by David Burn | Jun 16, 2005 | Lowcountry
When you’re from the West, or Midwest, as I am, it can be difficult to properly conceive of the multi-layered histories that wind through American families on the eastern seaboard. Here in Beaufort County, there are many peolpe–black and white–named Pinckney. So, I did some research and it turns out the Pinckney’s have been prominent in this area for over three hundred years.
Planter, soldier and statesman, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, may be the most well-known member of this family, but his mother, Eliza Lucas Pinckney, has quite the storied past, as well. She took over her father’s plantations at 16, after he was called to serve as governor of Antigua. Eliza introduced indigo to the Carolina economy, which sustained the colony for 30 years. She also worked with silk, hemp and flax.
According to the U.S. Army web site, “Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, who represented South Carolina at the Constitutional Convention, was an American aristocrat. Like other first families of South Carolina, whose wealth and social prominence could be traced to the seventeenth century, the Pinckneys maintained close ties with the mother country and actively participated in the Royal colonial government. Nevertheless, when armed conflict threatened, Pinckney rejected Loyalist appeals and embraced the Patriot cause. Pragmatically, his decision represented an act of allegiance to the mercantile-planter class of South Carolina’s seaboard, which deeply resented Parliament’s attempt to institute political and economic control over the colonies. Yet Pinckney’s choice also had a philosophical dimension. It placed him among a small group of wealthy and powerful southerners whose profound sense of public duty obliged them to risk everything in defense of their state and the rights of its citizens.”
by David Burn | Jun 14, 2005 | Digital culture, Lowcountry, Place
Heather and Jon (two Utahns I do not know, except through their respective blogs) attended a wedding in Beaufort recently. Here’s some of what they reported.
Heather: While on vacation in South Carolina we took a leisurely (HA! Jon has scars from all my nagging TO GET A MOVE ON) trip to Fripp Island, a private beach where rich white people roam around in golf carts. We had packed swimsuits and thought that we could pick up sunscreen on the 20 mile drive out, but the gas station we picked had none in stock. They did, however, have four-foot-wide barrels of ice and beer sitting at the end of each aisle, you know, in case anyone got thirsty on their long drive. I HAVE BEEN IN UTAH WAY TOO LONG.
Jon: I’ve been to Austin, I’ve been to Memphis, I’ve been to Talahassee, I’ve been to Apalachicola and I’ve even been to Charleston. However, I’d have to say that our recent trip to Beaufort, South Carolina was the south I’d always heard about. It is the most southern city I’ve ever visited.
This couple likes to take photos and they’re not shy about sharing them. Here’s Jon’s Flickr set from the trip, and here’s Heather’s.
by David Burn | Jun 12, 2005 | Food & Beverage, Lowcountry
Diana Olken is a California paralegal, consumer activist and former school teacher looking to retire in Bluffton. She hopes to bring her favorite grocery store–Trader Joe’s–with her. Having regularly shopped the store at Chicago’s Lakeview location, I can relate to Olken’s passionate mission and I support her quest to bring a TJ’s to the Lowcountry.
Olken began her grassroots initiative, that has since caught the attention of the store’s management, by posting on Bluffton Today’s new blog site. Now, she’s carrying the torch even further by offering to fill mail order requests for Bluffton residents from her local California store. Since dry goods are one of the store’s strong points, this could be an attractive hold-over option (until TJ’s builds a store here).
In the meantime, World Market has a smattering of what one might find at Trader Joe’s, including craft beers and nice wines.
by David Burn | May 30, 2005 | Lowcountry, The Environment
We rode a 7.1 mile loop today on Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge. It’s Memorial Day weekend, yet there were only a dozen or so cars at the trailhead to this natural treasure. People come to HHI for the beach and golf. But Pinckney offers visitors and locals alike great hiking, biking and kayaking opportunities. And we saw a fox!
Established in 1975, Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge consists of Pinckney Island, Corn Island, Big and Little Harry Islands, Buzzard Island and numerous small hammocks. The 4,053-acre refuge includes a variety of land types: saltmarsh, forestland, brushland, fallow fields, and freshwater ponds.
