You need to check out this hidden gem first to learn more about your community and the history of…read morethe area! Be sure to check for the open hours, or if planning well in advance the will open for you if they have staff available Then go back multiple time with family and friends to see more and more! The volunteer staff is different on every visit we have had---but they are such a wealth of knowledge, some on more recent events and others going back many generations!. Please consider a visit

Located outside the entrance to the Kings Mountain National Military Park, this marker points out…read morethe history of a local who fought in the battle and lived nearby. Perhaps humanizing a little bit more this wonderful park. The marker has text on both sides. The front, "Col. Frederick Hambright (1727-1817), a prominent militia officer of the American Revolution, lived his last 25 years in a house which stood 200 yards northeast. Hambright, born in Germany, emigrated to America as a boy, and settled in North Carolina by 1750. He held several Tryon County offices from 1774 to 1776, most notably a brief term as a member of the North Carolina Provincial Congress in 1775." And the reverse, "Hambright, after several campaigns, was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel by 1779. He commanded the Lincoln County (North Carolina) troops at Kings Mountain Oct. 7, 1780, and was severely wounded. After recuperating at a log cabin near the battlefield he returned to North Carolina but soon moved to South Carolina and built a two-story house near the cabin; it burned in 1927. He is buried 1 mile east of Grover, North Carolina at Shiloh Cemetery." This is marker number 11-5 and it was erected in 1999 by the Cherokee County Historical and Preservation Society. [Review 671 of 2025 - 1293 in South Carolina - 24232 overall]

South Carolina is part of the South and as happened in much of the South during the 1960's, there…read morewas a fight for civil rights and equality for black citizens. One of those fights happened here in Rock Hill and this marker remembers the circumstances. On one side, "This building, built in 1901, was occupied by McCrory's Five & Dime from 1937 to 1997. On February 12, 1960, black students from Friendship Jr. College in Rock Hill were denied service at the McCrory's lunch counter but refused to leave. Their "sit-in" was one of the first of many calling attention to segregated public places in downtown Rock Hill. These protests lasted for more than a year." On the other side, "Many Rock Hill protesters were arrested, convicted, and fined. On January 31, 1961, ten students from Friendship Jr. College were arrested when they refused to leave McCrory's. Nine would not pay their fines and became the first Civil Rights sit-in protesters in the nation to serve jail time. This new "Jail No Bail" strategy by "the Friendship Nine" was soon adopted as the model strategy for the Freedom Rides of 1961." The marker was erected in 2007 by the Culture and Heritage Museums of York County and the City of Rock Hill. McCrory Stores was a chain of stores based in York, Pennsylvania (no relation to York County, South Carolina). Founded in 1882, it was acquired by Ames Stores in 1989. Ames became defunct in 2002. [Review 13022 overall, 339 of 2020.]

These guys are the invisible infrastructure that keeps the water running coming in and going out…read more Only sign is the many water tanks to maintain water pressure that you see throughout Lancaster County. I always admire the people in jobs that are never mentioned until something goes wrong, like telephone, electric, gas, water, highway maintenance. Honorable jobs done by hard working people who are rarely acknowledged. When you see those trucks and the guys in muddy overalls, buy them lunch or a coffee...and say thanks.

I came all the way across the country to see the Lancaster County Courthouse. Well, maybe not. I…read moreactually came all this way to visit family. It just so happens that they live in the area. And so we all took a drive to Lancaster, SC to check this place out. We parked in the 3 hour street parking area and walked around outside first. There are some cool monument/memorials on the front side and back side of the old courthouse that we checked out. It was overcast, cool and breezy on this day and so we didn't waste anymore time getting into the museum. We were promptly greeted at the entrance. The lady who appeared to be the lead docent asked us to sign in and began telling us a little but of the history of the courthouse. She was on her way out, though, and so she passed along to a couple of other docents. They were all very friendly and knowledgable. They stayed nearby to answer questions and point out certain facts as we made our way from room to room. We were then guided up stairs to the actual court room. That was used until an arsonist tried burn his criminal record in 2008 nearly destroying this almost 200 year old courthouse. This museum tells the history of the area dating way back to the revolutionary days of the late 1700s. It is dedicated to more than simply the courthouse. So if you too are in the area and if you appreciate American history, stop on by. Visit for a spell. Talk to the friendly docents who can tell you more than the history but act as guides for the area. Locals know the best lunch spots ;)

