South Carolina

Few locations in South Carolina have figured as prominently in the early history of the state as the old town of Ninety Six. As a witness to two Revolutionary War battles, two Cherokee War battles, a trading post, three forts and two towns, the site is perhaps one of the richest archaeological sites in the South. In recognition of its rich history the Ninety Six National Historic Site became part of the National Park Service in 1976.

The unusual name that was given to the site is believed to have taken root in the early 1700s. English traders estimated the distance to the Cherokee village of Keowee in the upper South Carolina foothills to be ninety-six miles. By the 1770s, Fort Ninety Six and the adjoining village--located at the crossroads of twelve roads--reached its peak as an important backcountry outpost, boasting a growing population, a newly constructed courthouse and jail. However, the onset of the American Revolutionary War would end this progress and the first land battle south of New England was fought at Ninety Six in 1775. The fort and town would change hands many times between those fighting for independence and those still loyal to England, leaving the town in shambles by the close of the war.

Old Ninety Six: A History and Guide, by Robert Dunkerly and Eric Williams, is a well-researched and highly accessible work, which underscores the important contribution of Ninety Six to the early history of South Carolina and guides the reader through the well-preserved fort that stills stands at the site today.

Join author Robin R. Salmon as she recounts the history of Brookgreen Gardens located in through the lens of 200 vintage images.

Brookgreen Gardens evolved into the cultural attraction it is today from its beginning in 1930 as a winter home for philanthropist Archer Milton Huntington and his wife, sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington. The 9,000-acre tract had been four rice plantations as early as the 18th century. Home to rice planters, sportsmen, statesmen, industrialists, horticulturists, soldiers, novelists, artists, and poets, Brookgreen has entertained the great and the humble throughout its 300-year history. This book provides photographic glimpses of the men, women, and places connected with the land that became Brookgreen Gardens and documents Brookgreen's emergence as America's first public sculpture garden. A National Historic Landmark, Brookgreen's significance rests in its history and in its future service to visitors.

Brookgreen Gardens' expansive property exhibits the finest outdoor collection of American figurative sculpture in the world. It began in 1930 as a winter home for philanthropist Archer Milton Huntington and his wife, sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington. When the Huntingtons founded Brookgreen Gardens in the following year, they initially placed artworks from their own collection. By 1932, they had begun to actively purchase sculpture and to commission prominent sculptors to create works for the gardens. This volume portrays Brookgreen's beginning as the first public sculpture garden in America and its rise as a respected museum of American sculpture. In 1992, it was designated a National Historic Landmark, recognizing Anna Hyatt Huntington's status as an important sculptor and patron of the arts and Brookgreen's significance as a site for women's history in America.

Most visitors to Charleston never venture far enough north to discover what residents claim as the most appealing public open space on the peninsula. Hampton Park is completely unexpected in this city famous for highly manicured gardens with clipped lawns, sculpted shrubs and precise designs hidden behind massive walls and iron gates. Hampton Park's naturalistic character was created as an antidote to the cramped conditions of the lower peninsula, and it still offers open fields of grass, walking trails, shade trees and overflowing flower beds. But the story is not that simple--it began more than three hundred years ago with Native Americans and involves early plantation life, Revolutionary War battles, horse racing, the Civil War, industrial development, civic spectacle, professional baseball, a zoo and disco.

This volume in the Images of America series preserves through vintage photographs the gardens that, by their very nature, are impermanent. Although Charleston's contemporary gardens are well documented in other sources, those of past generations are depicted here, reminding readers that Charleston was primarily a city of family homes where life was enjoyed in the garden. From more traditional formal designs to surprisingly informal yards, these 19th and 20th-century photographs detail gardening life from bygone eras. Beyond the peninsula, informal country gardens were a small but important part of working farms, and summer cottage yards were intended for recreation and relaxation.