Archeologists have determined that prehistoric inhabitants dwelled on Pinckney Island as early as 10,000 B.C. Tribes of coastal Indians continued to live in the region until the 1700’s. The interior islands west of Hilton Head Island were protected against ocean storms, and provided abundant fishing, shell fishing, hunting, and edible plants to the native islanders.
p.s. We’ve also recently encountered wild turkeys, armadillos, deer, dolphins, turtles, gators, sharks, snakes, frogs, lizards, spiders and countless bird varieties livin’ the Lowcountry life.
by David Burn | May 19, 2005 | Literature, Lowcountry
Savannah is Georgia’s first city. It’s also a place with a lot of character, and such places draw characters to them. This topic could surely serve as a cultural geography doctoral thesis, but for our purposes here, allow me to point out that Savannah is a port city. Port cities import people, and ideas carried by these people, from near and far. One such person Savannah has attracted is tall ship sailor and storyteller, Rigel Cockett.
Crockett’s book, Fair Wind and Plenty of It chronicles his year-and-a half circumnavigation of our watery planet.
According to his web site, Crockett grew up in Rose Bay, near Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, and has sailed professionally in tall ships from the age of twelve. A graduate of Mount Allison University, he also holds a 100-ton master’s license and a 1600-ton mate’s license in sailing and motor-ships, issued by the US Coast Guard. At the end of his twenty-six-month tour aboard the barque Picton Castle, he was awarded the title of Best Shipmate through a nearly unanimous vote. He lives in Savannah, Georgia, where he does editing work, plays bass guitar in a band and is at work on his first novel.
His site was designed by Savannah graphic artist, Ariel Janzen, who also attended Mount Allison University, leading me to believe the two may be a couple. Like I said, Savannah attracts characters.
by David Burn | May 8, 2005 | Food & Beverage, Lowcountry
Hilton Head has got to be one of the more mysterious places in the U.S. Nothing reveals itself. Things are tucked back off the road, with little or no signage pointing the way. Sure, there are guide books and maps, but they are little more than surface scratchers. One has to dig, turning down this lane and that, to find anything of real interest or value. More to the point, one has to ask the locals. And the locals, nice though they are, may or may not give it up. After all, they don’t want the tourists to know, and if you’re a new resident, they may ask themselves, “Is this person going to make a commitment to the island? Are they going to last?” So, it was quite a pleasure to sit down at The Boathouse bar yesterday evening with two locals, Terri and Terri Jo, and learn a bit more about where to go, and what to do.
Looking to celebrate Darby’s birthday in high style, we had been thinking of walking across the lawn to Charlie’s Crab House. Terri and Terri Jo said, “Oh no! If you want a romantic dinner, go down the street to Old Fort Pub.” I’d not heard of Old Fort Pub before, but the ladies explained the restaurant—owned by the same people that own The Boathouse—had amazing views of the intercoastal waterway and fantastic food. Terri pulled out her cell phone, dialed the Old Fort Pub, explained that two new area residents were wanting to celebrate a special occasion, and asked if they might accomodate us on such late notice.
I’ve had the good fortune to dine at many great restaurants around the nation, but Old Fort Pub ranks as one of the best. Every detail was perfect. The host, our server, the bussers, the window table, the view, and the food and wine were all truly outstanding. Darby ordered medium-rare prime rib served on a bed of gorgonzola mac and cheese (a pretty down-to-earth choice for a five star chef). I had macadamia nut-encrusted Red Snapper. Both dishes were exquisitely prepared.
An interesting footnote: Old Fort Pub takes its name from the fact the Union Army occupied this spot with the landing of 13,000 troops in 1862. Eventually 50,000 Union troops were stationed on Hilton Head Island, their primary duty the blockade of Savannah, and interruption any sea-going trade between the South and England, which was a major purchaser of cotton.
by David Burn | May 6, 2005 | Lowcountry
If one were to judge a place by its coffee, Hilton Head would rank far down the chart, if at all. The island of 30,000 residents and millions of annual visitors has two Starbucks and one independent coffee shop (click logo above). Clearly, there’s an opportunity here, not that I’m looking to enter the “restaurant” business. I’m just a non-corporate bean lover, out of my element.
For those who are good with making coffee at home, Fresh Market does carry Peet’s.
by David Burn | Apr 24, 2005 | Digital culture, Lowcountry
A few weeks ago, a new newspaper started arriving at the house every morning. At first, I didn’t take much notice of it, but I gradually warmed up to it, and as I dug deeper and learned more, my jaw dropped. Why? Because Bluffton Today’s online version is a cutting edge experiment in newspaper publishing, happening right here under my nose in small town South Carolina.
