The Old Town Hall Bell Tower—The Keeper Of Some Of Summerville’s Most Controversial And Precious Stories

Summerville was a growing town in 1892. With the ensuing growth, time, if not necessity, called for a new town hall to be built. A corner plot was chosen where the streets of West Richardson and S. Main Street intersected. The cost to build it was set at $6,250.

The planned four story building would wisely face the town's main square, an idyllic vantage point. The first floor would house a high-end grocery store called the "Tea Pot". The second floor would contain the municipal offices. On the third floor, a multi-purpose room/auditorium space would be available for special town events such as dances, plays, parties and operas. The fourth story would shelter the structures massive bell, but as history would have it, it would shelter more than just the bell. It became the keeper for some of Summerville’s most controversial and precious stories.

Children were forbidden to go up into the town hall belfry for obvious safety reasons, not to leave unmentioned the easy temptation presented to an impetuous youth to playfully ring the bell. Although, stories tell of savvy youngsters secretly trudging their way up through the humid darkness of the steep, creaky belfry stairs, navigating a hatchway, and then a catwalk to get to the top. Being the tallest building on Hutchinson Square, the view the belfry offered was often the prize. Imagine the thrill one would experience at seeing from above President Roosevelt and his entourage ride by on Main Street as they made their way to the Pine Forest Inn.

Now, visualize the chaos a person could unleash on the town with an unauthorized ringing of the bell. There was a $200 fine for anyone foolish enough to do it. A popular story tells of a physician named Louis Miles ignoring the law and ringing the bell to announce the birth of his daughter to a confused crowd that gathered below. He happily paid the fine not once, but twice for the same reason.

View of Summerville from the old town hall bell tower in its early years

During World War II, civilians were stationed in the Town Hall bell tower as lookouts. Their task was to watch the skies for enemy aircraft and when spotted, sound the alarm. Silhouettes of enemy aircraft were pinned on the interior walls to assist the lookouts in making proper identifications. One night, the town had a scare when out of the darkened skies a plane buzzed the tower. Combined with several other suspicious incidents that night, officials were convinced the town was under attack, but fortunately, it was all a false alarm. It turned out an impulsive local boy on a training flight just couldn't resist the urge to be playful. Maybe, he heard one of the town's unattached pretty girls was on duty that night.

Young ladies, who were on duty in the bell tower, would use the opportunity to do some boy spotting. Young military men were all over the town during the war. The young ladies would use their vantage point in the high bell tower to keep an eye out for a potential date. When a group of interesting prospects were spotted, the young lady would toss a note wrapped around a stone with the date, time, and place of the next American Legion party along with her name to the boy of her choosing with hopes of meeting at the party.

There is an interesting story told by one of those young ladies who was doing "spotter duty" on the date of April 4, 1945. It is an Area 51 type story, except the flying object was identified in this case, but no formal proof has been found to verify the flying object's existence. For one, the wreckage of the B-24 Liberator bomber was buried by the military in the Summerville field where it crashed. Second, the local paper carried no report of the crash. And third, based on their records, the Air Force Historical Studies Office claims no such crash occurred on that date in Summerville and no flight of a B-24 over Summerville existed on that date, as the story is told. Needless to say, everything that has to do with the military during war time becomes classified information. Still, the young lady on duty that fateful afternoon, who I shall leave unnamed, a school full of young children, and the school's faculty would say otherwise, and not to leave unmentioned as additional possible potential witnesses, the ten flyboys who were seen parachuting from the bomber moments before it crashed. It was seen coming in from the east. So, if the story is true, somewhere buried in a Summerville field west of the town hall is the wreckage of a B-24 bomber, but likely hidden below property that has been developed upon by now. The story is called The Phantom Flight over Summerville by Bruce Orr.

