JULY/AUGUST 2024 THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES AT WWW.MOUNTPLEASANTPODCAST.COM GUIDE TO SUMMER • COASTAL DWELLINGS • POOL SERVICE DIRECTORY Permanent Staycation Live Where Others Vacation Pools & Landscaping Backyard Daydreams Guide to Plantations The Voices of Our Ancestors The First Lady At Home with Ann Edwards Photo by Mark Staff.
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1 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com HISTORIC CHARLESTON ISLE OF PALMS WILD DUNES FOLLY BEACH SULLIVAN'S ISLAND MT. PLEASANT KIAWAH / SEABROOK Real Estate 800.476.8444 • Vacation Rentals 888.250.8730 • dunesproperties.com Since 1989, Nobody knows the Charleston Coast better® Add your home to this list! With four offices and agents specializing in each community, we can help you find the perfect place to work, play, live, and grow. 26 Saturday Road I'On | 4 bed, 5.5 bath Listed by Laurie Minges 843.270.7633 903 Royall Avenue Old Village | 4 bed, 3 bath Listed by Grace Harrison 423.956.0131 & Vannessa Carter 423.967.0087 541 Chimney Bluff Drive Hobcaw Creek Plantation | 4 bed, 3.5 bath Listed by Dolly Droze 843.452.9922 1489 Menhaden Lane Stratton by the Sound | 3 bed, 2.5 bath Listed by Ginn Maiers 843.696.7402 252 Cooper River Drive The Tides | 2 bed, 2.5 bath Listed by Keith McCann 843.442.6675 2437 Darts Cove Way Dunes West | 5 bed, 4 bath Listed by Jennifer O'Brien 610.283.0867 Sold | 1161 Dawn View Terrace New Parrish Village | 3 bed, 2.5 bath Listed by Ginn Maiers 843.696.7402 Sold | 2215 Midden Street Oyster Point | 4 bed, 3.5 bath Listed by Brian Mello 843.442.4958 Under Contract | 3679 Goodwater Street Carolina Park | 5 bed, 4.5 bath Listed by Layne McCombs Kipp 803.586.9553
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4 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com 34 Waterway Island Drive Deepwater DREAMHOME located on Morgan Creek with its own 120 foot deep-water dock. This NEW construction home will be approximately 5,538 sq ft with 6 bedrooms and 7 1/2 bathrooms. Designed by local architect Carl McCants and built by King and Society Construction, careful thought and consideration has gone into the planning and creation of this home to maximize the views and exposure to the surrounding environment. FOR SALE, UNDER CONSTRUCTION kingandsociety.com • 1012 Ewall St, Unit B Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 • 843-388-4674 Misti Cox, Selling Agent (843) 754-7826 mcox@kingandsociety.com Trae Redmond, Builder (843) 991-5501 tredmond@kingandsociety.com
5 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com 100 CHURCH ST. | MT. PLEASANT, SC 29464 | 843.352.9510 | @tavernandtable HISTORIC SHEM CREEK It’s time. Time for lazy rosé lunches, fresh seafood, sunny cocktails & sensational Sunday brunches on the creek. Summer is here and that means one thing...it’s T&T time! LUNCH | HAPPY HOUR | DINNER | SUNDAY BRUNCH ALL MENUS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT: TAVERNANDTABLE.COM NEW SUMMER DIVER SCALLOPS
6 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com LEARN MORE AT PATRIOTSPOINT.ORG USS Yorktown | USS Laffey | Vietnam Experience | 26 Military Aircraft | Medal of Honor Museum YOU’LL REMEMBER THE DAY THEY DREAMED TO SOAR
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8 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com Publisher's Note...................................................11 Staff Box.............................................................11 From the Editor...................................................13 About the Cover..................................................15 Contributors. ...................................................... 16 On the Web.........................................................19 Social Buzz.........................................................20 contents SUMMER EDITION • VOL. 14, ISSUE 4 Local Independence Day Signers..............22 Guide to Plantations................................25 Basketball Charity on Yorktown...............30 Long Point Schoolhouse...........................31 WATER.. ................................................. 33 Reef Dedication.......................................34 At Home With Ann Edwards...................37 North Meets South..................................41 Our Town........................... 21 25 30 15 34 Guide to Summer....................... 49 Summer Bucket List........................................50 Keep the Kids Cool.........................................54 37 Meet the Broker...................................................60 Pools & Landscaping............................................61 Pool Builders/Services Directory...........................65 Kitchens & Baths.................................................66 Home Renovations...............................................71 Cake House.........................................................75 34 Waterway........................................................78 Coastal Dwellings......................59 54 75 60 66