This beautiful historic structure is a national historic landmark since 1976. After an arsonist…read moreattempted to destroy the building in 2008, it has been renovated and restored to its original glory. Today, it houses the Lancaster County Welcome Center and the county's Historical Museum. Built 1825-1828 and designed by Robert Mills of Charleston SC, America's first native-born professionally-trained architect, State Civil and Military engineer and is best known as the designer of the Washington Monument. Stop in when they're open and learn about the history of this area! [Review 13086 overall, 403 of 2020.]

Very cool urban "archaeological" find...nobody but locals "in the know" seem to be aware it's even…read morethere! Found out about it from the very nice & informative bartender at Dust Off Brewing (check out doing to the YoCo Brew Trail; check into 6 breweries on the app & get a t-shirt). He couldn't quite remember how to get to it, but after some intensive research, found the geo coordinates. That was honestly the only way to find this place, plus a little guts & guesswork. You can quasi see some portion of the rockwork of the ruinous remains from the paved Riverwalk trail. The "easiest" way to get to the ruins is to follow the Riverwalk Piedmont Medical Center Trail to just before mile marker 1.25; you will see this steep wooden thing with awkwardly placed planks. You basically have to rock-wall climb your way up. From there you are on a mountain biking trail. Follow the arrows for just over a quarter mile and you will see some indicators of the ruins before they open up in front of you. You will most likely have the place to yourself. Really cool to wander around and take it all in. Just be careful with holes and don't walk on or within the actual ruins as they are pretty sketch & unsteady. There are spiders, snakes, and flying insects galore, so put on repellent and stay vigilant cuz it is deep woods! You can either get back down the way you came; I found this gray rock slope that I found easier to navigate than sliding down the wood thing I climbed up. Either way, really neat find and I'm so glad I explored to find it! The paved walkway along the Catawba is also a nice walk to and from!

With Fishing Creek winding nearby as it feeds into Fishing Creek Lake, this marker points out a…read moresignificant Revolutionary War skirmish that took place. The marker is along US-21 and there is room to stop to read it. The marker reads, "At this site on August 18, 1780 General Thomas Sumter camped with captured booty and 800 men. He was surprised and defeated by Lt. Col. Tarleton and 160 soldiers. The disaster followed only two days General Gate's defeat by Lord Cornwallis at Camden. The patriots lost 150 men killed and many captured, but Sumter escaped and soon rallied another large force." It is marker number 12-3 and it was erected in 1974 by the Chester County Historical Society. Sumter's men had halted to rest after days of marching in brutal summer heat, unaware that Tarleton had crossed the Catawba River and was closing in on their position. Tarleton launched a surprise attack while the Americans were scattered, many bathing, sleeping, or tending to captured supplies, and the result was a swift and overwhelming British victory. More than half of Sumter's force was killed or captured, though Sumter himself narrowly escaped the chaos. The defeat temporarily halted his campaign against British outposts and further strengthened Tarleton's reputation as Cornwallis's most aggressive field commander. [Review 185 of 2026 - 1380 in South Carolina - 25374 overall]

This marker is located next to Town Hall and the post office of this small town that isn't much…read moremore than an intersection where three roads awkwardly meet US-321. There are a couple of gas station/convenience stores here and not much else. The marker reads, "After the Kings Mountain Railroad was completed in 1852, the McConnellsville Post Office was established here in 1854. The town, named for the McConnell family, was incorporated in 1906. The first intendant was J.T. Crawford; wardens were J.F. Ashe, S.H. Love, J.O. Moore, and J.M. Williams. The post office was renamed McConnells in 1951." It is marker number 46-13 and was erected in 1979 by the York County Historical Commission. [Review 20333 overall - 1099 in South Carolina - 1311 of 2023.]