School commencements were held in the Old Town Hall on Hutchinson Square. At such an event one evening, in the middle of the ceremony, an announcement was made for the attendees to leave the building in an orderly and quiet manner. Later, it was reported some of the town's officials in attendance had felt an ominous swaying. The upper floors were declared unsafe for public gatherings, in part, due to the weight of the bell in the fourth floor bell tower. This event led to the town hall and its bell tower to be condemned. Thus, the keeper's book of stories closed with the words, The End.

I am sure there are more stories to be remembered and told. If you have a story or know of one, please leave its telling in the article's comments.

More Summerville stories

Coastal Expeditions Morris Island Shark Tooth Beach Drop--Megalo-fun

Like the ocean tides, history has flowed in and out of Charleston Harbor since its inception. An inlet formed by the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers and a maze of wild-life-rich barrier islands. Yet, those same ocean tides reinforced by the power of the natural and unnatural order of things have now and again whipped up its shifting sands of time and rearranged the harbor's protective estuary islands, three in particular.

Once upon a time, Morris Island was actually three islands that stretched from Folly Island to Sullivan's Island. They were named Middle Bay Island, Morrison Island, and Cummings Point. In time, changing tidal currents altered the channel leading into Charleston and the three islands slowly merged into one and became just Morrison Island, later shortened to Morris.

The channel shifted once again. This time threatening Charleston Harbor, which could not be allowed to happen. Jetties were built to save the harbor, but the result caused severe erosion on Morris Island. The island shrunk. Testifying to that fact is the Morris Island Lighthouse. Once a proud guardian of the coastline, it has become a vanquished sentinel. Victimized by the shifting sands of time, the lighthouse address is now several hundred feet in the ocean. Yes, literally surrounded by the deep blue sea.

Presently uninhabited and undeveloped, Morris Island is a nesting ground for migrating birds and playground for visiting boaters looking for a place to relax on a sandy beach. Bathed by the relentless waves of the rising and falling tides off the Atlantic, it is also a great place to hunt for shark teeth and other fossils left on its shores.

With no road entry onto the island, tour companies like Coastal Expeditions make access available to all desiring to experience the splendor and natural amenities of this historically colorful barrier island of Charleston. For Coastal Expeditions Morris Island Shark Tooth Beach Drop, departure location was on Shem Creek where we were welcomed by a courteous and friendly staff who introduced us to our captain and first mate, (also the expedition's naturalist guide). After a few introductory words, we boarded Coastal Expedition's brand new Coast Guard-certified boat called Gannet. The captain's name was Al and Mike was the expedition guide for our 3 pm excursion. 

We boarded the boat and were given some safety instructions. The captain fired up the boat's two Yamaha engines and eased away from the dock into the slow moving current of the creek. If you are likely to see bottlenose dolphins, Eastern brown pelicans, and the elusive manatee, it will be on this portion of the trip as you cruise past Shem Creek's premier restaurant mecca, a fleet of shrimp trollers, and out into the busy Charleston Harbor with its roughly 10 miles of coastal scenic beauty, which include unmatched views of the downtown skyline, Ravenel Bridge, Fort Sumter and other iconic landmarks.

 

We put ashore on the harbor side of the island where the waters were calm and the scenery picturesque. The tours twelve participants disembarked. Some headed towards a sandy path cutting through the island's low growth vegetation while others gathered around the naturalist guide for tips on what fossils to look for and how to spot shark teeth on the beach. Afterwards, everyone made the trek up the path to the Atlantic side of the island where it entered onto a stretch of beach that abruptly ended at a massive granite rock wall.

The beach was covered with small shells of all sorts. At first glance, it seemed everything lying on or partially in the sand resembled the shape of a shark's tooth, especially the numerous shattered oyster shells. You had to assess very carefully each potential find, looking for specific characteristics like a serrated edge or the less shiny root. 

At this time, my focus was not on searching through the shells for shark's teeth, but more on trekking to the rock wall to see what lay beyond. To my surprise, as I stepped over a rise beyond the point where the sand and the wall joined, there lay before me was the impressive beach of Morris Island with the lighthouse in the far distance. Rolling onto the island's gently sloping sandy shoreline, long traveling waves were ending their journey while seagalls filled the air with their piercing calls. Beach grass and low growing flowers covered the edges of the soft sands joined by groupings of palmetto trees standing above maritime salt shrub thicket bent in the direction of the prevailing ocean winds with the occasional solitary tree, some broken by tempestuous gales of past storms. It was a grand maritime forest panorama that extended the full length of the island's beach.

