept circling the medical facilities in the rain until I spotted it. What a cutie.

Hammer time!

Giant hammer, Scranton, SC    

Terrible things happened in the world and our country today but while the demonstrations were happening in Charlottesville, I was sailing along country roads under blue skies to Florence, SC. It seemed almost unbelievable to come home and turn on the news and be faced with the reality of hate in people's hearts.

In Scranton, SC we pulled over to grab a shot of this giant hammer in front of a salvage shop. The gentleman who built the hammer spotted me and came out to shake my hand. Meet Jerry Briggs.

Trying to stay ahead

McClellanville, SC   

I figured if they were going to have something like this on their property they wouldn't mind me taking a picture of it. Hello there! 

Edisto Mattress Swing

Mattress Swing, Edisto, SC 

The mattress swing on the side of the road is a familiar sight on the way to Edisto Beach. This is the most festive I've ever seen it. I am never sure of the etiquette - am I supposed to donate a couple bucks for the photo op? I'd be willing to but since I am never sure, I grab a shot and zip away.

Here is a link to some of the story: Edisto Mattress Swing. Sounds like it started when hubby had to sleep outside :)

Ketch up!

Burger Hut, Hollywood, SC    

Ketch-Up! You'll Relish the Flavor!

Pull up to the cutest little burger joint around in Hollywood, SC. It even comes with a religious message. "Taste and see that the Lord is Good". Fittingly, I was there on a Sunday and it was closed. 

Edisto mystery tree in it's summer glory

Edisto Mystery Tree, Edisto Island, SC   

The Edisto Mystery Tree is decked out in it's summer finery welcoming visitors to the island. I always look for it and try to grab a shot.

The tree stands a stone’s throw away from where Highway 174 intersects with Botany Bay Road. It’s nothing more than a scraggly little thing, but for generations it’s been decorated by locals and vacationers all throughout the year. During the peak summer months, it is commonplace to see beach chairs, sand pails, flip flops, Independence Day decorations, and a host of other items hanging from the tree. Like the seasons, the tree changes along with them. While the tree is ever-changing, the real mystery behind the tree is that nobody knows just who started the whole thing to begin with. In fact at one point some rebellious youths uprooted the tree and hauled it away, but lo and behold, some mysterious benefactor planted another similar tree in its place. Whether it was the same person who planted the original tree and started the decorative tradition or just a local who couldn’t stand to see the festive plant disappear, it appears that the Edisto Mystery Tree is not going away any time soon.

Monkey Photographer

Monkey Photographer, Cross, SC  

I passed this monkey years ago! When I spotted him again not far from Cross, SC I had to grab a shot. Sadly, during my absence he has lost an arm. Nice to see you monkey photographer!

On the road - Tybee Island

Tybee Island, GA

Quick trip down the coast to Tybee Island to pay a visit to the Tybee Island Lighthouse. Those photos are uploading but here are a few fun random shots. Tybee Island reminds me of a mix between Edisto Beach and Folly Beach. It was a bright sunny day and folks were having a good time.

Peek-a-boo!

Peek-a-boo!

This delighted me so much. It was one of the first shots of the day on my Saturday road trip and the camera lens misted up in the heat and humidity. I love people who do something simple to make folks driving by smile. In this case it worked!

The frequently photographed house below will let some people know the location. We all love this beautiful old house at the intersection that is slowly but surely being renovated.

Just the facts, ma'am

Heriot St., Charleston, SC 

For all the backroad sights I look for, I happened on a Roadside America listing right here our own backyard. This one is mentioned on Roadside America and I tracked it down this morning. 

An old cypress tree stood at Grayson S. Carter's lumber business in the 1930s on this land. The "tree" is now a branchless center trunk on a concrete slab, with an embedded wisdom plaque. 

No large envelopes allowed

Sycamore Post Office, SC

Send me a letter but keep the envelope on the smaller side if you plan to mail it from the tiny, little post office in Sycamore, SC. Isn't that cute? The house next door had the same color scheme so I am assuming the post master or mistress walks across their yard to work. I like the nice touch of the table and chairs so you can catch up on the gossip while you wait for your mail.

Carry on cute stuff!

