Eutaw Springs | September 8, 1781

It’s a curious battle. Britain claimed victory, yet retreated to Charleston. Their presence in the Carolina backcountry was done. Often cited for its close-quarters combat and being one of the bloodiest engagements of the war in the South, Eutaw Springs set the stage for the British surrender at Yorktown a month later.

On a cool spring morning I set out for the Eutaw Springs Battlefield, another parklike and peaceful place. It was the last major battle fought on South Carolina soil for independence, and the bloody battle raged for four hours on a blistering day.

Over 2,000 Patriot forces under Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene attacked and drove back a British force of around 2,300 Redcoats commanded by Lt. Col. Alexander Stewart. After the ragged, hungry American troops captured the Redcoats’ food and liquor, they stopped their attack to plunder, eat, and drink.

The British regrouped at the Wantoot Plantation house and launched a counterattack led by British Maj. John Marjoribanks, saving the day for the British and something else. He turned aside a British soldier’s sword, sparing the life of Patriot Col. William Washington, George Washington’s nephew.

After staving off repeated American attacks, Col. Stewart led his force back towards Charleston. It was the last major engagement in South Carolina, hastening the Redcoats retreat from the backcountry.

Considered a tactical victory for the British and a strategic victory for the Patriots, the battle is remembered as the Redcoats’ last stand. The American side suffered 119 killed, 382 wounded, and 78 missing or captured. The Redcoats suffered 85 killed, 297 wounded, and 500 missing or captured. All told, there were 1,461 casualties.

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As America continues celebrating 250 years of independence this month, we share the third installment of our four-part series on Revolutionary War battles fought in the Southeast. This week, read about the Battle of Eutaw Springs near Eutawville, South Carolina; our victory at Kings Mountain in Blacksburg, South Carolina; some unknown facts about Major Patrick Ferguson; and a 250-year-old Piece of Eight.

The Battle of Eutaw Springs

Part 3 of Three Battles and a Massacre
By Tom Poland

Eutaw Springs | September 8, 1781

It’s a curious battle. Britain claimed victory, yet retreated to Charleston. Their presence in the Carolina backcountry was done. Often cited for its close-quarters combat and being one of the bloodiest engagements of the war in the South, Eutaw Springs set the stage for the British surrender at Yorktown a month later.

On a cool spring morning I set out for the Eutaw Springs Battlefield, another parklike and peaceful place. It was the last major battle fought on South Carolina soil for independence, and the bloody battle raged for four hours on a blistering day.

READ PART 3

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The Battle of Kings Mountain

October 7, 1780
Blacksburg, South Carolina

On a rocky, forested ridge straddling the South Carolina–North Carolina border, roughly 900 Patriot “Overmountain Men”—frontier militia from the Appalachians—surrounded and attacked a force of about 1,100 Loyalists commanded by British Major Patrick Ferguson. In a fierce, hour-long battle fought almost entirely between Americans, the Patriots charged uphill repeatedly, using cover and rifle fire to overwhelm the Loyalists. Ferguson was killed trying to rally his men. The Loyalists suffered devastating losses, with over 300 killed or mortally wounded and around 700 captured, while Patriot casualties were relatively light. The decisive victory halted British momentum after the Fall of Charleston and Camden, forced Cornwallis to retreat, and revived Patriot resistance in the South. Thomas Jefferson later called it the “turn of the tide.”

Some Facts About Major Patrick Ferguson:

• No regular British troops participated in the battle besides Ferguson himself.

• Ferguson was born in Scotland, not England, and lived at the Pitfour estate in Aberdeenshire. He was the second son of James Ferguson and Anne Murray and joined the British Army as a young man.

• Patriots were told to look for the man with the sword in his left hand because Ferguson’s right arm was disabled from an earlier wound.

• Ferguson was a noted inventor of the breech-loading Ferguson rifle (shown below), which was faster to load than standard muzzle-loaders. A few of his men had them, but most Loyalists used smoothbore muskets with bayonets.

  

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Camden | August 16, 1780

I walk past monuments and flags, past where Redcoats mortally wounded beloved Continental officer Maj. Gen. Baron de Kalb, born Johann Kalb. Past where five Patriots fell. Past where a member of Fraser’s Highlanders died and is buried. The 71st Regiment of Foot, Fraser’s Highlanders, was a prominent British infantry regiment raised to serve in the American Revolutionary War. Lt. Gen. Simon Fraser composed the unit of two battalions recruited from the Scottish Highlands. They were elite, battle-hardened, and feared for their skill with the bayonet.

Bayonets and Camden’s battlefield make me uneasy. Its little white wildflowers possess leaves with stinging hairs. Think swords dipped in toxins. Think stinging defeat. A British bayonet charge would scatter Patriots like a covey of South Georgia quail, and Lord Charles Cornwallis regulars would crush Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates’s unseasoned men. That’s the short of it.