I spent most of the over three hours of the boat tour on the island's spacious beach beyond the granite wall simply enjoying the amenities of the sun soaked paradise taking pictures, dipping into the warm Atlantic waters, and searching for the cherished shark's teeth.

One of my questions for the naturalist was why the shark teeth we were finding had turned dark brown or black. He explained it this way. Shark teeth become preserved when they are buried. While buried, the teeth absorb the surrounding minerals as the calcium is replaced during its fossilization. The chemical composition of the sediments around Charleston tend to be darker, like the color of pluff mud. They are also very old. The process takes over 10,000 years. Some shark's teeth are millions of years old.

It was a quick three hours. Everyone met back at the drop-off point at 7 pm for the journey back. The sun was much lower in the sky. As we left Morris Island behind, the naturalist guide examined some of the findings and answered various questions posed to him by the group. We cruised past Fort Sumter and began to traverse Charleston Harbor. The spray from the splashing boat cutting through the water was refreshing. The captain paused for a moment near Sullivan's Island and shared some historical facts pertaining to Fort Moultrie and Charleston. After resuming, he explained some of the navigation signs of Charleston Harbor and added a bit of humor about one of the homes on Shem Creek.

The tour's captain was accommodating and professional. He handled the boat skillfully through the busy and sometimes rough waters of the harbor. Our naturalist guide and First Mate Mike was personable and knowledgeable. From beginning to end, he offered shark teeth hunting tips and made himself available to everyone who had a question, and I had plenty of questions as we bumped into each other from time to time on Morris Island's beautiful and impressive beach. Coastal Expeditions Morris Island Shark Tooth Beach Drop is well worth your consideration when looking for a boat tour for your family to a secluded Charleston beach on one of its uninhabited and undeveloped islands.

PRICE-ADULT: $50, CHILD: $35

TOUR DURATION: 5 hours (includes 30-min boat ecotour each way)

514 Mill Street, Mount Pleasant, SC

Otter Island Shelling Excursion Offered by Edisto Watersports and Tackle--Pure Isolation

The ACE Basin is one of the largest undeveloped estuaries along the Atlantic Coast comprising of 350,000 acres. ACE is an acronym of the three rivers. It is where the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto Rivers empty into the body of water called the St Helena Sound.

There are five protected areas in the Ace Basin; ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve, Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge, Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, and the 10,301 acre St. Helena Sound Heritage Preserve. An area managed by the SCDNR that consists of several small upland and lowland islands located along the northern shore of the St. Helena Sound.

These upland and lowland islands are far-reaching and offer archery hunting for deer in November only and primitive camping opportunities. Otter Island, the drop-off point of our boat excursion, in particular, has further protections due to its unique and rare plant species and its historic status.

This particular self-guided Shelling Excursion is offered by Edisto Watersports and Tackle located on Edisto Island, which was the starting point of a 15 minute ride to the shores of Otter Island. This adventure only takes place at low tide, which on this day was 3:15 in the afternoon. The ideal number of participants is ten. There were a total of 9 in our group including myself and vacationers from Richmond, Virginia and Columbia, Sc.

We were dropped off at a high spot near neighboring Pine Island, and after a few words from the captain, the group scattered in their search for shells, sand dollars, and bullets left over from World War II target practice. I was more interested in getting some good photographs of the island's birds and possibly taking a dip in the water.

It was a typical humid Lowcountry day with plenty of sunshine, and if it wasn't for the hefty breeze coming off the Atlantic, it would have been downright hot. Great for walking the extensively exposed low tide sand along Otter Island's beautiful sandy beach.