The Button King - Bishopville, SC

Button King Museum, Bishopville, SC 

Since we had driven all the way to Bishopville, SC on Saturday we had to check in on all the local attractions. After leaving Pearl Fryar's topiary garden I plugged the coordinates for the Button Museum into my gps and steered my friend Rosie directly onto a dirt road that led us for a few miles through back fields and farmland. I was a little skeptical when we started to hit deep ruts and running water on the side of the road but sure enough we came across a Button Museum sign. 

The property was a peaceful farm land with two Quonset huts and not a soul in sight. Luckily there was a paper sign on the door inviting us in to explore - and we did.  There was a set up video to play of Dalton Stevens on the Johnny Carson show in his button suit, two cars - one a hearse, two caskets, a piano and an outhouse all solidly decorated in colored buttons. We had a good laugh and I got a kick out of getting the button shots. It takes all kind to keep this world of ours spinning!

Roadside America: When Dalton was 53 years old - he's now in his 80s - he developed chronic insomnia. "Television went off at two in the mornin' back then," he recalled. "No more TV. I didn't have nothin' to do." To pass the time, Dalton found an old denim jumpsuit and started sewing buttons on it. He kept sewing for almost three years. He still couldn't get to sleep, but he had a jumpsuit covered with 16,333 buttons.

After running out of room for buttons on the suit, Dalton discovered the allure of contact cement. He glued 517 buttons on his shoes, then 3,005 on his guitar. Next he covered a banjo, then a piano, then his 1983 Chevy Chevette (150,000 buttons). Insomnia became an asset. "I wouldn't quit. I wouldn't stop," he said. "I'd go four and five days and never go to bed." The suit, and all of his other button-covered items that followed, are now displayed in the Button King Museum. Dalton opened it in 2008 in a building (built by his children) next to his home.

A Man Named Pearl

Pearl Fryar, Bishopville, SC  

I've had a good day.  A long drive in the country took us to Bishopville, SC. I'd been aiming for lunch at Harry & Harry Too but it was closed on Saturdays and we found good BBQ and fried flounder at Watford's BBQ.  Our goal was Pearl Fryar's topiary garden. I've been a fan of Mr. Fryar since I'd seen the documentary about his mad talent for trimming bushes into topiary shapes in the documentary "A Man Named Pearl" and I was so pleased to actually find him working in the garden and happy to visit and talk with us. It was such an honor and a treat that I am still smiling about it.

Link to Documentary.

Since the early 1980s, Pearl Fryar has created fantastic topiary at his garden in Bishopville, South Carolina. Living sculptures, Pearl’s topiary are astounding feats of artistry and horticulture. Many of the plants in Pearl’s garden were rescued from the compost pile at local nurseries. With Pearl’s patience and skilled hands, these “throw aways” have thrived and have been transformed into wonderful abstract shapes. Pearl Fryar and his garden are now internationally recognized and have been the subject of numerous newspaper and magazine articles, television shows, and even a documentary, A Man Named Pearl. Today, the Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden draws visitors from around the globe.

Hubcap Heaven

Mel's Tires, Florence, SC 

This one is a favorite from my Quirky, SC files. 

Mel's Tires in Florence, SC is a hubcap wonderland! 

Read the story here: Mel's Tires a Florence Landmark

I love it, love it, love it. 

From Dewey's Sketchbook:

Of architectural interest is the building itself. The Pure Oil Company built its gas stations in the 30's and 40's in a Tudor Revival style, attempting to blend with the residential neighborhoods in which they were built. This example still has the original circular blue enamel sign above the entrance, echoing the shape and size of the hundreds of hubcaps hanging on the building.

Cheers!

Cheers! To the hanging liquor bottles of Santee!

Yes, those are hanging bottles of alcohol. 

My friend Mary Beth Rose asked if I had been in the tiny liquor store in Santee and since I had not 

I had to fix that. I walked in and laughed out loud. The door barely opened a crack and when I 

got inside it was hard to walk the narrow aisles. Bottles where crammed in everywhere but the 

most unusual way to fit more in the small space was by hanging them from the ceiling. 

They were hung with fishing line in singles and in bunches. 

The place was so full, we had to be told to look for the cash register in "the little opening". 

There is nothing special about the outside. It is a regular little ABC Package store in the Citgo gas station plaza but I will grin a little when I dribble a bit of vodka in my Moscow mules from now on. Thanks for the tip Martha Rose!