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| A visit to nearby Ft. Mill, South Carolina and a park known as the Greenway. This is the homeplace of the Rev. Billy Graham's grandfather, described by Billy as a "hard drinking, hard cursing man." He must have scared the bejesus out of his tribe for he spawned eight preachers. Does eight preachers constitute a movement? An interesting thing about the cabin is the pink mortar, from the red clay content. |
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| A detail of a nearby cabin moved to the site from three miles away. The park is traversed by the Nation Ford Road, part of the Great Philadelphia Wagon Road which was the original road between the Philadelphia area and Florida. This cabin was the homestead of a soldier who fought in the Civil War and walked the road home from the surrender at Appomattox. It was a cool, rainy day when we were there and I tried to imagine myself in that place and time faced with a 250-mile walk home while cold, tired, and hungry through a dangerous countryside ravaged by four years of brutal war. I can't imagine it. I'm far too fat and comfortable. But sometimes I get close enough that it makes me shiver. |
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| Two generations of Charlestons, daughter (Amy) and granddaughter (Hayes), walking the Nation Ford Rd. down to the Steele Creek ford from which the road got it's name. |
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| The Kensington Plantation house near the Congaree Swamp in Wateree, South Carolina. I have tried for years to see this place but it was never open when I went past on my journeys to and from Florida and North Carolina. The gates happened to be open for some maintenance workers this time past so I took the opportunity to get some photos. Originally the manor house for a 3,300-acre plantation, the photo doesn't do the 12,000 sq. ft. house justice. Another one of those time-lapse moments when you try to imagine life on a plantation worked by slaves. An interesting sidebar, the percentage of Southerners who owned slaves... approximately 1%. Hummm. Sound familiar? |
Eight kids in that little place? I can't imagine. Those kids must've prayed a lot!
ReplyDeleteHmm, seems like the one percent have always owned everything, huh?
There is something not right about a family with eight preachers in it. Those should be thinned out through the generations. My goodness, you'd never get through the prayers to the Thanksgiving dinner.
ReplyDeleteIn all fairness, I must say I don't believe all eight preachers were in the same generation but still, eight preachers constitutes a family of shysters and grifters as far as I'm concerned. People too lazy to make an honest living.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely LOVE the picture of that old house. Something about it tugs at my heartstrings. For some strange reason, I find myself relating to it much more than to the 12000 square foot mansion. (Whenever I see one of those huge places, I always wonder who has to wash all those windows ...)
ReplyDeleteCongaree Swamp in Wateree, South Carolina.
ReplyDeleteDamn, you were only a couple of rock throws away from me. I like the Fort Mill area, it keeps that rural, out of the way feel for me.
Susan, thanks. I love that old house too. I don't know about you, but given my net worth, I've always been a lot closer to living in that cabin than the mansion. :)
ReplyDeleteBB... Next time I'm in the area let's hook up for a beer.
Billy Graham is the one preacher I have respect for. He kid that took over the business is a horse of a different color.
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