The South still remembers the Civil War and this monument in front of the Anderson County…read moreCourthouse stands to remember those from here who went to fight for the Confederacy. It is surrounded by a low metal fence which may be why it remains standing and undesecrated. The memorial was erected in 1902 and has inscriptions on the base. On one side with a battle flag, "Though conquered, we adore it! Love the cold, dead hands that bore it!" On the next, a list of some of the bloodiest battle sites including Manassas, Sharpsburg, Chickamauga, Gettysburg and Franklin. On the third side, "The world shall yet decide, in truth's clear far-off light, that the soldiers who wore the gray, and died, with Lee, were in the right." The fourth side is a long eloquent poem. It continues with "Our Confederate Dead" and the statue atop the monument stands 7 feet and 6 inches. It is carved of Tennessee gray marble. Major William Wirt Humphreys served as the model. The memorial remains in decent condition for being over 100 years in a busy spot. It could probably use a cleaning. The statue remains standing as South Carolina law prevents any removal efforts. [Review 1370 of 2025 - 1327 in South Carolina - 24922 overall]

Carolina Wren Park in downtown Anderson offers a quiet charm even on a cooler, event-free day. The…read moreamphitheater-style layout, with its tiered lawn and open stage, makes it easy to imagine live music echoing through the space on a summer evening. Without crowds, you can appreciate the thoughtful design. Wide walkways, gentle slopes, and a central fountain that adds a touch of movement and sound. It felt peaceful, almost like the park was catching its breath between performances. The cleanliness stood out. No trash in sight, and the landscaping was tidy and well-kept. It is clearly a space that the city takes pride in. That said, parking could be tricky. There are a few spots nearby, but on a busy night, you might need to plan ahead or be ready to walk a bit. Still, for a downtown venue with this kind of atmosphere, it is worth the effort. [Review 1373 of 2025 - 1329 in South Carolina - 24925 overall]

The tunnel is cool, but very short. The trails make up for it and the waterfalls are a great sight…read more No wait time, no reservations recommended, price to entry $1-5. But make sure you have a flashlight with you to go into the tunnels and the waterfalls is so pretty. I recommend this to anyone who want to adventure.

We thought we were at Issaqueena Falls but nope, we are at Stumphouse Tunnel. There was a worker…read moreand asked her about it. She said we missed the turn for Issaqueena Falls but could go check out Stumphouse Tunnel. It was so freaky walking into this tunnel. Pitch black. Even my phone flashlight didn't help. It is about a football field long, according to one of the workers we saw. I walked about 20 steps. Hubby didn't even attempt! If we had a flashlight or good lights, would go all the way. It was early in the morning and was cloudy. Plus inside the tunnel was really chilly. Mistakenly, we ended at the tunnel instead of the waterfall when we got there. They are in the same proximity. Just thinking about it gives me the chills but I have friends who went all the way cause they came prepared with great lights to guide them. 36/2020

Today I was driving through Athens, Georgia when I can across a strange but beautiful sight. It was…read morean old wooden railroad trestle that seemed to suddenly and abruptly stop in a field along Poplar Street. Being the curious soul that I am, I stopped to take a few pictures and marked my location on my GPS so I could use it to create a yelp page later if I found the trestle to be of any historic significance. My hunch was right, it is indeed significant. I discovered this trestle was once part of the CSX railroad system that connected Athens to Atlanta and the world. CSX offered the old decaying rail system to the city, but city officials declined and in the year 2000, CSX began demolition of the old trestle. However, the mayor underestimated just how important this piece of history was not only to Athens, but the music world as well. You see, the 1980's band R.E.M. used this particular trestle as the cover photo for their 1983 album titled Murmur. It was Rolling Stones "Album of the Year". The band was from Athens, GA and the album cover as well as the trestle itself had become iconic to the bands fans around the world. Protests over the demolition of the trestle broke out and forced the city to negotiate with CSX to halt demolition of the structure. Unfortunately much of the trestle had already been destroyed, but thankfully a major portion of it was saved. I hear the city has plans to use it as a tourist attraction, but in the meantime it stands untouched since demolition halted. Still, it is a gorgeous site that presents unique and rustic photo opportunities. You can still see the concrete base for the trestle that once went over Poplar Street. Use the entrance to the North Oconee River Greenway Trail just behind Mama's Boy restaurant (on the corner of Oak and Poplar) to view the remaining concrete pillars where the railroad continued across the Oconee River. R.E.M album cover (front) - http://sleevage.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/5561106c734c1008ba3262ce25a4d915.jpg R.E.M album cover (rear) - http://www.caratulas.com/caratulas/R/rem/rem-murmur-Trasera.jpg R.E.M full album - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8FbkyyuqG0 FINAL THOUGHTS I had a good feeling this structure had to be of some significance and I'm so glad I stopped to investigate. If you are fond of old bridges like I am, Athens has a treasure trove of 1800's covered bridges within a 30 minute drive of this location. It would make a great lazy Sunday afternoon drive! Be sure to bring your camera :-) Covered Bridges within 1/2 hour to 45 minute drive: Elder's Mill Watson Mill Bridge Cromer's Mill Covered Bridge Howard's Covered Bridge Enjoy!

