*February Travelers Rest Historical Society Meeting

Travelers Rest Historical Society Meeting
Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 7:00 P.M.
Travelers Rest City Hall on State Park Road in Travelers Rest

The Squire of the Dark Corner, Dean Campbell, will be our guest speaker.

He is an author, columnist, lecturer, photographer and tour guide who gives deep insights into this famous, yet infamous, mountainous region in northern Greenville County.

He knows the “Corner” well as a native son whose maternal and paternal ancestors came to the area in 1784 and 1832.

Join us for an informative and entertaining evening to learn about a very interesting area north of Travelers Rest!

*CUSCH Meeting – March 6

The next meeting of the Consortium for Upstate South Carolina History (CUSCH) will be held at 9:30 am on March 6 at the Upcountry History Museum on Heritage Green near downtown Greenville. Heather South, archivist at the Western Regional Archives in Asheville, will be speaking on the topic of effective emergency response to natural disasters & salvaging historical collections which have been impacted by disasters. Anyone with an interest in the preservation of Upstate South Carolina history is encouraged to attend. We hope to see you there.

*SC Landmark Conference in Spartanburg – Session Presenters Needed!

I am so excited to announce that the SC Landmark Conference will be in Spartanburg this April 18-20. Presented by the Confederation of SC Local Historical Societies each year, it’s back in Spartanburg after about 10 years and we really want to show off. Spartanburg has a wonderful heritage and lots of beautiful historic landmarks which I know will impress our out of town guests and reinforce the knowledge of our local attendees. The conference opens on Thursday evening, April 18, with a reception. Sessions will be in conference space at the Downtown Marriott, then we’ll have a dinner, silent auction and awards presentations on Friday evening. The conference will wrap up on Saturday morning with a tour of some of Spartanburg County’s historic sites.

As members of the Spartanburg History Hub, I know that many of you have specialized in a wide range of history and in Spartanburg history. I NEED YOU!!! I am responsible for making all the arrangements for the conference and, in addition to making plans to attend, I need you to send me session proposals and your willingness to present them. We’ll have 2-3 concurrent sessions in each time slot on Friday and you’ll have about 45 minutes for presentation, questions and discussion. Feel free to group with other people if your subject doesn’t need the full time. We want to showcase Spartanburg’s history and landmarks, so first preference will be given to sessions with Spartanburg connections, but there are no restrictions.

Please email me the following info:
-Session Title
-Presenter(s)
-Short Description
-Any equipment needed (projector, etc)
-If time of day matters for your schedule

Feel free to spread the word to anyone who might be interested in participating as a presenter. I need to get the conference info out very soon, so I need to hear back from you by THIS Wednesday, January 29. Ask me any questions, send me partial ideas for feedback, whatever – just be ready to join in!!!

Becky Slayton, Executive Director
Spartanburg County Historical Association, 864-278-9664
bslayton@spartanburghistory.org

*Social & Behavioral Sciences – 8th Annual Invited Anthropology Lecture

Social & Behavioral Sciences – 8th Annual Invited Anthropology Lecture
Thurs. , February 28, 2013
UT Auditorium (Barton Campus of Greenville Technical College) at 7:30p
FREE – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Dr. Leland G. Ferguson, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, USC Dept. of Anthropology will lecture on:  “God’s Fields: Landscape, Religion, and Race in Moravian Wachovia”

The Moravian community of Salem, North Carolina, was founded in 1766, and the town—the hub of nearly 100,000 piedmont acres purchased thirteen years before and named “Wachovia”—quickly became the focal point for the church’s colonial presence in the South.
While the brethren preached the unity of all humans under God, a careful analysis of the birth and growth of their Salem settlement reveals that the group gradually embraced the institutions of slavery and racial segregation in opposition to their religious beliefs. Although Salem’s still-active community includes one of the oldest African American congregations in the nation, the evidence contained in God’s Fields reveals that during much of the twentieth century, the church’s segregationist past was intentionally concealed.
Leland Ferguson’s work reconstructing this “secret history” through years of archaeological fieldwork was part of a historical preservation program that helped convince the Moravian Church in North America to formally apologize in 2006 for its participation in slavery and clear a way for racial reconciliation. — Book description on Amazon.

Thank you.

Dianne Lynn Chidester, Assistant Professor
Anthropology & Sociology
Greenville Technical College

*ArtBreak – Museum & Gallery

ArtBreak – Spring 2013, 12 p.m.

Tired of just the same old lunch routine? Spice up your lunch break and broaden your understanding of history at M&G’s Art Break! M&G’s staff provides a focused lecture for Greenville area professionals to enjoy both a catered lunch and insights into the people and past represented by M&G’s diverse collection.
•February 6- M&G at Heritage Green- Northern Renaissance Masterworks in the Bob Jones University Collection
•April 3- M&G at Heritage Green- Deciphering Symbolism in Old Master Paintings
Both M&G Locations

Fees:

Lecture only – $5 for non-members; Free for members

Lecture & boxed lunch* – $12 for non-members; $7 for members

Click HERE to Register.

*Boxed lunches must be ordered in advance by 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

*Lunch and Learn Spartanburg this Friday

Lunch & Learn Spartanburg: Gen. Daniel Morgan In Person – Sort of
Due to the weather, the lunch & learn has been postponed to February. The exact date hasn’t been set, but I’ll send it out as soon as we know it.

