The Kilgore-Lewis House – also known as the Josiah Kilgore House – is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It is described as follows:

Built ca. 1838 of heart pine, the Josiah Kilgore House is one of the oldest structures in Greenville County. Architecturally it is an example of the application of the Palladian or Classical Revival style to what is otherwise an upcountry farmhouse. The Palladian style found in the Josiah Kilgore House is more sophisticated than the vernacular styles usually found in this area of South Carolina during the first half of the nineteenth century. The Palladian stance of the square giant-order posts supporting the portico is echoed not only in the entrance but also in the windows at the front elevation and in some of the windows in the rear. The portico is capped by a pediment of plain design with an oculus. The bracketing of the pediment and eaves is a later addition. The house is a two-story L-shaped design on a low foundation. Shiplap is used in the protected areas under the porches while the remainder of the exterior is clapboard. The rear elevation with projecting rear wing has a three-bay porch on the right side of the wing balanced by a similarly gabled enclosed porch on the left. Originally located in a commercial area of downtown Greenville adjacent to Buncombe Street Methodist Church, the structure was moved to a five-acre site in McPherson Park to prevent its demolition.

The bridge is one of the last remaining steel truss bridges in the state that still has its complete structure intact. Now it can be accessed by the adjacent Dolly Cooper Park on the Powdersville side of the Saluda or the Greenville side by walking or riding a bike.

SCIWAY thanks Joseph Baker of Summerville for sending in this photo, taken in 2008. Joseph writes, “During my teenage years I had the pleasure of driving over it, and I remember that is was so narrow only one car could cross at a time. But there was always that daredevil who just couldn’t be patient.”

Early mills included a gristmill and sawmill, then expanded to include a paper mill and textile mill by the 1850s. During the Civil War, material for Confederate Army uniforms was manufactured at Conestee.

Today, the 400-acre area south of downtown Greenville is being persevered as the Lake Conestee Nature Park.

SCIWAY thanks Rhonda Eaton of Piedmont for this picture she snapped in February 2013.

The name “Shoeless Joe” came into play (so to speak!) after he shed his new spikes during the second game of his first doubleheader in the semi-pros. The cleats had given him blisters, and when the fledgling Greenville Spinners’ hitter scored a triple, his nickname was born.

Sadly, Shoeless Joe is widely remembered for his association with the Black Sox Scandal in which players of the Chicago White Sox conspired to fix the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. Even though Jackson was acquitted of any wrongdoing, he was banned forever from playing Major League Baseball. Today, decades after his death, he is still ineligible to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

It is important to note that no evidence exists to incriminate Joe and in fact, much evidence exists to absolve him, including his record during the series. In those games, Jackson made a record 12 hits with a batting average of .375. He also committed no errors and threw a runner out at the plate. Further, all seven other members of the scandal later confessed Jackson’s innocence, and in 1999, upon review of court records and contemporary news accounts, the US House of Representatives voted to ask the MLB to reverse their verdict. Over a decade later, the MLB has yet to heed this request.

Now used as a museum to remember Greenville’s beloved baseball son, Jackson’s house was dismantled and moved three miles from its original location of 119 East Wilburn Avenue to the historic West End of Greenville behind the new Flour Baseball Field. The address is 356 Field Street – a nod to Shoeless Joe’s lifetime batting average of .356, which stands as the third highest in baseball’s history!

Many thanks to Joseph Baker of Summerville who contributed both this photo and much of the information that accompanies it.

As noted in Greenville: The History of the City and County in the South Carolina Piedmont, “Thomas O. Lowndes of Charleston was attracted to the area by the climate. Lowndes settled on a hill east of the village of Greenville. This hill was called Lowndes Hill.”

SCIWAY thanks Joseph Baker of Summerville for contributing this picture, taken in 2005, as well as the accompanying information. Joseph also sent in this lovely story about visiting the home: “As I sat on the porch steps of the old house and looked down the tree-lined driveway, [I realized that] before the houses were built, you could see all of downtown Greenville. You could imagine what beauty brought Mr. Lowndes to this particular area in the upcountry.”

