Meetings Today - September 2016

Militia and home to nearly 50 National Register-listed sites and districts, is a hotbed of Revolutionary War, railroad and other heritage.

“Spartanburg’s history is a great asset for
groups who love to know more about the
places they convene,” said Spartanburg CVB
Executive Vice President Chris Jennings.
“Our museums, self-guided tours and
first-hand experiences showcase every-
thing from Spartanburg’s role in winning
the American Revolution to its rich textile
and agricultural past.”
For tours and events, the Spartanburg
County Historical Association offers guided
walking tours and three historic sites,
the circa-1767 Walnut Grove Plantation,
Historic Price House, and Seay House, plus
the Spartanburg Regional History Museum.
Self-guided experiences include the Music,
Textile Town and Revolutionary War trails.
January 2017 sees the 236th reenact-
ment of the pivotal Battle of Cowpens at
its namesake national battlefield site in
nearby Gaffney, preceded by October’s
Revolutionary War weekend here and at
other sites, including Walnut Grove.
Further east, York County, just across from
Charlotte, N.C., is home to Revolutionary
War-era Brattonsville, a 778-acre living-his-
tory museum that includes a trail dedicated
to another pivotal battle, Huck’s Defeat.
West of Greenville, Clemson features
event- and tour-capable historic homes
such as the circa-1825 Ashtabula and cir-
ca-1830 Woodburn.

Coastal Character

Centered on the Lowcountry coast, peninsular Charleston, named after King Charles II of England, is among the world’s heritage champions.

“Wearing the polish of more than 330
years of history, Charleston’s cobblestone
streets present an enchanting chronology
that is evident at every turn,” said Dan
Blumenstock, director of hotel operations
at Charleston-area diversified investment
holding company Fennell Holdings, and
chairman of the Charleston Area CVB
Board of Governors. “Earthquake bolts and
ornate ironwork festoon handsome ante-
bellum dwellings, while copper lanterns
and hitching posts hint at a bygone era.

History remains among the top reasons the
destination welcomes more than 5 million
visitors annually.”
With attractions like the Old City Market
(1804), East Bay Street’s “Rainbow Row” of
colorful 18th century Georgian townhouses,
and the fully restored 1930s Art Deco Riviera
Theatre at Belmond Charleston Place, the
“Holy City” is heavenly to behold.

Built in 1861, the national landmark Historic Rice Mill is a popular waterfront venue featuring versatile indoor and outdoor space.

Historic homes include Georgian Palladian gem Drayton Hall and the 1825 Edmond-ston-Alston House. Overlooking Charleston’s historic harbor, this is where Gen. P. G.

T. Beauregard watched the bombardment of Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, the opening salvos of the Civil War. Tours of the Fort are a must, along with Charleston Strolls’ exceptional Walk with History.

Event-capable plantations include the McLeod Plantation (1851) on James Island across the Ashley River from downtown Charleston. Frequently used as a filming location, Boone Hall Plantation features the spectacular Avenue of Oaks, a nearly mile-long stretch of ancient giant live oaks draped with Spanish moss.

Founded in 1676, Magnolia Plantation features America’s oldest public gardens, with national landmark Middleton Place home to the nation’s oldest landscaped gardens. On Wadmalaw Island, Charleston Tea Plantation, America’s only tea garden and commercial tea farm, attracts thousands of visitors to the First Flush festival in May, celebrating the first harvest of the year. Trolley rides and factory tours are also available.

As the primary destination along the 60- mile stretch of coastline coined the “Grand Strand” back in 1949, Myrtle Beach, near North Carolina, is steeped in heritage.

“From antebellum plantations to historic
gardens, history and culture are evident at
every turn in our area,” said Scott Schult,
executive vice president of marketing for
the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Com-
merce. “These experiences enhance the
trip for meeting attendees and groups, add-
ing dimension to the serene beach vacation
that Myrtle Beach is known for.”
With cultural landmarks that include
the South Carolina Civil War Museum and
Rice Museum, groups can also experience
“natural” history at retreats like Brookgreen
Gardens, founded in 1931. Located in the
renovated national landmark 1905 Bur-
roughs School in historic Conway, west of
the city, the Horry County Museum features
the L. W. Paul Living History Farm, the
re-creation of life on a one-horse family
farm from 1900 to 1955.

South of the city in Georgetown, the National Historic Landmark Hopsewee Plantation predates the Revolutionary War by four decades. Group options include guided house tours, private events in the River Oak Cottage Tea Room, and outdoor riverside gatherings.

To the south, near the Georgia border, upscale Hilton Head Island is another historic coastal escape.

“This year, readers of Travel + Leisure
named Hilton Head Island the No. 1 island in
the continental U.S. and No. 8 in the world,”
said Charlie Clark, vice president of commu-
nications for the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton
Chamber of Commerce. “The island has
undergone a renaissance of redevelopment
and continues to invest millions in hotel
renovations, new venues, shopping areas and
activities, while staying true to the island’s
reputation as a premiere resort destination.”
In the heart of nationally registered Old
Town Bluffton, the 1841 Heyward House
Historic Center offers programs including
tours of the antebellum main house and
outdoor events.