Join the Regional History Museum for an hour each month to learn interesting pieces of Spartanburg’s history from various speakers. Bring your lunch and learn from experts!

This month, Dr. George Fields will be Gen. Daniel Morgan from the Revolutionary War and hero of the Battle of Cowpens. Dr. Fields has often appeared as Gen. Morgan and his presentation is entertaining and accurate. You won’t want to miss this!

Event Date & Time: January 25, 2013; 12:30-1:30 Postponed TBD
Cost: $5
Location: West Wing Conference Room, Chapman Cultural Center

*Travel to Ireland with the Spartanburg County Historical Association

As the new year begins, my mind turns toward travel.  After all, vacation time is just a few short months away!  This year you don’t need to stress about where to go or how to get there.  Just join us on a trip to Ireland to learn about the land of our Scots-Irish ancestors while enjoying beautiful scenery, charming accommodations and wonderful meals as you travel from place to place in relaxing comfort!

The Spartanburg County Historical Association is pleased to team with Explore Up Close, the Spartanburg travel company created by our very own Chumley Cope, to offer a trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland in May 2013.  As you may know, the Spartanburg area’s earliest settlers were Scots-Irish and this is a great opportunity to see their old stomping grounds.  The trip is designed for no more than 18 travelers and will focus on beautiful and historic places incorporating knowledgeable, local guides.  A portion of the cost supports the Historical Association as well!  For just $3875 (double occupancy and before air fare), you can spend 10 wonderful days from May 10-19, 2013, soaking in the beauty and history of Ireland without worrying about a single logistical thing.  A $750 deposit will hold your reservation and the balance is due February 26.  See more details and photos on the attached document.  Feel free to send me any questions you may have, but don’t miss this wonderful tour!

I look forward to hearing from you! Becky

Becky Slayton, Executive Director Spartanburg County Historical Association, 864-278-9664

*Sundays@2 and a new exhibition at the Greenville County Museum of Art

Sundays at 2,  January 20, 2013

Gallery Talk: Highlights of the Andrew Wyeth Collection  

Explore the world’s largest public collection of works by American watercolor master Andrew Wyeth right here in Greenville. GCMA docent John Bies will share insights and stories relating to some of Wyeth’s iconic paintings.   The event is free and presented by GCMA Sundays at 2.  Sponsored by Duke Energy.

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Hearing Helen now on view

Experience the whimsical and mysterious work of Helen DuPré Moseley.   The paintings of Upstate artist Helen DuPré Moseley (1887 – 1984) draw viewers into an imaginative world of characters and creatures that seem to have their origins in ancient Egyptian and Renaissance portraiture and modern Surrealism. Wife, mother, and public servant, Moseley began painting at age 60 having never had a formal lesson. Her engaging untitled images invite viewers into the world of her imagination.

Organized in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Emrys Foundation, the exhibition Hearing Helen continues on view through April 14, 2013.

*Proposed Textile Heritage Park – call for support

GTHS Members & Friends,

At long last there is an effort underway to establish a lasting memorial to the Textile Industry, which  helped make Greenville the great city that it is today.  The proposed park is a joint effort of Greenville Textile Heritage Society, The Lofts and Greenville County Recreation Commission. The Textile Heritage Park will be connected to the nearby Swamp Rabbit Trail and will include walking trails, a Gazebo/Amphiteater, PIcnic Shelter, Playground, and most importantly, Historical Markers of each of the Textile Mills that once made Greenville known as the Textile Center of the World.

On Tuesday evening, we introduced our fund raising effort during our Quarterly Meeting at The Ham House.  While the Golf Tournament is the central activity of the effort, everyone can get involved at some level and help make this dream become a reality.

Since this is a grassroost effort, it will certainly require everyone interested in “Preserving our Textile History”  to get involved in some capacity.  Please consider the following:

*  Participate in Golf Tournament
*  Contact indidviduals and corporation for Golf and Corporate Sponsorships
*  Notify us of potential donors…individuals, corporations, foundations, etc.
*  Make personal donation

The ball is now in our court and it’s up to us to take this giant leap.  Our first hurdle is to raise sufficient funding for the construction of the park infastructure and we only have a small window of time to meet this initial goal.

Visit www.textileheritagepark.com for additional details.

Thanks for your continued support.

Don Harkins, Chairman
Greenville Textile Heritage Society

*Greenville County Historic Resources Survey public information meeting

County officials and architectural historians from Brockington and Associates, one of the largest cultural resource management consultants in the United States, will be holding the public information meeting to share information about the survey effort, answer questions, and collect information from the public about Greenville County’s history and historic architectural resources.

The survey team is particularly interested in suggestions of architectural resources to be included in the study that may meet the survey criteria of being more than 50 years old, architecturally or historically interesting, and located in an unincorporated area of the county.

The meeting is scheduled for January 17 from 1 – 4 p.m. 2013 at the Hughes Main Library in Meeting Room “C”.

If you are unable to attend the meeting and have questions about the project or would like to submit a historic architectural resource for consideration, please send an email to historicsites@gcrd.org