Located on the corner in front of the Elementary school, this marker points out the history of the…read morepublic schools in this town and the educators who worked there as well as a graduate who went on to do great things. The front of the marker, "Johnston Schools. Johnston's first school opened on this site in 1873. The Male and Female Academy was a boarding school, with Rev. Luther Broaddus as its first principal. Alternately a private and public school during its early history, it was reorganized in 1884 as the Johnston Male and Female Institute. It became Johnston High School when it was sold to the town in 1906. A three-story brick high school was built here in 1910; it was torn down when the school closed in 1961." And on the reverse, "Johnston Educators. Henry Simms Hartzog (1866-1953), superintendent of the Institute 1895-97, left Johnston to become the third president of Clemson College. Dr. John Lake, who succeeded Hartzog as superintendent, was later a Baptist missionary to China. Joseph Earle Jacobs (1893-1971), a graduate of Johnston High School who taught there 1914-15, was a career diplomat in the U.S. Foreign Service 1915-57, most notably as Ambassador to Czechoslovakia (1949) and to Poland (1955-57)." There is parking nearby if you're planning to visit the markers, the Confederate memorial nearby or the elementary school. [Review 19501 overall - 1072 in South Carolina - 471 of 2023.]

Site of the surrender of Columbia South Carolina. It is very…read moreclose to downtown, will not take much time to visit, but is an absolute must. An engraved rock marks the location and serves as a remembrance of the occasion of the surrender of the city of Columbia South Carolina. Columbia, a major city in the confederacy and the birthplace of the secession movement, was a strategic target for general Sherman and the Union forces. The succession convention, was the first, and it was the only convention to unanimously vote to leave the Union. Sherman and his troops' desire to exact revenge on the city was deep, according to historical documents. In advance of the Union forces attacked in the city, the Confederate troops burn down the bridges leading to the city on February 16, 1865, under the direction of General Wade Hampton III. Hampton, The grandson of a Revolutionary War hero, and considered a hero in his own right, evacuated his troops and placed the mayor, TJ Goodwyn in charge. Union forces began to shell the city from across the river. Seeing what happened to other cities, and hoping to spare Columbia, he ordered Mayor Goodwyn to surrender the city on the morning of the 17th just north of the city. Between 8 AM and 9 AM, the city's Aldermen and the Mayor surrendered formally to Sherman's troops. Unfortunately, this did not help as Sherman and his troops proceeded to torch the city at night. At least two thirds of the city burned as troops set fire to homes, businesses, schools, municipal buildings, and churches. In 1914, the United daughters of the Confederacy held a dedication ceremony featuring the sole surviving witness, Norton W. Brooker, and six descendants of the mayor. The engraved rock sits in front of the church on the corner of River Road and Beaufort Street in the historic Earlewood neighborhood.

Thanks so much for this valuable information! I've been trying to find the location of the site of…read moreColumbia's surrender. I grew up there and have lived in Charlotte for the last 19 years, but plan to ride by tomorrow! Is there not a marker for the site of Camp Sorghum? I have the general area mapped out but I guess there are no traces left. Thanks again!

Kensington Plantation House is a historic plantation house located near Eastover, Richland County,…read moreSouth Carolina. At the moment it remains closed as they make repairs from ice storm damage in 2014. I follow there Facebook page for announcements on the reopening dates. This is a beautiful historic old mansion.

Coker Springs is the historic center of Aiken, which you would never guess based on its humble…read moreappearance in modern times. Usage of this spring goes back to prehistoric times, and the spring's importance continued up through the 20th century, when personal water sources became more common. Since the Spring is really not one of the hot attractions in Aiken, map apps sometimes have difficulty telling you how to get here, but it is really quite simple in that you just go down Coker Springs Road and it's right after the curve at the bottom of the hill. The road that leads to it is unpaved and is the original road that ran by the spring for centuries, which lay on the route to Columbia and holds a lot of historical significance. While there isn't a whole lot to see beyond a sort of memorial edifice built on top of the spring, this is still worth a visit because the area around the spring is gorgeous and the spring holds so much historical importance. We parked at the Aiken County Historical Museum and had a really pleasant walk to the spring and back, which I would suggest because it allows you to view the gorgeous neighborhood surrounding the spring. Otherwise, you can easily drive right up to the spring!