Maxie Lee Wright Duke was an avid waterfall hunter and good friend to Sidney Holmes Ballenger, Jr.,…read morea man who loved waterfalls so much that he literally wrote the pioneering book on finding them in Oconee County, South Carolina. When he died @ age 73, Maxie wanted to honor him by petitioning the U. S. Department of the Interior in hopes of naming an UNNAMED local waterfall in his honor. While her 1993 petition was denied, the effort didn't end. In late 2014, Renee Hattenstein reapplied to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to have the falls officially named Sid's Falls and in April of 2016, the name Sid's Falls was accepted by the board. Sadly I found an online obituary stating Maxie Lee Wright Duke passed away in December of 2020. But Oconee County residence wanted to honor her by unofficially naming a waterfall after her in close proximity to Sid's Falls. As a matter of fact, Maxie Duke Falls shares most of the same trail and parking that you would use to visit Sid's Falls. [ THE EXPERIENCE ] I WANT TO GIVE FAIR WARNING right up front that while 95% of this trail is super easy, the final leg of the trail to the base of the falls is NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART or anyone not capable of using BOTH HANDS during the descent. You will absolutely need to posses basic skills in climbing and some upper body and leg strength. The trail to the bottom at minimum fits the CLASS 3 hike rating and the breakoff trail to Maxie Duke is practically CLASS 4 as ropes are available to assist climbers on the steep, steep terrain. PARK at the small area off Damascus Church Road between Damascus Baptist Church and Cool Springs Road (State Route S-37-797). Walk around the gate and enjoy approx. 1.4 miles of easy hiking on a wide old road that passes two open grassy fields along the way. The grade varies, but typically stays within a 5% differential. However, once the trail enters into the woods and narrows, it becomes steeper. You will reach a point where the trail forks right or left. RIGHT is to Sid's Falls and LEFT is to Maxie Duke Falls. Here is where either trail gets noticeable difficult as the grade to Sid's can exceed -34% (according to AllTrails). Maxie Duke's trail is even steeper and may require the assistance of a preinstalled rope for most of the descent. Once you reach the creek you will need to wet cross over to the right side in order to achieve the best view of the falls. I ducked under a large fallen tree and discovered a dry trail leading to the base of the falls. I walked right out onto the stone ledge of the falls through the water and did not find the stones to be particularly slippery. In fact, I had good grip but I still remained very cautious. [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] When returning, you could also continue your adventure and follow the trail right of the split to Sid's Falls. But again, BE FOREWARNED the trail to Sid's is only slightly less steep, and you will absolutely need both hands and a lower center of gravity to remain balanced! Plan on getting your feet wet @ both falls to attain the best vantage for photos. Proceed with caution, respect the power of nature and know your own ability. It took us about 2 hours 20 minutes to hike from parking to both falls and back, which included rests and about 25 minutes of picture taking. ~ Round trip length to both: 3.3 miles ~ Elevation Gain: UNKNOWN (but probably 600+ feet) OVERALL this is a wonderful hike that will fool you into thinking it's easy for its majority... But do not choose to visit this trail casually! You're gonna get dirty, you're gonna be very tired, but the payoff is well worth the effort to see these two 50 foot beauties! NOT RECOMMENDED for young children, dogs, anyone with balance issues or solo hikers because it is not a popular trail (yet) and injuring yourself would make the return ascent very difficult. 2022 / 73

Beautiful example of a southern plantation house. The house and grounds have a rich history. Our…read moretour guide was very knowledgeable and gave interesting details as we went through each room. Pictures are not allowed inside the house. Some families that once lived here donated furniture that was in the house at the time. The pieces of furniture and accents are gorgeous! The design of some of the tables and even some door hinges was ingenious. This is well worth the stop if you're nearby!

Rhonda was our tour guide. So friendly and helpful. The house was very interesting to walk through,…read moreand so much we could actually see up close and personal. We also got to see Mr. Calhoun's office, which is not attached to the house. We enjoyed our time here and didn't feel rushed at all. And it was FREE!

From the owner: Thomas Green Clemson's bequest led to the creation of Clemson University and the establishment of…read moreFort Hill, the antebellum plantation of American politician John C. Calhoun, as an historic house museum first opened to the public in 1893. In accordance with T. G. Clemson's will, Fort Hill dwelling house "shall always be open for the inspection of visitors" with official hours of operation seven days a week, with the exception of University holidays and home football games. Fort Hill interprets the history of all who lived here from the Calhoun and Clemson families to the enslaved African-Americans whose sheer determination, resilience, and resistance are much of our story. Prior to the American Revolution, the land that now makes up Clemson University's campus was part of the Cherokee's Lower Town of Esseneca.