9 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com contents SUMMER EDITION • VOL. 14, ISSUE 4 Weight Loss Journey.............................................85 Summer Skin Care...............................................89 Réforme Dermatology & Aesthetics........................... 93 Back to School Checkup......................................94 Health and Wellness...................83 89 96 TOP TEN HOMES SOLD IN 2024 Old Village...................................79 Carolina Park................................80 Charleston National......................81 Park West......................................82 Calendar of Events...............................................96 Local Music Schedule.........................................101 Entertainment..............................95 What’s on the Menu...........................................104 The Dolly Llama................................................107 Behind the Bar...................................................109 Summer Drinks/Recipes.....................................111 Food and Beverage................... 103 104 109 Pet Photographer................................................114 Daycare & Boarding...........................................116 Vet Sciences Program.........................................119 Pets. ........................................113 116 East Cooper Neighbors..............120
10 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com A Fashion Forward shopping experience in Women’s Apparel, Footwear and Accessories 916 Front Street Georgetown, SC 29440 @georgie girl @georgie_girlfashion
11 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com It’s easy to step back in time since history surrounds us and Independence Day just happened. Our local history includes four signers of the Declaration of Independence: Edward Rutledge, Arthur Middleton, Thomas Heyward Jr. and Thomas Lynch Jr., all of whom had ties to coastal Carolina. Rutledge, whose family owned land in Mount Pleasant, was the youngest to sign the Declaration of Independence at 26, but he convinced the others, who had previously refused to sign, into signing and joining the independence movement against Britain. Anyone who knows me knows that I gravitate towards people who are independent thinkers — I promise this is not a play on words. Can you imagine being in the room with the signers of the Declaration of Independence as Benjamin Franklin says, “We must all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.” Yes, the Declaration of Independence is our country’s founding document, but for me it was also the mindset represented by the people who were in that room — independent-thinking people who started our country down the road of free enterprise and entrepreneurial innovation. The independent thinking of Rutledge, Middleton, Heyward, Lynch and the 52 other people in that room lives on in Mount Pleasant Magazine and every small and large business that exists today. See our local historian's account on the four signers on Page 22. Now I must confess I’ve never had an idea that I would want to hang for, but that was then, and this is now. I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July and that Mount Pleasant Magazine enriches your life in some way. I know the team publishing our magazines for you enriches our lives. Positively yours, Bill Macchio Publisher • Publisher@MountPleasantMagazine.com publisher’s note Summer Edition • VOL. 14, ISSUE 4 PUBLISHER BILL MACCHIO PUBLISHER@MOUNTPLEASANTMAGAZINE.COM MANAGING EDITOR ZACH GIROUX EDITOR@MOUNTPLEASANTMAGAZINE.COM ART DIRECTOR DANA COLEMAN PRODUCTION MANAGER BETHANY LONG DIGITAL DIRECTOR BRITTANY GEORGE BRITTANY@MOUNTPLEASANTMAGAZINE.COM COPY EDITOR COLIN MCCANDLESS SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGERS ANTHONY MACCHIO BROOKE KAPING GILLIAN BEVILLE BRAND AMBASSADOR STACEY MCLOUGHLIN STACEY@MOUNTPLEASANTMAGAZINE.COM AD DESIGNERS BETHANY LONG KIM HALL REBECCA SOTTILE TECHNOLOGY GEORGE CONKLIN BRIAN SMITH WRITERS ISABEL ALVARZ ARATA • GILLIAN BEVILLE • MARY COY KATIE FINCH • MAURICE FRAZIER • BROOKE KAPING CARI LAWSON • CLARK LEACH • COLIN MCCANDLESS SARAH ROSE • ANNE TOOLE • BROOKE WATSON PHOTOGRAPHER MARK STAFF INDEPENDENT MEDIA CONSULTANTS MAURICE FRAZIER MAURICE@MOUNTPLEASANTMAGAZINE.COM SARAH ROSE SARAH@MOUNTPLEASANTMAGAZINE.COM BRITTANY GEORGE BRITTANY@MOUNTPLEASANTMAGAZINE.COM ADMINISTRATION & BOOKKEEPING GINGER SOTTILE BOSS DOG REGGIE DISTRIBUTION U.S. POST OFFICE • HARRIS TEETER • PUBLIX • CVS Mount Pleasant Magazine is published locally by a team of independent contractors. Mount Pleasant Magazine is published six times per year by Media Services, Inc. 1013 Chuck Dawley Blvd., Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Copyright © Media Services 2024. All rights reserved. Reproduction electronically or in print format without the expressed written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited and a violation of U.S. copyright laws. Inquiries to: Mount Pleasant Magazine P.O. Box 22617, Charleston, SC 29413 843-881-1481 Info@MountPleasantMagazine.com
12 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com Follow us @shopmptc for up-to-date shopping, restaurant and event information With shops, restaurants, experiences, and events year round, there are endless ways to spend a day out on the Towne. mtpleasanttownecentre.com THERE’S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SPEND A DAY on the Towne 1:15PM LAS OLAS Updating our swimwear sets before we hit the deck. 12:25PM COPPER PENNY The accessories you need for poolside cool. 1:40PM BELK Poolside hydration? It’s in the bag. 11:30AM TWEEDLE BEEDLE The most precious suits for little water babies. 2:15PM IVY & LEO Make a splash at the pool club with the perfect cover-up.
