South Carolina

Originally formed as a railroad terminal, the city of Florence, South Carolina, has developed from a township with agrarian roots into a city that is an indispensable medical hub and a place of flourishing business and industry. After being named for Florence Henning Harllee, daughter of the first president of the Wilmington & Manchester Railroad, Florence was chartered in 1871 and then incorporated on December 24, 1890. It is now the largest city in the northeastern portion of South Carolina, and its humble beginnings have given way to a heritage rich in tradition and southern charm. Images of America: Florence showcases storied photographs, culled from personal collections, family archives, the City of Florence, and local businesses. Each view, coupled with fact-filled captions, reveals yet another part of the story of this fine example of a genteel, southern city.

Wicked Charleston: The Dark Side of the Holy City, by local resident and tour guide Mark R. Jones, explores the dark alleys and seedy characters not often associated with the Charleston of today.

A beautiful Southern city distinguished by its opulent homes, towering church steeples and hospitality, Charleston, South Carolina, has long been associated with the genteel side of Southern living. However, beyond the outward appearances that most people associate with Charleston, there is another side that most visitors and residents would dare not believe is part of the very fabric from which the city's history was woven. From the sexual escapades of an original Lord Proprietor and the comings and goings of the most notorious pirates, to secret brothels and nightclubs, Jones leads the reader back to a time when "drinking, eating and whoring with more than fifty wenches" was perhaps more common in the Holy City than one may imagine.

Situated just south of the Carolina border in the scenic foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Cherokee County offers the charm of small-town life and country living with the convenience of nearby metropolitan areas.

In 1897, the year of its founding, the county inherited a rich history that began with the Cherokee Indians. Home to two American Revolutionary War sites, Cowpens National Battlefield and Kings Mountain Military Park, as well as the Overmountain Victory National Trail, it exists as a bevy of historical sites that date before the county was established.Cherokee County pays tribute to this community's decisive history and celebrates the local architecture, business establishments, and residents, both past and present. Historic views, coupled with informative text, highlight the 1914 Carnegie Library, the charming railroad depot, the Limestone Quarry, and construction of the towering smokestack of Gaffney Manufacturing Company. Vintage photographs depict downtown Gaffney, settled almost a century before Cherokee County became a political entity, and historic Blacksburg, known as Black Station before 1888, while bringing to life the evolution of the 1845 Limestone Springs Female High School into the state's popular Limestone College of today.

Lando is tucked away in eastern Chester County, along the flood plains of Fishing Creek. The quiet community has existed for more than 240 years. Originally settled by yeoman Phillip Walker, who established a plantation, gristmill, and sawmill, Lando became home to Manetta Mills and, for more than 80 years, was one of the world's largest manufacturers of blankets. Lando and Manetta Mills,
owned and operated by the Heath family, became a way of life to the residents of the mill hill. There were baseball teams, churches, bands, trains, rivers, schools, and textiles. In Images of America: Lando, readers will experience day-to-day life in a small mill community and see how neighbors and coworkers lived and worked together. Lando shows the commitment of the Heath family to the community, the
workers, and their product. The Heath family did not only invest in the development of Manetta Mills, they also invested in the lives of hundreds of people who have affected thousands of others.

Clinton as we know it today is the result of the dreams and hard work of generations of its residents. Starting with early settlers such as the Adairs, the Youngs and the Copelands, the community was spurred on by the dreams of William Plumer Jacobs and the entrepreneurial spirit of Mercer Silas Bailey and his descendants. The town has been through many changes, starting out as a rural crossroads and eventually developing into both a cultural and industrial center. Clinton continues to change, but the devotion and energy of its citizens ensure that it will remain a vital city for generations to come. Join local resident Nancy Griffith as she follows Clinton's ever-changing story and honors those who nurtured it.

Located in the West Ashley area of Charleston, Byrnes Downs is a charming community designed and developed by the V-Housing Corporation in the 1940s. The Long Construction Company built this successful war-housing project of 360 houses that became the lifelong homes for many families. Early settlers who had made homes on the Charleston peninsula traveled west to develop the suburban neighborhoods of St. Andrew's Parish: Byrnes Downs, Albemarle Point, the Crescent, Moreland, Old Windermere, South Windermere, Wappoo Heights, and Westwood.

Edisto Island has been an integral part of the South Carolina Lowcountry for centuries. For more than three hundred years, Edisto Island was the setting for marauding pirates, sea-island cotton plantations and indigo traders. Today, as one of the jewels of the Carolina coast, Edisto and its people lead a calmer life. With a small year-round population buttressed by a dedicated seasonal crowd, Edisto remains a beloved island community with a rich tradition and history. Edisto: A Guide to Life on the Island is a charming blend of Edisto history and useful local information. Full of details that will surprise even lifelong residents, this book captures the heart and spirit of the island. Author Cantey Wright provides readers with a wealth of insight and creates a deep appreciation for Edisto's history and tradition. More than a history book, this volume also serves as a guide to Edisto's uniquely enchanting lifestyle. Wright uses humor and a warm writing style to take his readers on a tour through the tidal creeks and oak-lined roads, stopping along the way to reveal the best way to catch crabs, fish and shrimp and the tastiest ways to prepare them.

As anyone who has ever crossed over the Folly River onto Center Street can tell you, Folly Beach is a place like no other. For Charleston writer Bill Bryan, Folly is another world that has drawn him back time and again. In Folly Beach: Glimpses of a Vanished Strand, Bryan takes a wistful look back at Folly during a special time in its history, when the dark days of war were over and everyone just wanted to have fun. Through these charming, historical vignettes, enjoy a moonlit dance on the pier, take a ride on the Ferris wheel at the carnival, grab a bite to eat at the Pavilion or comb the Washout for driftwood.

Tucked away in southern Greenville County and surrounding the Reedy River, Fork Shoals, one of the county's first settlements, is a region that has been witness to an almost forgotten but proud history. Ancient artifacts, most notably a Clovis point, have been unearthed from these Cherokee hunting grounds, and the only Revolutionary War battle in Greenville County was fought nearby. In the late 1700s, a wave of settlers moved to the vicinity, establishing farms and plantations, schools and churches, and shops and mills. Fork Shoals School was one of the first accredited rural high schools in the state, and several of the churches are the oldest of their denomination in the county. Over time, Fork Shoals became unique for farming and textiles, with many individuals working at both. In these pages, the reader will learn about silk growing, early electricity, local communication systems, and textile ball teams and enjoy anecdotes about special people and places while poring over photographs that tell the story of Fork Shoals.