Definitely a unique experience! The Stumphaus Tunnel is an unfinished tunnel in Walhalla, SC, ,…read morecut through a portion of Stumphaus Mountain. It was started in 1853 and Irish miners dug using hand drills; however it was never finished due in part to the Civil War. All ages can easily walk the tunnel. There was even a dog in the group ahead of us. It is completely black inside so I suggest visiting with a group and bringing a flashlight. There was nothing scary......just total darkness! It's not super long......walking all the way to the end and back took less than 30 minutes. Admission to the park was $5 for a car of 5 of us and there was free parking right near the entrance. We also walked to the viewing area of Issaqueena Falls which is just a short trek away. Very cool experience overall!

The tunnel is cool, but very short. The trails make up for it and the waterfalls are a great sight…read more No wait time, no reservations recommended, price to entry $1-5. But make sure you have a flashlight with you to go into the tunnels and the waterfalls is so pretty. I recommend this to anyone who want to adventure.

We drove to the Mule Day Festival at Calloway Plantation on a whim and we had a great time. The…read morehome was open for tours and there were lots of craftspeople demonstrating lost arts from years gone by. This suburban girl really enjoyed seeing the mules too!!

While driving Hwy 78 from Athens, GA to Augusta, Ga I was looking for a tourist stop. My GPS found…read moreme the Callaway Plantation. Has 56 Acres of History. Modest cost of $4.00 with a docent to talk about the history of the plantation. Has picnic grounds available so take your time.

Beautiful example of a southern plantation house. The house and grounds have a rich history. Our…read moretour guide was very knowledgeable and gave interesting details as we went through each room. Pictures are not allowed inside the house. Some families that once lived here donated furniture that was in the house at the time. The pieces of furniture and accents are gorgeous! The design of some of the tables and even some door hinges was ingenious. This is well worth the stop if you're nearby!

Elegant. Stately. Informative. These are just a few words that could be used describe the Old…read moreGovernor's Mansion. With the help of world-class tour guides, you'll find yourself instantly teleported to war-era Georgia, and one feels as though they are actually a servant, or a dignitary, or even a member of the governor's family. My tour guide, Deanna, gave an absolutely delightful tour that was both informative and entertaining. The whole experience left me with a renewed hunger to learn more about my state's troubled history.

We took a tour of the Moore Plantation today and loved it. Our guide, Kevin, was very informative…read more The house isn't big and some parts you can't go into due to safety issues, but it was well worth the time and money to see it. Not all out buildings are original, but they are reproductions to what the originals were. This is a pleasant hidden gem and a part of American history. We would go back and bring friends and family with us so they can see what people went through back in the late 1700's.

A National Treasure and a South Carolina gem, this 1765 plantation is set in an idyllic location…read moreminutes from Spartanburg. I planned my visit there, but most of the visitors seemed to have stopped in spur-of-the-moment while traveling through the area. Most plantations available for tours are mid-1800s and grand, but this modest home dates back to 1765, its inhabitants playing key roles in the Revolutionary War. The guided tour takes close to an hour, and the guide went in depth and detail describing the implements used on a daily basis during colonial times on the plantation. Most of the outbuildings on the property are replicas, but at least two of them are vintage. The furniture and decor in the house is made up of a combination of period pieces and very well-made replicas. The up-close detail you can view on the home reveals just how amazing it is that the structure is still there! A nice trail takes you to the family cemetery about a quarter mile from the house. The grounds are picturesque and the outbuildings are in close proximity to the house.

I had lived in Augusta for three years and failed to notice this historic landmark until last An…read moreauthoritative staff gave us our tour of the house and grounds and explain details of Georgia colonial history, and that of George Walton. This upcoming independence Day, our 250th, will be celebrated at this location. It is fascinating to see the steps taken to explore details of the construction of this small home. Highly recommended for any tourist who is also interested in history.

This is the home George Walton for a short time. He was a signer of the Declaration of…read moreIndependence. The guide gave a short history of him and the place. Took about 30 minutes. It is free.