13 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com Kerplunk! That’s the only sound I want to hear all summer. Whether it’s ice cubes sloshing around in my drink or a flawed swan dive into a deep blue abyss. I’m in a poolside state of mind. The only way to live life is like you’re on a permanent vacation. Afterall, we live where others choose to vacation. It’s no secret that this summer has been an absolute scorcher. As you’re reading this, I presume you and your family are searching for ways to have fun, stay cool and beat the heat. Good thing you picked up our Summer Edition because it provides the information you need to guide such plans. Listen up mom and dad: if your kids are out of school for the summer and slowly driving you clinically insane, then we recommend you flip through this issue. These pages hold the cure to their boredom. Check out the Guide to Summer section for endless options of indoor and outdoor activities (See Page 54). Don’t worry, there’s a curated summer bucket list for adults as well (See Page 50). After you cool down, let’s focus on upgrading your summer aesthetic. I’m not talking about a new pair of flip flops. I’m referring to the Coastal Dwellings section and more specifically pools and landscaping (See Page 61). A good place to start might be the pool builders and services directory (See Page 65). If you’re looking to make an even bigger splash at home, read up on kitchen and bath remodeling (See Page 66) or full home renovations (See Page 71). Whether you prefer the pool or the ocean, I think we all can agree that when the going gets hot and humid, only the coolest will thrive this summer. Make sure to hydrate early and often. Always reapply sunscreen. And above all, don’t forget to wear some stylish shades! Cheers, Zach Giroux Managing Editor • Editor@MountPleasantMagazine.com from the editor Stay cool, folks Your Community, Your Magazine SCAN CLICK SUBSCRIBE
14 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com V I S I T BEWELLATHOME.ORG TO LEARN MORE Got Protection? ARE YOU PREPARED FOR RETIREMENT? Just like a day at the beach, retirement requires the right equipment to ensure you’re protected and prepared. Be Well at Home offers comprehensive asset protection and financial security to give you peace of mind in your golden years. Our wellness coordination ensures your long-term healthcare needs are met, so you can focus on enjoying life in your home. Think of us as your retirement sunscreen, shielding you from the unexpected and keeping you safe. It’s also the best gift you can give your family, knowing you are well taken care of. Call us today at 843-375-5035 to learn more about how we can help you achieve a well-prepared and protected retirement. ASSET PROTECTION LONG-TERM CARE WELLNESS COORDINATION GIFT FOR FAMILY
15 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com school play “Seussical the Musical,” somehow managed to persevere throughout the shoot without eating the strawberry and peanut butter-flavored ice cream. This feat greatly impressed those of us who are parents to children of a similar age. However, it wasn’t so easy for the adults to refrain from the donut holes. This cover screams, “summer is too short not to have two scoops!” An early morning cover photo shoot around the community pool at Hamlin Plantation wouldn’t have been complete without our editor Zach Giroux contributing an assortment of Munchkins Dunkin’ Donuts. Our photographer Mark Staff, brand ambassador Stacey McLoughlin, social media assistant Brooke Kaping and I arrived on site early, while it was still quiet and peaceful before swim team practice began. The stage was set for our models Elise Rowland (blue and white suit) and Marlowe Marancina (sherbet-hued two-piece), both styled by Citrine Swim on Coleman Boulevard. Posing poolside, the 11-year-old friends, who are also neighbors, held ice cream cones as props donated by Izzy’s Scoops & Sweets located in the Shoppes at Seaside Farms. Despite several ice cream changes due to melty malfunctions, Staff patiently coached the girls through multiple poses, many of which included authentic giggles. With a grove of trees casting shadows across much of the pool, sunlight hit the water from the sides, lending the rather artful pop of colors to the girls’ suits and backdrop. Rowland, a competitive gymnast and pianist and Marancina, a basketball player and actress in her recent about the cover BY SARAH ROSE About the Cover LICENSED | BONDED | INSURED campbellpaintco.com 843.647.9308 icampbell@campbellpaintco.com VOTED BEST OF MOUNT PLEASANT TWO YEARS IN A ROW 2024 ® Servicing Hamlin Plantation and its residents for over 15 years Pictured from left: Social media coordinator, Brooke Kaping; writer, Sarah Rose; photographer, Mark Staff; brand ambassador, Stacey McLoughlin; editor, Zach Giroux.
16 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com Gillian Beville is a senior at the College of Charleston, where she is pursuing a major in communications and a minor in marketing. Her passion for writing began in grade school and continues to fuel her studies and career ambitions in the field of communications. Isabel Alvarez Arata is a freelance writer and content creator with a focus on business, marketing and lifestyle. She has her own petrelated podcast and blog, “Covered in Pet Hair.” Interested in contributing to Mount Pleasant Magazine? Email your contact information (name, phone, mailing address) and one sample of work you have created (or a link to your work online) with the subject “Aspiring MPM Contributor” to Editor@MountPleasantMagazine.com. contributors Katie Finch is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for supporting local businesses through Discovery Map of Mount Pleasant. Her love of the Lowcountry is topped only by her (healthy) obsession with her family and introducing them to all things Mount Pleasant! Mary Coy is a fifth-generation Charlestonian and expert on Charleston history. She has written for Mount Pleasant Magazine for over a decade. Mary can be found giving tours of the Holy City in her free time. Brooke Kaping, a Mount Pleasant local, is a rising junior at the University of Florida, where she is majoring in public relations, advertising and applied communications. Her passion for writing and creativity has been evident from a young age. Maurice J. Frazier is a freelance writer living on Daniel Island. Born in the Bronx, New York and raised in the North Charleston/ Summerville area, he has been working in the TV and film industry for the last eight years. Clark Leach is a business and health writer with more than 20 years of experience. He has written for several publications. His work has appeared in Greenville Business, Charleston Business, Charleston Women, HealthLinks and The Tennessean. Cari Lawson is a school counselor by day and writer by night. Writing provides an outlet to connect further to the community. She loves to spend time with her husband, toddler and puppy at Disney World! Sarah Rose brings a local and global perspective to her freelance writing, editing and independent research. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism, a decadeslong career in interior design and has traveled and lived all over the world. Colin McCandless is a Charlestonbased freelance writer and copy editor who enjoys writing about nature and wildlife, travel, history and outdoor recreation. He has more than 15 years of writing experience working for magazines and newspapers and developing blog and website content. Brooke Watson is a College of Charleston student born and raised in Mount Pleasant, where she studies both creative writing and classics. When not writing or studying, she does her best to collect an assortment of hobbies like watchmaking or resin crafting to fuel that spark of creativity.