The long of it began with dragoons. Now there’s a terrifying word, dragoon. Armand’s Legion, a Continental Army cavalry unit, i.e. dragoons, and Gen. Sir Banastre Tarleton’s dragoons collided unexpectedly early morning on the Great Wagon Road. They skirmished, withdrew, and waited on dawn.

As major conflict brewed, Gates positioned Maryland and Delaware Continentals on his right flank, while placing inexperienced Virginia and North Carolina militia on his left. Gates’s raw militia directly faced elite British regulars. The British 23rd and 33rd Regiments met the advancing Virginians with a disciplined bayonet charge. Lacking bayonets and experience, the Virginia militia fled without firing a shot, followed quickly by the North Carolina militia. A disaster was unfolding.

Maryland and Delaware Continentals, led by Maj. Gen. Baron de Kalb, launched successful counterattacks against Lord Rawdon’s wing. British Col. James Webster, wheeled his troops to strike the exposed Continental flank. Surrounded and outnumbered, the Continentals were broken when Tarleton’s cavalry charged their rear. Retreat turned into “rout and slaughter” where Bloody Ban’s dragoons killed many over a 20-mile chase.

Baron de Kalb received eleven wounds—shot thrice and bayoneted over and over. Upon seeing de Kalb, Cornwallis said, “I am sorry, sir, to see you, not sorry that you are vanquished, but sorry to see you so badly wounded.” Cornwallis supervised the dressing of de Kalb’s wounds by his own surgeons in Camden. As he lay dying, de Kalb reportedly told a British officer, “I thank you, sir, for your generous sympathy; but I die the death I always prayed for; the death of a soldier, fighting for the rights of man.”

He died three days later.

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America’s 250th birthday is just two days away! We hope you’re planning a fun celebration of this special anniversary with families and friends.

This week, we continue our four-part series on Revolutionary War battles, written by . Below, read the introduction to Part 2, which focuses on the Battle of Camden. South Carolina’s role in the Revolutionary War remains in our focus this week as we share the story of Francis Marion, aka the “Swamp Fox,” then journey down the historic Green River Road. We’ll wrap up with Carolina Days in Georgetown.

The Battle of Camden

Part 2 of Three Battles and a Massacre
By Tom Poland

I walk past monuments and flags, past where Redcoats mortally wounded beloved Continental officer Maj. Gen. Baron de Kalb, born Johann Kalb. Past where five Patriots fell. Past where a member of Fraser’s Highlanders died and is buried. The 71st Regiment of Foot, Fraser’s Highlanders, was a prominent British infantry regiment raised to serve in the American Revolutionary War. Lt. Gen. Simon Fraser composed the unit of two battalions recruited from the Scottish Highlands. They were elite, battle-hardened, and feared for their skill with the bayonet.

READ PART 2

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The Swamp Fox

South Carolina Lowcountry

In spring 1780, British forces under General Henry Clinton besieged Charleston, South Carolina. After six weeks, on May 12, Major General Benjamin Lincoln surrendered roughly 5,000 Continental troops—the worst American defeat of the Revolutionary War. The loss gave Britain control of the South and nearly crushed Patriot resistance. Francis Marion, a lieutenant colonel in the Continental Army recovering from a broken ankle, escaped capture. He raised a small militia and waged guerrilla warfare from the swamps and backcountry. Using hit-and-run ambushes, Marion disrupted British supply lines and morale. British Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton’s failed pursuit earned Marion the nickname “Swamp Fox.” His resilient tactics helped revive the southern Patriot effort and led to his promotion to brigadier general.

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July is filled with Semiquincentennial celebrations. From historic battles to waterfront fireworks, celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday at a variety of patriotic events across the Southeast.

Carolina Days Celebration

June 27–July 5, 2026
Georgetown, South Carolina

Georgetown County kicks off this week-long commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary and the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Sullivan’s Island. Events and attractions include patriotic ceremonies, colonial-themed markets, kids’ activities with scavenger hunts, museum explorations with discounted admission, grave site honors for Revolutionary veterans, and educational programs about local patriots. Highlights feature a Carolina Day procession, time capsule opening, Independence Day concert and fireworks, and the Great Georgetown Cookout.

America 250 High Tea Cruise

Various dates throughout July
Sanford, Florida

Step aboard the historic Barbara Lee paddlewheeler for an America 250 High Tea Cruise. This elegant two-hour luncheon voyage boards at 11:30 a.m. and sails from noon to 2 p.m. Glide along the scenic St. Johns River while enjoying a traditional British-style high tea with a patriotic twist that includes unlimited hot tea selections, savory finger sandwiches, fresh scones with jelly, and bite-sized sweets. Guests are encouraged to wear festive or patriotic attire.

Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival

July 2-4, 2026
Smithville, Tennessee

This official Tennessee state festival fills downtown Smithville with old-time fiddling, music competitions, dancing, food vendors, and handcrafted artisan booths. A longstanding rural tradition since 1972, the event offers free performances across multiple stages amid authentic Appalachian heritage.

Monticello Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony

July 4, 2026
Charlottesville, Virginia

Experience Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello during its 64th annual Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony on America’s 250th anniversary. Dozens of new citizens will take the Oath of Allegiance on the West Lawn. Enjoy patriotic music by Dom Flemons, the Virginia Children’s Chorus, and the Lewis and Clark Fife and Drum Corps, plus children’s activities, concessions, root beer floats, and wine and beer tastings. The event is free, but reservations are required.

Waterfront Independence Day Celebration

July 4, 2026
Charleston, South Carolina

This free Independence Day celebration starts at 4 p.m. at Waterfront Park, featuring patriotic programming, live concerts, and the “largest fireworks display in the Southeast.” Enjoy a festive atmosphere filled with music, food, and community pride as the city commemorates 250 years of American independence.

Independence Day Celebration at Historic Halifax

July 4, 2026
Halifax, North Carolina

Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a patriotic Independence Day event from 1 to 4 p.m. at the birthplace of the Halifax Resolves, the first official call for independence by any colony. This free event features musket firing demos, living-history interpreters, colonial crafts and trades, and a public reading of the Declaration of Independence. Explore the restored 18th-century buildings and grounds where North Carolina’s revolutionary spirit was ignited. Later that night, watch a fireworks show on the Halifax County Courthouse lawn.

Revolutionary Soldiers of Marietta National Cemetery

July 6, 2026
Marietta, Georgia

Enjoy a free presentation by Marietta National Cemetery historian Brad Quinlin from 6 to 7 p.m. in Switzer Library’s Community Room as he explores the stories of two American Revolutionary War veterans: John Hames and John Clark. Discover how these soldiers came to be laid to rest at Marietta National Cemetery and learn about their lives, military service, and legacy.

Grandfather Mountain Highland Games

Linville, North Carolina
July 9-12, 2026

One of the premier Scottish Highland games in the U.S., this multi-day event on MacRae Meadows transforms the dramatic slopes of Grandfather Mountain into a celebration of Celtic heritage. Enjoy athletic events like the caber toss and stone put, bagpipes, Highland dancing, clan gatherings, sheepdog demos, whisky tastings, and traditional music surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Nicholas County Fair

July 22-25, 2026
Summersville, West Virginia

Celebrate West Virginia’s agricultural roots and Summersville’s small-town charm at the 101st annual Nicholas County Fair at Veterans Memorial Park. Enjoy amusement rides, livestock shows, homemade exhibits, live music, pageants, and community competitions at this annual event that has been going strong since 1924.

Green Bean Festival

Blairsville, Georgia
July 25-26, 2026

This celebration in the Appalachian foothills honors the humble green bean, a mountain staple. Held around Blairsville’s historic courthouse square, it features arts and crafts vendors, local food and produce (including fresh green beans, of course), music, pizza-eating and canning contests, a 5K, tractor shows, quilt displays, and family activities. It blends rural farming heritage with community fun to offer authentic slice of Georgia high-country culture.

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Kettle Creek | February 14, 1779

In Washington, Georgia, I took Route 44 toward Union Point. I crossed Kettle Creek. Then Stoney Ridge Road. Highway 68, took me to Court Ground Road, which took me to War Hill Road. When I saw the stonewall, I stood at the foot of the hill where a key battle of the Revolutionary War took place.

I walked the hill of its cemetery and monument. The air was still, humidity high, and all quiet, save birdsong. Reinforcements arrived, five ladies on a history tour. They told me Plains, Georgia, was next. Men changed history where we stood.

The British just about had Georgia under its thumb when Col. James Boyd led 600 British sympathizers across the Savannah River into present day Elbert County. Patriots Col. Andrew Pickens with 200 South Carolina militia, and Col. John Dooly and Lt. Col. Elijah Clarke with 140 Georgia Militia, overtook them at a bend in a flooded Kettle Creek. The war had not been going well for the Patriots. The British had taken Savannah as part of their southern strategy designed to separate Georgia from middle and northern rebellious colonies. But things were about to change.

Patriots surprised Loyalists twice their number, and a desperate battle raged for three hours. The turning point came when Patriot forces killed Boyd. Immediate panic and disorder set in among the Loyalist ranks. They broke and fled.

While Boyd and twenty of his men were killed and twenty-two captured, Pickens and Dooly suffered seven killed and fifteen wounded. Pickens later wrote that Kettle Creek “was the severest check and chastisement the Tories ever received in South Carolina or Georgia.”