The shelling was more like a treasure hunt as they were scattered about in small groupings in between the exposed oyster patches and the sand dollars were few and far between, which was good because it forced excursion hikers to cover a larger portion of the island beach during the 2 1/2 hour time limit. I did find an area where the sand dollars were more plentiful, which was where the island's maritime forest began about a mile from the drop-off point .

On my hike up the beach, I discovered one of the island's back-water tidal impoundments where the fish were plentiful and a few of the island's waterfowl prowling the shallows for a quick snack. Otter Island is also home to the bald eagle and several other rare birds. I also found red-painted stakes tagged with aluminum foil strips marked with numbers along the beach where the sand met the island's low growing grasses. Loggerhead turtles come to the island to lay their eggs and I assume these stakes marked their nesting locations.

Fallen trees grayed by the hot sun and salty air added to the natural beauty and remoteness of the island. Because of the limited time, exploring into the island's maritime forest was not possible on this excursion.

Anytime I am on the beach is a good day. Uninhabited Otter Island is secluded beauty at its best. If you are expecting to see plentiful piles of shells, you will be disappointed. You will have to strategically hunt the beach and exposed low tide sands for that cherished find, but during your search, you just may find that World War II artifact the excursion advertises.

It’s a nice 15 minute trip on the boat where you just might see some of the dolphin that frequent these waters, but there again, this is not what this excursion is about. It is all about being in a place that is truly uninhabited by people. A place where you and your family can enjoy hiking the Lowcountry's water and sand in total isolation, and possibly happen upon a rare find. I hope you enjoyed the photographs. We did catch a rainbow on the way back.

* $45 per adult/$20 age 10 and under.

* Make reservations early as there are minimum numbers required for a tour.

* Please bring your own water, towels, snacks, sunscreen, and insect repellent. Don't forget to bring your camera and binoculars.

Call: (843) 869-0663

Visit: 3731 Docksite Road, Edisto Island

Charleston's Water Taxis--More Than Just A Ride

Charleston has been named the number one destination in the U.S. nine years running as voted by Conde Nast Reader's. This year, the city received the highest score of any destination, earning it the distinction of the top city in the world. As a consequence for travelers and visiting locals, along with this honorary distinction comes the tricky proposition of locating a convenient parking space on any given day.

That is, until the Covid-19 Pandemic arrived on the scene and chased away the Holy City's top demographic among visitors from overseas, the British traveler, and everyone else seeking the bountiful pleasures found within its city limits. Now, parking places are as plentiful as the empty tables and chairs of its world renowned restaurants. During those good old days, a welcoming option to taking a chance at securing a good parking spot was Charleston's water taxi, and despite the current situation, it still is.

The Charleston Water Taxi offers two pickup points across from the city's waterfront at the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina on Mount Pleasant's Patriot's Point where there is plenty of parking. From the parking area, it is a pleasant walk on the Marina boardwalks with a view of the famous aircraft carrier and historical landmark, the USS Yorktown.

The day I was there to take the accompanying photographs, the pleasant salt water breeze spilling off the harbor was comforting as I soaked in the sound of the lapping waters rush through the pillars of the boardwalk underneath. After boarding and getting underway, the rolling waters will put you at ease to enjoy the sights and sounds of the busiest container port on the East Coast. You just might also find yourself in the shadows of a massive container ship on its way to dock. Off in the short distance, you will enjoy stunning views of downtown Charleston’s skyline, the Cooper river Bridge and Castle Pinckney, a Civil war fort and old pirate hanging ground.

There are two drop-off points on the Charleston side, Waterfront Park and Maritime Center at Aquarium Wharf. Points of interest at Waterfront Park is the Pineapple Fountain and the long stretches of wide walking paths with dozens if not hundreds of benches available to take a load off your feet and your mind as you enjoy the activity along the harbor front. From there, you enter the Vendue Range and the historic French Quarter. The Maritime Center at Aquarium Wharf is home of the ever popular South Carolina Aquarium. After all is said and done, the return trip will take you alongside of the Cooper River Bridge and back to the Marina. Each access point is fifteen minutes for a total round trip of an hour.