17 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com Oyster Candle Co.mpany 216 Scott Street & Coleman Blvd. www.oystercandlecompany.com Scan for Instagram! & COASTAL GIFTS "Best Gift Shop" Mt. Pleasant magazine and Charleston - post & courier 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 CANDLES | CLOTHING | LOCAL GOODS Jewelry | parties | EVents A Stand-Alone Memory Care Community. Come see what makes us different! Serving those with dementia and other related conditions. Mount Pleasant Gardens is committed to being the leader in providing quality personal services for our residents and their families while honoring the experience of aging. 843.216.1001 1025 Hungryneck Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 GardensMemoryCare.com Call for a Tour, Today! 2024 ®
18 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com CHARLESTONCOUNTYPARKS.COM SPLASH ISLAND AT PALMETTO ISLANDS COUNTY PARK 843-593-1554 janon.german@gmail.com www.janongermanrealtor.com LOOKING FOR A REAL ESTATE AGENT? Let me help you buy or sell your home. Schedule your appointment for a consultation TODAY! 3500 Park Avenue Blvd Suite 105 Mount Pleasant, South Carolina 29466 www.pulsenailsmtpleasant.com 843-352-7637 Thank you for another great year with Pulse Nails and Spa! We’re so happy that you’ve decided to continue your business with us. Our team is honored that we were able to help you achieve a unique beauty and wellness journey, and we couldn’t be more excited to continue this journey with you. Enjoy a complimentary glass of wine, champagne or cappuccino STUDENTS, TEACHERS & NURSES Come in Today and Experience What Makes Pulse 2024 ®
19 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com atch Mount Pleasant Magazine online at MountPleasantMagazine.com, and flip through the digital magazine at ReadMPM.com. For up-to-date, relevant content for all of Mount Pleasant and East Cooper, follow us on Instagram @MountPleasantMagazine and on Facebook at Facebook.com/ MountPleasantMagazine. Don’t forget to comment on our posts with your thoughts on the events, businesses or personalities featured. We want to connect with you. Your voice could become featured in our “Social Buzz” section. We have so much to offer the community beyond these pages. We invite all of our readers to enjoy our podcasts, in addition to our online publications. Both MountPleasantPodcast.com and BestOfMPpodcast.com offer amazing insights into our community through the first-person stories of our leaders, business owners and beloved residents. This is a chance to watch, listen and learn from your neighbors. Want to get involved with the content chosen for Mount Pleasant Magazine? Give us your ideas for a feature story. Email Editor@MountPleasantMagazine.com with your ideas, supporting photos and contact information. We’d love to hear from you! on the web C WAREHOUSING BUILT FOR DESIGNERS RECEIVING • STORAGE • DELIVERY • INSTALL 843-284-3122 $299/mo • Flexible storage plans • Flat-rate monthly pricing • No commitment required Pricing as low as:
20 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com social buzz Social media in today’s age of print and digital marketing is the portal to boosting your company’s brand and taking business to the next level. Whether it’s editorial or marketing stories, our social media platforms at Mount Pleasant Magazine have the bandwidth to reach customers and future clients you never expected to reach. The numbers don’t lie and these analytics are living proof that the reach of our product is limitless. If you’re interested in broadening your horizons, contact Publisher@ MountPleasantMagazine.com or 843-530-0403. COASTAL COVERAGE SPECIALISTS 843.881-4707 insureme@sigsc.com Mount Pleasant & Beaufort Hurricane Season is Upon Us... Are You Covered? BE PREPARED! MAKE TIME TO EVALUATE: • Replacement Cost Coverage • Wind & Hail Coverage • Flood Coverage • Rental Property Coverage • Personal Property Coverage
21 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com Our Town southernbelleschildren.com | 280 W. Coleman Blvd Mount Pleasant | 843.881.1741 2024 ® at For Fashionable Tween Girls Shop our Summer Sale!
22 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com Picnics, beaches, cookouts and fireworks. These fun-filled activities are synonymous with our celebration of the Fourth of July. You likely learned in school that the reason for all the celebrating is that it’s our nation’s birthday — the day given to honor the Declaration of Independence. But did you know that four men who signed that important document hailed from the Lowcountry? And one of them had a family plantation in Mount Pleasant. EDWARD RUTLEDGE Rutledge was a mere 26 years old when he signed the Declaration of Independence and was the youngest man to do so. Initially, Rutledge was a moderate when it came to the break with England, and he partnered with Benjamin Franklin and John Adams to try to iron out differences the Colonies had with Parliament. But realizing that independence was imminent, Rutledge persuaded the other three delegates from South Carolina to vote for it — after they had initially voted against it. During the war, Rutledge continued to serve in politics, as well as with the militia and was captured during the British occupation of Charles Town. He was imprisoned at St. Augustine with fellow signer Thomas Heyward Jr. and 28 other Charlestonians who had refused to sign an oath of allegiance to the Crown. At the time, rumors were rampant that these men were plotting to burn the town and kill Loyalists. Two decades after the war, Rutledge was elected South Carolina’s governor, and his former home at 117 Broad St. later became a bed and breakfast (update: it was sold in 2022) aptly called the Governor’s House Inn. It stands across the street from his brother John’s home, which is also an inn. (Note: John Rutledge was a signer of the U.S. Constitution.) The Rutledge family’s plantation was in Mount Pleasant on land that is now part of the Phillips Community and Laurel Hill County Park. Rutledge is buried in downtown Charleston at St. Philip’s churchyard. ARTHUR MIDDLETON Middleton Place, a former rice plantation along the banks of the Ashley River, is the birthplace of another signer, Arthur Middleton. The Middleton family was among the wealthiest families in Colonial America. Middleton and his father were both very involved in political affairs and attended meetings in Philadelphia to debate the issue of whether the Colonies should make the break with England. Middleton was at the Second Continental Congress when the vote was taken, and he subsequently signed the Declaration, along with 55 other representatives from the 13 original Colonies. The next time you are in a state government building, look at the South Carolina state seal, which Middleton helped design. His creation is the side proclaiming the Latin proverb “Dum Spiro Spero” — While I breathe, I hope. Many speakers have used those inspiring words, including President Barack Obama in his 2008 victory speech. Middleton is interred in the family tomb at Middleton Place. Local signers of the Declaration of Independence BY MARY COY Editor’s Note: This article originates from the archives of Mount Pleasant Magazine. Edward Rutledge Arthur Middleton Thomas Heyward, Jr. Thomas Lynch Photos courtesy of the Library of Congress.
