Celebrating America & SC

Most holidays are referred to by their official name --  like Christmas, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day and Labor day to name a few. It’s unusual to have the holiday itself referred to by only the date rather than official name but one holiday does this more than any of the rest, the great American Holiday -- the 4th of July! 

To be accurate it’s official name is Independence Day.  Whatever you call it, it’s a great day to celebrate not only our nation’s independence but all things that our great nation stands for. Things like freedom, patriotism and all the small stuff that makes our country the greatest country in the world.



Over the years, parks have become a part of this important holiday.  Parks provide a way to celebrate our freedom while celebrating our connection to the land, our history and enjoying the day with family and friends. Since summer is officially here, let’s celebrate and take the month of July to celebrate America and South Carolina. In the spirit of the 4th here are some ideas for your July celebrations.

• Start at the beginning with a visit to Charles Towne Landing, the birthplace of South Carolina, and learn about the trip to the new world that would shape the colony of Carolina and later our country.
• Explore and walk the battlefield of Musgrove Mill where the British encountered a group of American Patriots ready for a fight.
• Stand in front of the house where President George Washington stood on his trip to the South at Hampton Plantation. 
• A trip to Andrew Jackson State Park, showcases the nation’s 7th President and tells of his adventures as a "boy of the Waxhaws."  You can visit the very spot where he spent his boyhood.
• Traveling through history you’ll need to visit Redcliffe and Rose Hill plantations and learn of the complexities of the American Civil War.
• Stand near the Salkehatchie River where the Battle of Rivers Bridge took place --one of the last battles of the Civil War.  It is a place of reverence where American lives from both sides were lost. Standing on the same spot where history took places connects us to our country and our state, you not only see it but you can feel it.
• Stand and peer into the woods near the entrance of Lake Greenwood State Park, and see piles of granite stone carved and ready for placement on an entrance wall. The entrance wall remains unfinished today as a dramatic symbol of how the world changed on the morning of December 7, 1941.  The young men of the CCC literally dropped what they were doing to fight for freedom in World War II. 
• And finally take in an old-fashioned 4th of July picnic.  You pick the park!  Or drop by Oconee State Park where Uncle Sam himself shows up for games and lots of fun!

It’s July, and it's time to celebrate the resources that define the Palmetto State, from the magic of the Blue Ridge Escarpment to the mighty Atlantic Ocean. South Carolina’s State Parks tell our story.  Beyond the history lessons, lives the fabric of our nation, our people, our traditions, the love of outdoors and the celebration of freedom. It’s time for fun, family, friends and time to make some great memories in your state parks!

See you in the parks!
Phil