Blue Ridge Country July/August 2023 - 62

History Tour
Magical
w
ABOVE:
The Hagood Creek
Petroglyph Site is
in Pickens, South
Carolina.
LEFT: Hatcher
Garden and
Woodland Preserve,
in Spartanburg,
South Carolina, has
more than 10,000
plantings.
novative engineering, take a drive to this
unique park. Walk amongst the canal structures
that opened transportation around
the rapids of the Catawba River from 1820
to 1835. Visit the former lockkeeper's
house, a log home and small museum.
Four trails with flat terrain allow access
to the history, the river and surrounding
nature. And watch for bald eagles!
southcarolinaparks.com/landsford-canal
29. Village of Flat Rock. (Flat Rock, North
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25. Hatcher Garden and Woodland
Preserve. (Spartanburg, South Carolina). Enjoy
free admission to this 10-acre space
boasting nine unique garden environments.
Created in 1969, the owners
transformed an old cotton field by rehabilitating
worn-out soil, building trails
and ponds, and planting over 10,000
flowers, shrubs and trees. Spend a quiet
moment in the Hope & Healing Garden.
Pet friendly, mobility accessible, open
365 days a year. hatchergarden.org
26. Hub City Railroad Museum.
(Spartanburg, South Carolina). Learn about
the interconnected commerce of trains,
textiles and peaches at this destination.
Located in the former Southern Railway
Depot, scale model and actual-size trains
await along with a gift shop and a special
caboose currently undergoing renovations.
Visitors can ring a 1940 locomotive
bell, watch trains pass from the observa62
BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
tion deck, see a Hayne Car Shops display
and " learn to become a telegrapher " on
a real operating telegraph system. Check
out the Virtual Railfan cameras prior to
your visit. hubcityrrmuseum.org
27. Overmountain Victory National
Historic Trail. (Spartanburg, Cherokee and York
counties, South Carolina). Tour three of South
Carolina's locations along this 330-mile,
four-state trail: Cowpens National Battlefield,
Lake Whelchel and Kings Mountain
National Military Park. This motor route
commemorates the patriot militia of the
Revolutionary War, and can be followed
using highway markers, waysides and an
audio tour. Each stop has public walking
trails that coincide with the historic
movements of troops, and two have visitor
centers, picnic areas and campgrounds
nearby. nps.gov/ovvi/index.htm
28. Landsford Canal State Park. (Catawba,
South Carolina). For a historic feat of inCarolina).
Tour an entire district listed on
the National Register of Historic Places.
The area was a mountain getaway for the
well-heeled to escape the heat and yellow
fever epidemics. Tour Carl Sandburg's
1838 home and see his collection of over
10,000 books and papers. Stop by the
1833 St. John in the Wilderness Episcopal
Church where three signers of the Declaration
of Independence are interred. And
catch a production at The Flat Rock Playhouse.
villageofflatrock.org
30. Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern
Appalachians. (Bryson City, North Carolina).
Whether a novice, an aficionado or
merely a fan of the famous movie about
a river running through it, include a stop
at this location by The Smoky Mountains.
Over 14,000 miles of trout waters
across the mountains of the South await
what this writer would call the ballet of
fly fishing. Learn about the evolution of
rods and reels, gear, water craft and the
intricacies of fly-tying. And stop in the
Appalachian Rivers Aquarium next door.
flyfishingmuseum.org
Little Pigs BBQ. (Asheville, North Carolina).
Come taste why (despite the competition
with " fast food " ) this eatery
http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/landsford-canal http://www.hubcityrrmuseum.org http://www.villageofflatrock.org http://www.hatchergarden.org http://www.flyfishingmuseum.org http://www.nps.gov/ovvi/index.htm http://www.BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
Blue Ridge Country July/August 2023

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