23 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com WE LOVE OUR LOCALS AND WE WELCOME VISITORS TO THE AREA! OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 10 AM- 5 PM 2434 N. HWY 17 MOUNT PLEASANT, SC PLEASE CALL THE BOONE HALL FARMS INFORMATION LINE AT 843-856-5366 FOR LATEST UPDATES Learn more at BooneHallPlantation.com
24 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com THOMAS HEYWARD JR. Thomas Heyward Jr. added his name to the Declaration of Independence at the age of 29. By that time, he’d already been quite active in the independence movement during the preceding years. But later, when the British occupied Charles Town in 1780, Heyward was arrested and imprisoned in St. Augustine (which was also occupied by the British at the time). Tradition has it that, while imprisoned there, he rewrote the words to the British anthem “God Save the King,” — Americans recognize the melody as “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” — replacing it with the words “God Save the States, Thirteen United States, God Save Them All.” The song apparently caught on and was sung as a hymn in many of Charleston’s churches. A decade later, when President George Washington visited the city, he stayed at the Heyward home at 87 Church St. — hence the name the Heyward-Washington House, now a house museum. Heyward later lived at 18 Meeting St., where there is another historical plaque. He is buried at his former plantation in Jasper County. He shared his name with an uncle, so the younger Heyward added “Jr.” to his signature to avoid confusion. THOMAS LYNCH Hopsewee Plantation near Georgetown is the birthplace of Thomas Lynch, the second-youngest signer. Lynch’s father attended the First and Second Continental Congresses in Philadelphia but suffered a stroke while there. The younger Lynch, 26, left his post with the state militia and went to be with his father, joining him at the Congress and making the Lynches the only father-son delegates present. But since the elder Lynch was too ill to sign the Declaration, the task was left to Thomas. (A blank space on the Declaration shows where the elder Lynch was supposed to sign.) The younger Lynch battled health problems himself as a result of an illness he’d contracted while serving with the militia, so he was unable to resume his military career fighting the British. As the war raged, he hoped to reclaim good health with a trip to France, but the ship on which he was traveling was lost at sea, making him at the age of 30 the youngest signer to die. Because Lynch’s life was cut short before he established himself in politics or business, his signature on the Declaration of Independence is one of only a few of his autographs known to exist, making it a rare find for collectors. The Lynch family’s plantation at Hopsewee is privately owned but opens for public tours during different times of the year. This July, honor these four men while celebrating. our town From Los Altos of Jalisco Mexico to Daniel Island. Family owned taco kitchen + tequilera.Craft, handmade margaritas made with 100% blue agave tequila. Over 100 tequilas, mezcals, and sotol. VIVATacosTequila.com | 864 Island Park Drive, DanieI Island 2024 ® EVERYTHING FOR THE BRIDE EXCEPT THE DRESS Mon-Sat 10AM to 6PM Closed Sundays 1055 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. Mt. Pleasant (843) 352-2531 28 Windermere Blvd. Charleston, SC (843) 414-7170 NOW TWO LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU! DISTINCTIVE GIFTS | BRIDAL REGISTRY INVITATIONS • STATIONARY | FINE TABLEWARE UNIQUE HOME ACCESSORIES
25 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com Long before planters arrived in the region east of the Cooper and up the Hammock Coast directly to our north, Native Americans roamed the land. Today, the voices of these ancestors are echoed in the names of Winyah Bay, along with four of the five rivers that flow through Georgetown County: the Waccamaw, Pee Dee, Sampit and Santee; as well as Wampacheone Creek in Mount Pleasant. Additionally, many plantations in our area are named after hallowed places such as Hobcaw, meaning “between the waters” and Hopsewee, translated as “high point on the water.” Between 1718 and 1860 that sacred land was altered, according to seventh generation South Carolinian and historian Paige Sawyer of Old Georgetown Walking Tours, when an influx of elite planters encroached on this Lowcountry terrain and established approximately 150 BY SARAH ROSE Voices of our Ancestors Guide to Lowcountry plantations Photo by Sarah Rose.
