#112: Historic Columbia (Podcast w/ John Sherrer), Maritime Living History, and Walter Edgar's South Carolina
For South Carolina history lovers far and wide! Published weekly on Monday mornings. Enjoy weekly SC history articles and upcoming SC historical events.
Dear reader,
Welcome to SC History Newsletter #112!
And happy Labor Day weekend! I hope everyone is enjoying some rest, relaxation, family time, great food, outdoor adventures, and maybe a little bit of “couch potato” time in front of the TV as well (yay!).
This week, I was excited to interview John Sherrer, Director of Preservation at Historic Columbia for our Podcast #4 of the SC History Newsletter! You’ll be able to read, listen to, or watch my interview with John in our “SC History Topic of the Week” section at the bottom of the newsletter below.
As always, I’d like to welcome the following new subscribers to our community. Thank you for your interest in South Carolina history!
susannemorris113
matthew.johnson
danielme1
billriski
halloffame
samstroup2
New friends! If you are new to the newsletter, please note that there are over 100 previous SC History newsletters on topics ranging from the founding of Charleston, sunken Confederate submarines, railroad tunnels filled with blue cheese, and so much more! I encourage you to take a look at our archive here.
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And now, let’s learn some South Carolina history!
Yours truly,
Kate
(Writing from Greenville, SC)
➳ Featured SC History Events
Please note our featured SC History Event below, and click here to visit my SC History Events Calendar that organizes all the upcoming SC history events I have discovered.
Please let me know if you’d like to add an event to the calendar! Reply to this email to send me your events.
Event Recommendation of the Week:
Saturday, September 7th at 10:00 am | “The Crew of the Charles Revenge: Maritime Living History” | Cayce Historical Museum | Cayce, SC | More information
“AHOY, MATEYS! Come see sailors and militiamen/rangers from the age of the First Fort Congaree, c. 1718-22. Living historians from the Crew of the Charles Revenge reenactment group will visit the Cayce Historical Museum and have medical, nautical, and weapons displays, along with kids activities.”
➳ SC History Book & Article Recommendations
“South Carolina: A History” by Walter Edgar
(Note from Kate: In this week’s Podcast #4 with John Sherrer, Director of Preservation at Historic Columbia, John shared that Walter Edgar (the great South Carolina historian) was his thesis advisor (!) and continues to be John’s mentor and friend. He recommended we all read Walter Edgar’s seminal work “South Carolina: A History.” Adding it to my list!)
Here is the publisher’s description:
“In this comprehensive history of South Carolina, Walter Edgar presents a sweeping chronicle of a state with an illustrious, sometimes infamous, past. He describes in very human terms 475 years of recorded history in the Palmetto State, including the experiences of all South Carolinians―those with roots in Africa and in Europe as well as Native Americans; male and female; rich and poor. In an eminently readable presentation, Edgar uses letters, diaries, and other writings to let voices from the past take part in telling the state's fascinating story.
Recounting the period from the first Spanish exploration to the end of the Civil War, Edgar charts South Carolina's rising national and international prominence and its parallel economic ascendancy. He dispels myths about the state's early history―including the notion that the colony was inhabited by a homogeneous white population―and tells how South Carolina developed an agricultural economy that relied heavily on African American slave labor. Edgar examines, among other topics, the impact of the American revolution, Charleston's significance as a metropolis and major seaport, and the state's leadership in the Secession movement.
With changes wrought by the Civil War, South Carolina slipped from national prominence into a period marked by economic, social, civil, and political strife. Edgar details the everyday life of blacks and whites during Reconstruction, the state's mixed efforts to join the "New South," and Benjamin Ryan Tillman's rise to power. He also chronicles South Carolina's changing politics in the once-solid South, the state's reawakening after World War II, the casualties and victories of an extended civil rights struggle, and the Palmetto State's present economic, educational, and political challenges.”
Do you have a book or article on South Carolina history that has caught your attention? Reply to this email and let me know!
➳ SC History Topic of the Week:
In our SC History Podcast #4, I was so excited to interview John Sherrer, Director of Preservation at Historic Columbia!
Here is the mission of Historic Columbia:
We share the complex history of Columbia and Richland County through historic preservation advocacy, innovative educational programs, and strategic partnerships.
Here is John’s bio:
A Columbia native, author, and historian, John Sherrer has worked at Historic Columbia since 1996. As Director of Preservation, John heads the organization's historic preservation advocacy efforts involving research and programming, management of a 16-property easement portfolio, and historic tax credit fee-for-service projects. John holds degrees from Clemson (BA, MA: English) and the University of South Carolina (MA: Public History) and management certificates from McKissick Museum and the Southeastern Museum Conference's Jekyll Island Management Institute. John has served on the boards of the Columbia Development Corporation, the Columbia Design League, and the South Carolina Federation of Museums. A Leadership Columbia Class of 2014 alumnus, John recently was nominated as a 2023 Ambassador for ExperienceColumbiaSC.
How to watch or listen to this interview:
Listen on Substack:
Click here or on the image below to listen on the Substack podcast player.
Read the interview transcript:
On the Substack podcast page, you can toggle to the transcript of the episode at the top of the post.
Listen on iTunes:
Listen on iTunes by clicking below & subscribing
Watch/listen on YouTube:
If you would like to watch this interview, John also takes us through some beautiful images, and you can watch on YouTube here:
And here are time stamped highlights of our interview, including reader questions:
3:38 - John introduces himself, Historic Columbia, and describes his role as Director of Historic Preservation
9:36 - John describes the transformation of the Hampton-Preston Mansion & Gardens
25:16 - John describes working to establish the South Carolina Fall Line Consortium in 2002, which encouraged museums in the Columbia, Richland County, and Lexington County areas to make connections between their respective collections
30:41 - John talks about working with the community to establish the Columbia Historic Commercial District
32:25: READER QUESTION: From Rick in Greer, SC: Are there certain pieces of the history of Columbia that are beyond preservation that maybe only have been written about? If you could wave your preservation magic wand to bring those back to life, what would you focus on?
38:45: John talks about the impact of Sherman’s march on Columbia, SC’s history and landscape
49:38: John gives us lodging, dining, and activity recommendations for the “perfect long weekend itinerary” for history lovers visiting Columbia
65:59: Kate takes John through our “Carolina Questionnaire”!
76:27: John talks about how you can support Historic Columbia’s efforts
78:05: Farewells & good byes!
Thank you, John!
To pique your curiosity, here are some images of what we discuss in the interview:
Did you enjoy today’s interview? Any additional questions for John? Leave a comment below!
➳ Historic Columbia Helpful Links
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