The 40 foot Corinthian Catamarans, "Ms Evelyn" and "Dorothy Marie" are powered by twin Yamaha outboard motors. Built in Florida, they have all the latest in safety gear and navigational equipment. Protection from the elements is no problem with their sturdy roof and wind guards. Maximum capacity is 49 people. There is also a 27 foot Carolina skiff with a capacity of 19 passengers called the "Patriot." It is used as a charter for wedding party transportation and large groups. Click here to contact water taxi.

An all-day pass costs $12 per person with children 3 and under free. You might say the $24 for a couple would be a little expensive in comparison to what you might pay for parking in Charleston. That being considered, the hour long round-trip boat ride on the beautiful and relaxing waters of Charleston Harbor by itself is well worth it. As an additional bonus, you just might see some dolphins. In comparison, other boat tours can easily cost you $40 or more per person.

Due to the current Covid-19 Pandemic, the water taxis will operate on a continuous loop from 10 am to 6 pm around Charleston Harbor between Patriots Point and Downtown Charleston until further notice. A One Way Pass costs $8. Buy tickets.

Rice Field Boat Tour At Magnolia Plantation And Gardens--A Great Float Into The Past

With rough tools, immense wooded swamps were cleared along the Ashley River. Next, massive hydrological systems such as dams, dikes, and floodgates called "trunks" were constructed to irrigate the newly developed fields. Then, the cherished grain was sown using a heel-toe dance and tirelessly cared for all the way to harvest. Working these fields was considered one of the deadliest occupations of the time. These were the proud plantation systems that reigned in the Lowcountry up until the American Civil War brought them to a crashing conclusion by fire and tempest. As time passed, the watery, golden topped green fields were slowly taken back by cattails and alligators.

Rice plantations shaped and reshaped the Lowcountry geography and economy. It is not exactly known who brought the first rice to Carolina or under what particulars it arrived. The British backers of colonization, both financial and political, intended for Carolina, like other colonies, to fit into the mercantilist system--a political economy that sought to enrich the country by restraining imports and encouraging exports. To that end they suggested that settlers try a range of crops, rice among them.

Historians of South Carolina continue to argue over the introduction of Madagascar gold seed rice, which doubtfully authentic, although widely circulated as being true, came via Captain John Thurber's ship in 1685. Scholars have all but definitively shown that Carolinians grew white rice in the seventeenth century with gold rice being introduced after the American Revolution. Regardless of the circumstances of rice’s introduction, colonists successfully grew small amounts of the grain in the Charlestown colony by 1690. By 1712, Carolinians not only produced rice for local consumption; they had begun exporting the excess to England. Through Carolina gold, Charleston became one of the richest cities in the world.

Today, Magnolia Plantation is a caretaker of one of those stories. Originally consisting of about 1872 acres, all but 390 acres were sold off after the Civil War's devastation. Of the remaining 390 acres, 25 acres are devoted to the gardens of John Grimké Drayton, 16 acres for the wide lawn surrounding the live oak allée, and 150 acres for a marsh and water fowl conservatory. Since 1941, about 199 acres have been used for a wholesale ornamental plant nursery to raise money for garden operations.

The old flooded rice field, part of the 150 acres, was dredged to a depth of 6 to 8 feet along its perimeters to make way for a system of canals for a boat tour that runs along the edges of the Ashley River--the average depth of a rice field is 2-3 feet deep.

The guide explains the plantation culture and history behind the area as you get an up-close look at the wildlife that calls this peaceful sanctuary home. I saw white egrets catching fish from the cattails right at the side of the boat while alligators of various sizes sunned on the islands and edges. I saw about twenty alligators.

I learned about the anhinga. You often see these birds standing with their wings out-stretched when they are not in the water. Their feathers don't produce oil, as a result, water does not run off, so, they let the sun and wind dry out their water-soaked wings. Since their feathers soak in the water, they are expert divers. It is a balanced trade-off.

