Rocks, Peaches, Symbols
If you’re like us, you may recall sitting in third grade history class reciting a long list of state symbols. They’ve probably been reduced to trivia status in your mind now, if you can bring them to mind at all. (Did they ever really expect us to remember the State Amphibian?)
Hopefully our recent articles on South Carolina’s State Songs and State Dance refreshed your memory a little. Our research for them got us thinking that perhaps all of our state symbols deserve another look.
“The Palmetto State” has no less than 30 such designations, which seems like quite a lot. Of course, making something an official state symbol doesn’t inherently change its worth, but it does illuminate a little piece of South Carolina that has helped to shape our identity. Each symbol, no matter how trivial it may initially seem, reveals a tidbit of our culture or history that is worth revisiting.
For the next several months, we’ll be highlighting these symbols in SCIway News. And don’t worry – there won’t be any quizzes this time around. With the pressure off, hopefully you’ll enjoy learning some neat facts that may not have been in your history books!
August’s Featured Symbols:
- SC State Stone: Blue Granite - Far from being just a nice countertop surface, this blue-grey stone was declared the “Silk of the Trade” after being quarried in Fairfield County for more than 50 years. Indeed, entire homes and churches in Fairfield are built of Blue Granite! Learn more about our state stone, its ties to early SC railroads, and its many uses in SC.
- SC State Fruit: The Peach - We’re in the throes of peach season now, and frequent stops at road-side stands are definitely warranted! Visit this page to learn more about the history of peaches in our state, and even have some SC peaches delivered straight to your door!