Much of the masonry and stone work was salvaged from the old Vardry McBee Mill at the Falls of the Reedy River. From the late 1950s until the early 1970s, it was an apartment complex. It also served as the Greenville County Art Museum. Today, the home is privately owned and used as a wedding and reception facility.

SCIWAY sends a big thank you to Joseph Baker of Summerville for contributing this picture, taken in 2005, as well as the accompanying information.

Fred Symmes gave the chapel to the YMCA so that its campers could enjoy its beautiful view all summer long. Camp Greenville spans 1,600 acres and serves as a summer camp, conference center, and environmental education facility. Symmes Chapel is a popular wedding venue and worship site, and visitors are welcome except when it is in use for events. It is strongly advised to call ahead and check the schedule before planning a visit! Visit the Pretty Place webpage to find news and events going on at the chapel.

The falls are fed by Wildcat Branch Creek, one of the tributaries of the South Saluda River. The upper section provides a beautiful 10-foot free fall, while the lower section cascades 20 feet down an exposed slab of granite into a shallow pool. Wildcat Falls is located between two extremely popular state parks, Caesar’s Head and Jones Gap, which have many waterfalls and cascades within their boundaries as well.

Another site not to be missed when visiting Wildcat Falls is the unmarked scenic overlook, known as the Bald Rock Heritage Preserve and sometimes Shining Rock, pictured below.

SCIWAY contributor Barry Gooch says that the easiest way to find the Bald Rock Heritage Preserve is to “head south from Caesar’s Head on US 276 (Greer Highway). Drive about four miles and you will pass a road to the left called Persimmon Ridge Road. Drive another 0.5 miles, and Club Terrace Drive will be on the right. I don’t know if either of these roads are marked. The overlook will be another 0.1 miles on the left. It isn’t marked and the bald is obscured by trees. There is no parking lot, though enough people stop at the overlook that a makeshift parking area exists on the left side of the highway near the path to the bald. It’s an easy 50 yard walk from the highway and is well worth the time and effort. Be careful though, the rocks can be slippery!”

]]> http://www.sciway.net/sc-photos/greenville-county/wildcat-falls.html/feed/ 0 http://www.sciway.net/sc-photos/greenville-county/peace-center.html http://www.sciway.net/sc-photos/greenville-county/peace-center.html#comments Mon, 09 Jul 2012 12:59:14 +0000 SCIWAY http://www.sciway.net/sc-photos/?p=16147 The Peace Center is a world-class performing arts center located at 300 South Main Street in downtown Greenville. It frequently plays host to a wide variety of famous musicians and Broadway shows.

SCIWAY thanks Charles K. Hardin of Greer for contributing this photo taken in 2012.

Have you seen some great shows at the Peace Center? Comment below and tell us some of your favorites!

For more information about tickets and shows, make sure to visit the Peace Center’s website.

After Bates lost his leg, his uncle carved a wooden peg for him to use since Bates was determined to continue dancing despite his disability. He despised people pitying him, and strove to be better than most two-legged dancers. Bates began doing shows in carnivals and minstrel shows, and his success eventually landed him spots in vaudeville circuits by the age of 15.

Known for his mix of acrobatic moves, powerful tapping rhythm, and gracefulness, Bates quickly established a successful career as a tap dancer. During the 1930s he was a featured dancer in Harlem nightclubs and lit up the Broadway stage with his unique take on classic tap steps. Bates broke down many racial barriers while he was touring, and famously made over 20 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show during the 1950s and 1960s (see a video of Peg Leg Bates dancing).

When he wasn’t lighting up the stage, Bates spent time with his wife and child. He also owned and operated the largest African-American resort in the country – the Peg Leg Country Club in Kerhonkson, New York. The popular resort catered to black clientele and often featured many jazz musicians and tap dancers. Peg Leg Bates eventually sold the property in 1989, but continued to spread his philosophy of overcoming adversities by speaking to children and handicapped groups.

Bates received the Flo-Bert Award in 1991, the Distinguished Leadership in the Arts award in 1992, and the Order of the Palmetto award in 1998. Peg Leg Bates passed away in the December of 1998 in his hometown of Fountain Inn.

Many thanks to photographers Travis and Adelle Graham for submitting this picture they took in March 2011.