26 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com our town working plantations that produced crops such as indigo and rice, the latter the cash king also known as Carolina Gold. Sawyer added that by producing 50 percent of all the rice supplied throughout the Colonies, and later America, Georgetown became one of the richest counties in the country. Further, in and around Mount Pleasant, then known as Christ Church Parish, plantations such as Boone Hall prospered from cotton and brickmaking. This wealth would have been impossible to generate without the often backbreaking work of the enslaved. With tasks such as engineering and building dikes that controlled the tides of rice fields swamped with alligators, water moccasins and invisible Cypress stumps caked in pluff mud beneath murky waters, the enslaved worked from sunup to sundown, day in and day out, before returning to the village. During the plantation era, according to John Bentley, owner of Cap’n Rod’s Lowcountry Boat Tours, roads hadn’t yet been connected by bridges, and so the rivers were the highways. Boats, barges and ferries were the simplest ways to import and export visitors, supplies and the enslaved, who, according to Mary Boyd, volunteer at the Georgetown County Museum, were bought and transported from the markets in Charleston. Consequently, plantation manor houses are built facing the waterways, and cloaked behind avenues of oak trees, are invisible from modern streets. Following the emancipation of the enslaved in 1865, no one was left to work the fields or keep up the mansions. As a result, many plantation homes and the land surrounding them fell into disrepair. Others were lost to fire, hurricanes or earthquakes. By the 1960s, according to Sawyer, those defunct properties were sold to developers to be repurposed as golf courses or suburban gated neighborhoods. Of the manor houses that remain, many have been converted into event spaces or are privately held by descendants. Of the fraction that are open to visitors, each plantation has its own haunting and vainglorious history, which current owners, caretakers, curators, volunteers and nonprofits strive to honor and preserve. This summer, take the time to stroll the plantations’ sandy pathways lazing beneath oak trees shrouded with Spanish moss and listen for the soulful voices of the ancestors revealing the real stories behind the facades of the following manor houses. Also, cruise our rivers to see how Native Americans, Africans and the planters who exploited them approached these lands. For their legacies are your true plantation tour guides. BOONE HALL PLANTATION Start your plantation journey by carving out at least an entire day to spend at Boone Hall Plantation and absorb visitor favorites, which include “Exploring the Gullah Culture” live presentations. True descendants of the Gullah people present the history of this culture through storytelling, song and dance that is at times educational, and at times very moving and emotional. These Gullah ladies share uplifting spiritual messages of love and understanding of how overcoming the hardships of the past have brought them to a better place today, because in the words of Ms. Gloria Ford, Gullah Presenter at Boone Hall, “We must leave the divisiveness of the past behind in order to move forward and claim the future.” The “Historical Dwelling History Talk” discusses enslaved Boone Hall Plantation. Hampton Plantation.
27 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com our town life at Boone Hall and the significance of the nine original brick cabins built between 1790-1810 that once housed the enslaved, but now have been adapted to display the “Black History In America Exhibit.” Other tour options include the newly renovated Gin House museum with history on display that spans over three centuries, the popular Farm and Nature Tour across the entire property, tours of the plantation home, strolls through the gardens and so much more. For as Willie McRae, who lived at Boone Hall since his family purchased the property in 1955 until he passed away in 2020, and who established a conservation of the grounds, once said, the plantation is a “magical, mystical place where history, beauty and grace exist altogether.” As Boone Hall’s Marketing Director Rick Benthall also related, “The Avenue of Oaks stand as sentinels over a diverse tapestry of cultures and traditions stitched together by time.” Purchase tickets at boonehallplantation.com. HAMPTON PLANTATION A grand six-room house built in 1734, Hampton Plantation was home to the affluent Serre, Horry, Pinckney and Rutledge families. Of note, it was here that Eliza Pinckney introduced indigo to the South. Additionally, George Washington visited the property on his way to Charleston. And the back facade was used as the image for the cover of Margaret Mitchell’s novel “Gone With the Wind.” Walk the grounds and cemetery, enjoy a picnic under the magnolias and regard rice trunks protruding out of a brackish field. Take a tour of the house but be prepared for stifling heat as it is un-air conditioned and there is zero circulation. It’s worth the time spent if you wear something light and airy and bring a small battery-operated or paper fan and a bottle of water. Guided tours of the mansion are at noon and 2 p.m. from Friday through Tuesday and tickets can be purchased at the onsite office located at 1950 Rutledge Road in McClellanville. HOPSEWEE PLANTATION Built in 1733 and the birthplace of Thomas Lynch Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence, the eight-room manor of Hopsewee Plantation is situated on a bluff above the North Santee River. Enjoy a tour of the air-conditioned house and museum; explore the restored enslaved cabins equipped with benches where you can sit and reflect on the history of the space; and make sure to stop for lunch or high tea at the Tea Room. As a bonus, every Wednesday at 4 p.m. owner Raejean Beattie curates Wine on the River, followed by a haunted tour of the house at 5 p.m. with acclaimed author Elizabeth Huntsinger wearing period dress. Both experiences are musts on this tour of plantations. Visit hopsewee.com to book your tickets and reserve a table and ghostsofgeorgetown.com to secure your spot on Huntsinger’s ghost tour. MANSFIELD PLANTATION Mansfield Plantation is a privately-owned property that is not open to the public and is only accessible to its bed and breakfast guests by boat or car. Set two miles off Hopsewee Plantation.