Then, there is the Great Blue Heron, a beautiful and majestic avian with long legs and long necks and stands over 4 feet tall. When it takes off, you can feel the rush of compressing pressure as its powerful wings slap the air.

When I arrived at the kiosk at the start of my quest, my interest was to only do the Rice Field Boat Tour since I had never done it before, but I found out you have to buy the $20 admission ticket for the garden walk in order to do the boat tour.

After walking the beautiful gardens, the boat tour offers a most welcoming and relaxing respite while you sit onboard one of two pontoon boats decked out with very comfortable seats and plenty of standing room for viewing the wildly preserved ecosystem. The narration by the naturalist captain was informative and sprinkled with some light humor--questions and comments were encouraged. The breezes coming off the Ashley River were refreshing and the quiet float on the canal uplifting. It is well worth the extra $8 ticket. Children under 6 are free.

A Rare And Beautiful Find On The Ashley River

It was a beautiful partly cloudy May day with temperatures in the high 80's--perfect for my excursion into Summerville's wild country. A hefty breeze played havoc with the heavily laden branches of the tall tupelo and oak trees scattered about and exaggerated the push of the changing incoming tide. I was kayaking the Ashley River looking to get some good photographs of whatever wildlife I would happen upon. Heading in the direction of Middleton Place from Herbert H. Jessen's Public Boat Landing, I decided to venture down one of the river's feeder creeks.

Not long after entering, I spotted a colony of dark green plants bearing an unusual looking seven-inch spider-looking white flower along the muddy edge. Little did I know, I happened upon what is today a rare sight. Rare, because greedy, thoughtless humans have decimated these beautiful plants by smothering them under dammed up rivers and polluting their life lines.

The native Indians were no doubt familiar with the flower as it flourished in the few rocky rivers in the lower Piedmont where their bulbs traveled downstream, lodged in rock crevices, and, in time, established clusters. As for European settlers, it was first observed and documented in 1783 by Naturalist William Bartram and described as the "odoriferous Pancratium fluitans which almost alone possesses the little rocky islets." He saw it growing in the Savannah River near Augusta, Georgia. Today, it is classified as Hymenocallis coronaria. Other names include shoal lily and rocky shoals spider-lily.

There are approximately over 60 extant populations of Hymenocallis coronaria left, all in the states of Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. Georgia’s largest population of the lily is found in Flats Shoal Creek near the Alabama border and other sizable populations are in the Flint and Broad rivers. In Alabama, they are found in the Cahaba River where they are called the Cahaba lily and in South Carolina, populations are in the Catawba River. A section of the river at Landsford Canal State Park below Rock Hill boast the largest stand in the world. Stephens Creek, a tributary of the Savannah River, contains the State’s other significant population.

How it got on the Ashley River may be a mystery, but as a possible explanation, it could have been carried by a bird or transported through the Wassamassaw Swamp during severe flooding.. Whatever the reason, it is an oddity because this particular lily is known to proliferate in shallow, rocky shoals of swift moving water, not the pluff mud banks of the Ashley.

The plant produces pecan-size seeds that grow into bulbs. Dense colonies of the 3-foot lily burst forth displaying a striking, white-flower, which blooms from early May to late June. Each fragrant flower blossom opens overnight and last for one day. It is praised for its pleasing odor, especially strong at night. The fragrance readily attracts pollinators, such as the Paratrea plebeja, commonly known as the plebeian sphinx moth, and Battus philenor, the pipevine swallowtail butterfly as well as hummingbirds. To have viewed this rare and beautiful flowering plant is considered an amazing experience, of which, I agree.

I have been up and down the Ashley River and I have come across colonies of this endangered flower between Old Fort Dorchester and Middleton Place. If you would like to see the rare rocky shoals spider-lily, I would be happy to take you to my favorite spots, but that would have to be sooner if not immediately. The window is swiftly closing. Just grab your kayak or paddleboard and meet me at Herbert H. Jessen's Public Boat Landing, preferably around slack tide on any given day.