Let’s Celebrate South Carolina

Dirt roads in Camden? Those quaint little roads right in the middle of town.  I guess that they still are.  I’ll have to check it out the next time I’m in Camden.  They were used back in my day as a place to go “parking.” (Let me preface that.  I only went once!)

In case, you don’t know, Camden is a horse town (Camden’s link to right).  We’d watch the polo matches on Saturdays and Sundays.  When younger I would try to impress people by telling them about the polo matches and the fox hunts back home.    Now I’m just impressed myself about the town where I was born and raised.

In my last article, I wrote about Saturdays.  Now let me tell you about my Sunday afternoons!  All the kids after church would “borrow” a car from one of the parents.. and hit the road for Springs Park (rollerskating & swimming) in Great Falls.  This was a playground for kids of the Springs Mill of Fort Mill, SC.  The road to Springs Park paralleled the Wateree River–It was a beautiful ride.  Which reminds me of another favorite song of mine “Groovin,….on a Sunday afternoon”….  Grovin’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbSYwlxwotY‘  by the Young Rascals. Boy, I’m going to have to get around to these places again real soon!  South Carolina is a great state!  I could go on and on about these places. (Oh, we would always make it back for church that night–training union, you know.)

While watching the Kentucky Derby via television this year brought about the beginning of this article about horses.  Events abound in the South; but, horses were always in abundance around Camden.  ”Spring was officially opened by the Carolina Cup!”  The “first” social event of the year.  You know, I’m going to have to find out the history behind it.  Maybe, it was because Camden was a winter home for all of the northerners (with horses)? and maybe they needed a horse/social event to break open Spring?????

Exciting things are happening in Camden now because of all the northerners.  It’s always been that winter home for them; and, just maybe, they went back and told all their friends.  I can remember when the DuPonts moved to town (the Buckley’s were already there) and built a  nylon plant in Lugoff.  The Wateree River has always brought industry into our little town .   WOW to Camden & the Buckleys http://www.buckleyschool.com  Textiles was our #1 industry for years in SC.   Wonder what it is now—maybe hospitality???  I don’t know that it would have mattered what our founding fathers did–textiles, agriculture, research & development, business, education……..we’ve just got a blessed piece of land!  THE reason we Celebrate South Carolina! 

Which brings me back to the dirt roads–they were for the horses!

This has nothing to do with South Carolina, except that my God-daughter, Lana, is friends with Darley and check out what she’s doing now.  http://www.equitrekking.com/tv/darley_newman.php  I’m sure she’s seen lots of dirt roads! Hey, Darley! Have you ever been to Camden?  This is Darley to the right fishing; but, you must take a look at her travel blog.

I bet my English teach of the 8th grade, Miss Ayers??? is cringing right now if she’s reading this article.  I got corrected on my spelling from my last article.  Thanks again, Elizabeth!

Tags: boarding horses for the winter, Buckley, Camden, Carolina Cup, DuPont, equitrekking, Great Falls, horse camps, horse racing, horse towns, horses, Liberty Hill, Lugoff, Spring, Springs Park, Wateree River