28 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com the highway, the manor, built in 1756, is surrounded by an enslaved village with a chapel, a kitchen house, stables, a winnowing house, a schoolhouse for the planter’s eight children and tutor and old rice fields backing up to the Black River. Unique to Mansfield is a network of roads that once linked the property with neighboring plantations as a means for socializing and sharing supplies and labor. Bike or hike these historic trails or relax with a good book in the hammock while enjoying a peaceful breeze coming off the marsh. Visit mansfieldplantation.com to reserve your room. HOBCAW BARONY Plan to spend at least a day at Hobcaw Barony visiting its two mansions, Bellefield and Hobcaw House, as well as Friendfield Village, an intact former slave village, along with a stretch of the old King’s Highway which connected Boston to New York and Charleston. Once divided into 11 different plantations, the Barony now boasts 16,000 acres of forests, swamps, wetlands and ecological systems, which are all in conservation easement. Before you visit, learn about the intricate history of the property by reading “Baroness of Hobcaw: The Life of Belle W. Baruch,” by Mary E. Miller. Tickets sell out well in advance, so secure your spot now by visiting hobcawbarony.org. our town Mansfield Plantation. Charleston, South Carolina | draytonhall.org Museum Galleries | Historic House | Active Archaeology SUMMER LOCALS ADMISSION $10 ADMISSION FOR LOCALS* Valid to Berkeley, Dorchester, Charleston, & Colleton County residents. Valid at the gatehouse only.
29 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com To view the plantations from the rivers and dive deeper into the histories and mysteries of the region, Cap’n Rod’s Lowcountry Tours’ third generation storytelling captains are your best resource. Their covered boat departs from the dock behind the old bell tower in historic Georgetown and sails into the Sampit, Pee Dee and Waccamaw Rivers and out into the Intracoastal Waterway. Along the way, observe properties such as White House Plantation, which still grows and sells rice by way of implementing modern systems; Direlton; Weymouth, now a woodpecker sanctuary; Springfield and Arundel, currently wedding and event venues; as well as several others, including a waterside view of conservation easements such as Hobcaw Barony. Enjoy the river breeze and be sure to bring sunscreen, a water bottle and a cooler with snacks or a picnic if you think you might feel peckish during the three-hour trip. A bonus is that the boat has a bathroom on board. Book your next plantation tour at lowcountrytours.com. our town Hobcaw Barony.
30 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com Ballersworld Global Foundation’s nonprofit mission statement is a slam dunk: To provide underserved youth with tools for success while preemptively tackling hardships, obstacles and access with sports being the catalyst. Foundation creator Ernest Gass believes every young person deserves a chance to succeed and reach their full potential. Gass’ heart is geared toward fostering and developing kids in the community. With the many distractions our youth face today, Ballersworld Global has taken steps to be a shield. “Our vision is to create future leaders and scholar athletes who are committed to making a positive impact on the world,” stated Gass. On Saturday, Sept. 28 you have an opportunity to support this great cause during the Battle on the Deck hoops event, which takes place from 11 a.m to 5 p.m. on the flight deck of the USS Yorktown with a backdrop of Charleston Harbor. “Ballersworld Global offers a free basketball league within our community providing opportunities for children to develop their skills and enjoy the game of basketball, regardless of their financial situation,” Gass said. The coaches are experienced and passionate about helping children learn and grow on and off the court. Creating a space for children ages 6 to 18 to play basketball, Ballersworld Global meets at least twice every other month. Established two years ago, there are now around 60 kids participating in the foundation. They’re determined to expand and reach more youth to create a positive impact in their lives. Besides basketball, the foundation offers the following programs: pickleball clinics and the Business and Ball mentorship. The Business and Ball mentorship program, a one-on-one mentorship initiative that meets bi-weekly for six months, incorporates the business end of sports. It focuses on the NIL rules that allow high school and middle school players to profit from their name, image and likeness. The nonprofit is looking for sponsorships and companies to invest in their vision. With more funds, Gass hopes to introduce a new program called the Hoops and Innovation League. The two-month comprehensive program would combine the skills of basketball with STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) concepts. “Students will understand how to collect, interpret and visualize data, enabling them to be able to make informed decisions and identify a player’s performance and display team strategies.” The Sixth Annual Battle on the Deck is open to all from youth to adults, and registration is now open. The tournament is 3 on 3 played on the flight deck of the Yorktown. Teams can range from three to five players, and the cost to play is $120 per team. There will be vendors, music, food and a career fair at the event. Spectators are encouraged to come and cheer on their favorite team and players. Hoops for Hope Scoring baskets for underserved youth For more information on the foundation, to register for the Battle on the Deck or to donate or sponsor please visit ballersworldglobal.org. BY MAURICE J. FRAZIER our town
31 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com Throughout the plantation era, literacy for most Blacks was illegal, and even when education was allowed during Reconstruction, there were no resources for teaching children of the emancipated. It wasn’t until 1904, nearly four decades after the Civil War ended, that the doors opened to Long Point Schoolhouse, the first school for Black students in the Snowden Community. Originally constructed as a house for a white family, the schoolhouse had two rooms, one for grades first-third and the other for fourth-sixth. Once located near what is now the Waffle House at the cross section of Long Point Road and I-526, the school was surrounded by woods rather than high-traffic interstates. According to Reverend Arthur Pinckney, who attended Long Point from first-third grade, he and his classmates learned from leftover textbooks discarded by white schools that were stamped “for coloreds only.” Segregation would remain the status quo until 1969 when schools in Charleston County were integrated. In 1954, the schoolhouse closed its doors and students transferred to Jennie Moore Elementary or Laing Middle. After decades of abandonment, the schoolhouse fell into a state of disrepair. To preserve the landmark, the African American Settlement Community Historic Commission, established in 2016 to address and find solutions to counter the demise of African American communities in the tri-county area, raised funds to relocate the schoolhouse to a new home in the Snowden Settlement in 2021. The nonprofit organization, according to Freddie Jenkins, president of the AASCHC, along with members of the community, former alumni and others, are now working to restore the building to its original state, while converting it into the Long Point Road Cultural Education Schoolhouse for public use. In desperate need of a new roof, as well as addressing many other structural issues, the project still has a long way to go. That’s why Connie Villacres, guide supervisor and history enthusiast at Boone Hall, hatched the idea of organizing the 1st Annual Long Point Schoolhouse 5k race on the plantation’s beautiful grounds. All proceeds from the fundraiser will be donated to the school’s restoration. The race is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 7 with an 8 a.m. start. Registration is open now through Sunday, Sept. 1. The fee is $25 for 12 and under and $35 for adults. Packet pickup is Friday, Sept. 6 from 2-5 p.m. or the morning of the event from 7-7:30 a.m. at Willie’s Roadside Market at Boone Hall Farms. Restrooms will be made available near the start/finish lines. The event will happen rain or shine. Make sure to stay for the after party that will include food trucks, music and other family-friendly activities. Parking for the race will be off of Highway 17 in the same parking area that is used for other Boone Hall events. Register at ultrasignup.com/ register.aspx?did=115901. Additionally, donations for preserving the schoolhouse are always welcome on the AASCHC Go Fund Me page, which can be found at gofundme.com/f/long-pointschoolhouse-final-phase-restoration. Path to Preservation Long Point Schoolhouse seeks funding BY SARAH ROSE our town Long Point Schoolhouse circa 1955. Long Point Schoolhouse 2024.
