Travels with Kelli

DESTINATION AWAITS:  McClellanville is just off route 17 approximately halfway between Charleston and Georgetown. It seems I have been taken by this quaint town. See the posts listed below. This small fishing village originated in the late 1860’s. It was land owned by AJ McClellan and RT Morrison. At some point they sold lots near the Jeremy Creek to planters. The town started to blossom with the first store opening after the civil war. The village turned from producing timber, rice, cotton to the seafood industry around 1926. This town is still known for its shrimping, yearly they have a Lowcountry Shrimp Festival and Blessing of the Fleet. The festival occurs the first Saturday of May each year.  One fact I found quite fascinating, 1989 the eye wall of Hurricane Hugo passed over the village destroying various homes, boats, and other things. The villagers took up refuge in the local high school. The storm surge went so high that they had to get to the crawl space above the fa...

          DESTINATION AWAITS: Today's adventure brought me to Hampton Plantation in McClellanville, SC off Old Georgetown road AKA kings highway). This sits on the on the Wambaw Creek which is a branch of the South Santee River.  Here are the points of interest for this plantation.  ADDRESS: 1950 Rutledge Road, McClellanville, SC JUST THE FACTS (BRIEF HISTORY): * Location: 1950 Rutledge Road, just off US 17 and not far from the Old brick Church. Read about the church here . *MAKE SURE YOU BRING BUG SPRAY. The mosquitos are so bad.  * Several sources give the plantation a few different names: Horry Plantation or now known as Hampton but its main crop was rice. *Established 1735 by Daniel Horry and has been owned by his descendants until sold to the SC parks service in 1971 when Archibald Rutledge died. * House was built in the Georgian style and later wings on the two sides were added.  *To keep it even there are windows on the second floor t...

 Today we came for the Lowcountry Shrimp Festival. This small festival did not disappoint. It was so much better than the blue crab festival.  This quaint town has its own village museum. This little museum is worth the visit. Mr. Hill the proprietor was there the day we went and he was knowledge about and gave a tour of the museum .    This year was the 45th festival. It all started in 1977 (and if you do the math that doesn't add up - there was a 2 yr. hiatus). The event starts with the blessing of the shrimp fleet. This area is loaded with shrimp boats. These boats float down Jeremy Creek getting blessed before the upcoming shrimp season. This happens towards the end of the festival.  Location: McClellanville, SC. Just off route 17 Parking: across from festival $10 per car, but if you don't mind walking you can park on the street. Just make sure you are off the road so cars can get by. Activities: Blessing of the fleet, live music, various craft venders with ...

DESTINATION AWAITS: Today's adventure took me on a dirt road to a beautiful church.  Located on a very well maintained dirt church known as St James Santee Episcopal Church but originally was known as the Wambow church for it was located near the creek and plantation of the same name. (FYI there is also one in McClellanville). In 1706 the Province of Carolina  charter of the Church of England parish was established. They divided which is now South Carolina into 6 parishes. This parish was the first one outside the city of Charles Towne and extended from the Awendaw Creek to the Santee River. The church was built in 1768. It was built in the single-story brick and slate hip roof Masonry structure. The church was built on King's Highway which later was named Old Georgetowne road.   JUST THE FACTS (BRIEF HISTORY): * Area around the church and Santee River was rice plantations * Brick was imported from England * Columns constructed by local wedge shaped bricks made by sl...