Here’s what CBS Marketwatch has to say about it:
Morris Communications Corp. has begun publishing Bluffton Today, a tabloid newspaper tightly coordinated with a Web site, BlufftonToday.com. The hyperlocal publication will be distributed free in the namesake South Carolina community of about 15,000 people. Every reader will be invited to log onto the Web site and comment about stories, as well as start their own blog, upload pictures and even contribute recipes.
“Newspapers have gone on the Web by putting yesterday’s news online,” said Steve Yelvington, manager, Web site development for Morris. “That’s a one-way street. We are doing the opposite; Participation is right at the center of what we’re doing.”
He added: “BlufftonToday.com is a grand experiment in citizen journalism, a complete inversion of the typical ‘online newspaper’ model.”
Readers’ comments about stories will be edited and printed in the hard copy of the paper.
Success will be easy to judge, according to Yelvington. “People will be participating. The reality is people are doing this already, publishing their own Web sites and Web logs. The choice is not whether it will happen but whether we are going to participate in it.”
Still, I have to ask, “Why Bluffton?”
“Bluffton is one of the fastest-growing communities in the Southeast and is the perfect place to launch this new phase of newspaper and Web publishing,” said Morris Publishing Group President and CEO, William S. Morris IV. “We are proud to add Bluffton Today to the family of Morris newspapers.”
Morris Communication, based in Augusta, GA owns more than 30 daily and nondaily newspapers across the country, with total combined circulation in the range of 700,000. The company has a concentrated presence in the Southeast, with four signature holdings: The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville), The Augusta Chronicle, the Savannah (Ga.) Morning News and the Athens (Ga.) Banner-Herald.
by David Burn | Apr 14, 2005 | Lowcountry
Medway Plantation, the historic 6,700-acre estate and paradise for sportsmen, has come on the market after more than 300 years in private hands. Medway offers traditional luxury, a sporting life, and access to all the cultural attractions of Charleston. The property encompasses an English country-style main house—the oldest masonry residence in the Carolinas—four guest houses, three staff houses, two swimming pools, a lakefront lodge, a boat landing on the Back River, forests, formal gardens, a stable for 12 horses, and 13 lakes and impoundments. The plantation is ideal for quail, dove, and duck hunting, and the forests are full of deer and wild turkeys. Steeped in the history and traditions of the Lowcountry, it is protected by conservation easements to ensure enjoyment by future generations. This queen of Southern estates is available for sale to the most discerning of buyers.
The “Ted” I refer to in the title is media maven, Ted Turner—the largest private landowner in the US, second only to the US Bureau of Land Management.
by David Burn | Mar 27, 2005 | Architecture, Lowcountry
I’m generally underwhelmed by new construction. I could list a litany of reasons why, but a decided lack of quality craftsmanship, and thus character, are the leading causes.
However, as a new resident of South Carolina’s Lowcountry, my eyes are starting to open to the charms of new construction (done right). While Bluffton is a town rich in history, there are few structures that date to the 19th century or early 20th century. Neighboring Hilton Head Island has no such structures left standing that I’m aware of, as the island wasn’t opened to development until the 1950s. Therefore, new construction is the operative norm hereabouts. Some of it is slap-and-paste, as it is elsewhere in the country. But some of it is exceptional.
“When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone. Let it be such work as our descendants will thank us for; and let us think, as we lay stone on stone, that a time is to come when those stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them, and that people will say, as they look upon the labor, ‘See! This our parents did for us.'” –John Ruskin
The above quotation is taken from Genesis Contruction’s web site, a local builder of fine quality homes. Ruskin was a noted art critic, Oxford professor and primary inspiration for the Arts & Crafts movement. The Arts and Crafts movement was part of the major English aesthetic movement of the last years of the 19th century, but in the United States the term is often used to denote the style of interior design that prevailed between the dominant eras of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, or roughly the period from 1910 to 1925.
A Genesis-built Lowcountry-style home on Spring Island, SC
Their are two styles of homes in the area that greatly appeal to me. One is the Charleston-style home, found in Westbury Park and Shell Hall. The other is the Lowcountry-style home found in Oldfield, Palmetto Bluff and other locations on- and off-plantation.