32 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com Danco WWW.DANCOHOME.COM 1035 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Mt. Pleasant Open M-Sat.10am-5pm ph: 843.884.2256 e: sales@dancohome.com Charleston’s Coolest Modern. COMFORT SLEEPER AMERICAN LEATHER The only sleeper sofa you can sleep on. As opposed to the bars and springs of yesteryear, the comfort sleeper features a patented 24/7 platform system topped with five inches of luxury high-density foam. For an amazing night’s sleep. With over a dozen styles available, from transitional to modern sleeper sofas and sectionals, you’re sure to find the best centerpiece to your living room. Be ready when life unfolds. Sleepovers just got a whole lot more comfortable Veer Cruiser City Wagon - All-terrain wagon with push steering 642 Coleman Boulevard Mount Pleasant,SC 843.856.9277 | BabyBloomersHome.com 2024 ® NOW OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK! The Sassiest Gift Boutique in Mt. Pleasant
33 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com Mount Pleasant is surrounded by water, whether rivers, tidal creeks or lakes. Beaches lie a short drive over the bridges and pools abound. Learning to swim is a critical skill to master no matter where you live, but it takes on even greater significance here. Sometimes, it can be a matter of life and death. That’s why Mount Pleasant Town Councilmember Gary Santos launched the WATER program in 2008, a Mount Pleasant Recreation Department initiative that teaches young school-aged children how to swim. Santos, a passionate youth recreation advocate and former rec coach who has served 25 years on council, established the program in response to two children drowning in an area formerly known as “Creature Beach” in Mount Pleasant. “It broke my heart,” recalled Santos. He hoped that WATER might prevent any more tragic drowning deaths. Jessica Walsh, aquatics coordinator with MPRD’s Aquatics Program, originally served as an instructor with the WATER program from 2013-2021, and now manages it. Offered in spring, WATER teaches introductory swim lessons to pre-K, kindergarten and first grade students from Belle Hall and Whitesides elementary schools at RL Jones Center, and to Carolina Park and Laurel Hill students at MPRD’s Park West facility. The eventual goal is getting every Mount Pleasant school with elementary-age children involved, said Walsh. Each participating student group is given a two-week session featuring eight lessons, with 30 minutes of swim instruction per day, Monday-Thursday during consecutive weeks. “You can really see the progression, because of the repetition of it,” explained Walsh. They average seeing 240 children a day over the course of a couple hours. Some kids have never seen a pool or set foot in one, others have a little knowledge and some can already swim. To accommodate varying skill levels, instructors swim test children and split them into more manageable groups according to ability, said Walsh. There are kids who initially feel out of their comfort zone and fear the water, but they gradually come around. “So, to see that progression from day one — let’s say to day eight — it’s a milestone for them. Whether it’s just being able to put their face in the water and blow bubbles,” noted Walsh. Teaching the safety aspect is key. “That’s what the program is all about,” Walsh added. “We want them to be safe in and around the water.” The WATER team generally comprises six to seven instructors who help guide and monitor the students. Upon program completion, Watson said they strongly encourage that children continue their swim lessons whether through MPRD or another organization. “Just because it is a life-saving skill. I feel like it’s our duty as a town and a municipality to get that word of water safety out there. No child or no person should ever drown because they don’t know what to do.” Santos observed a WATER swim lesson recently and was pleased to see so many children participating in the program he created. “It has grown so much,” he said. Santos, a recipient of MPRD’s 2011 “Volunteer Coach of the Year” award, has established countless youth sports programs as councilman, including wrestling, running and football. “I want them to have options that they can excel in, but it’s also good for their health,” noted Santos. Santos is happy to see kids learning to swim at a young age, and he hasn’t heard of any drownings since WATER started. “The WATER program is probably my favorite program because it’s saving kids’ lives,” Santos added. BY COLIN MCCANDLESS Making a Splash Town’s WATER program teaches swim lessons, saves lives our town Photos courtesy of Mount Pleasant Recreation Department Aquatics.
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