Thursday, September 16, 2010
Croft State Park, Spartanburg, SC - May 4-6
Boy! Was this park a disaster! Our first really bad state park so far. We were only able to get into the non-reservation area, which had very unlevel sites. After using all our leveling blocks & boards, we were still 3 inches off! Even though the temps were in the 80s by day and high 60s at night, people were burning fires constantly, which filled our trailer with smoke. And the elec was so bad, we could barely run our toaster, let alone the a/c! There was broken glass & oil spilled in our campsite. And the hiking trails had warnings that the place had formerly been an army training area, so don't go off the trail and don't pick up anything lying around that looks explosive. We decided to pass on hiking.
The good news is that we met some friends here -- Stan & Barbara Matchett from Upper Marlboro, MD, a couple we met in Utah last fall -- and had a very good time visiting & sightseeing with them. We went to Ninety Six, where an important siege of the American Revolution took place in 1781. The siege trenches and star fort have been restored according to archeologists specifications, so you can actually see how the siege progressed. The role of the southern states in the Revolution is frequently downplayed, but in fact the Patriots' actions in the south helped turn the outcome of the war. We also went to Walnut Grove, an 18th century plantation furnished with pre-1830 antiques. In addition to the main house, there is a smithy, school & doctor's office, furnished with many original items. This was a very modest plantation, and was it much easier to relate to life here than that of the larger plantations.
The good news is that we met some friends here -- Stan & Barbara Matchett from Upper Marlboro, MD, a couple we met in Utah last fall -- and had a very good time visiting & sightseeing with them. We went to Ninety Six, where an important siege of the American Revolution took place in 1781. The siege trenches and star fort have been restored according to archeologists specifications, so you can actually see how the siege progressed. The role of the southern states in the Revolution is frequently downplayed, but in fact the Patriots' actions in the south helped turn the outcome of the war. We also went to Walnut Grove, an 18th century plantation furnished with pre-1830 antiques. In addition to the main house, there is a smithy, school & doctor's office, furnished with many original items. This was a very modest plantation, and was it much easier to relate to life here than that of the larger plantations.
# posted by Doug and Willie @ 9:00 PM 