The Battle of Kettle Creek stopped a Loyalist advance and boosted morale after Savannah’s fall. It demonstrated British inability to secure the Georgia interior, halted Loyalist recruitment, and prevented the British from taking full control of upper Georgia.

Forested Kettle Creek battlefield, including “War Hill,” is a 40-acre tract encircling a 500-foot hill. Revolutionary soldiers lie reburied atop the hill.

In school all I heard about was the Boston Tea Party and the shot heard around the world, but battles like Kettle Creek did their part to stave off British control. Sometimes, like those five ladies, you have to seek history on your own. Kettle Creek is a good place to start.

Thanks for reading, and remember to always … take the long way home.

As summer breezes roll across the Southeast, we’re celebrating the extraordinary journey that has shaped our nation. All season long, we’ll honor America’s 250th birthday—starting this week in Georgia with a Revolutionary War battlefield in Elbert County, the old governor’s mansion in Milledgeville, the view from Brasstown Bald in Hiawassee, and a piece of patriotic pottery made in Canton.

Three Battles and a Massacre

Victory, Stinging Defeat, a Draw, and Bloody Bill

By

Old battlefields seem more like parks. They’re quiet. Trying to imagine black powder, cannon, and cries of the wounded? Difficult, but not always. Farmers’ plows unearthed so many Minié balls at Shiloh, the soil turned white. Shiloh was of the Civil War. I’m writing of Revolutionary War sites: Kettle Creek, Camden, Eutaw Springs, and Clouds Creek.

This week, we’ll start a four-part series on Southeastern battlefields that played a prominent role in the Revolutionary War. Part One focuses on the Battle of Kettle Creek. We’ve removed the paywall for the first installment so everyone has full access.

READ PART 1

Free subscribers can preview Parts Two, Three, and Four. Upgrade for full access.

Georgia’s Old Governor’s Mansion

120 S. Clarke Street
Milledgeville, Georgia

Georgia’s Old Governor’s Mansion is a National Historic Landmark and one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United States. Completed in 1839, it served as the official residence for Georgia’s governors during the state’s capital years in Milledgeville. The mansion witnessed major events spanning the antebellum era, the Civil War, and Reconstruction, including the occupation by Union General William T. Sherman. Today, carefully restored to its 1850s appearance, the mansion operates as a historic house museum, interpreting the lives of governors, their families, and the enslaved people who lived and worked there.

Brasstown Bald

Hiawassee, Georgia
2941 Highway Spur 180
Coordinates: 34.8747° N, -83.8107° W

Rising above the Blue Ridge Mountains of northern Georgia, Brasstown Bald is the highest point in the state and offers sweeping views that stretch across four states on clear days. A paved pathway leads from the visitor area to the summit observation deck, where expansive mountain vistas unfold in every direction. Throughout the seasons, changing foliage, blooming wildflowers, and drifting mountain mist transform the landscape and showcase the Southern Appalachian Mountains’ grandeur and enduring beauty.

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Introducing Our Summer 2026 Issue

In this special issue honoring America’s 250th birthday, we reflect on the extraordinary journey that has shaped our nation. Explore the hallowed grounds of Revolutionary War battles and secret intelligence networks that helped make victory possible. Celebrate the enduring tradition of American Legion Baseball, and travel to historic lighthouses that still stand sentinel over our Southern shores. Plus, we share Revolutionary-era recipes and five founding fathers’ views on the Bill of Rights.

Let’s get started!

Three Battles and a Massacre

Victory, stinging defeat, a draw, and ‘Bloody Bill’
By

Old battlefields seem more like parks. They’re quiet. Trying to imagine black powder, cannon, and cries of the wounded? Difficult, but not always. Farmers’ plows unearthed so many Minié balls at Shiloh, the soil turned white. Shiloh was of the Civil War. I’m writing of Revolutionary War sites: Kettle Creek, Camden, Eutaw Springs, and Clouds Creek.

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Revolutionary Secrets

Covert Southern missions that helped birth America’s freedom
By

We Americans often celebrate our hard-won independence from Britain through a familiar set of images: Washington crossing the Delaware, Continental and British army battles, and clandestine northern spy rings.

The South’s role in the war, however, unfolded in a far less orderly way. Across Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, and beyond, a shifting landscape of local intelligence networks, civilian participation, enslaved resistance, global alliances, and hidden supply chains contributed to the Patriots’ victory. What emerged was not a single war, but multiple conflicts that played out concurrently.

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America’s Enduring Pastime

100 years later, American Legion Baseball maintains a proud legacy
By Kurt Dusterberg

Baseball has long been part of our country’s summertime landscape. For more than a century, fans of America’s pastime have filled major league stadiums to watch the greats of the game. In mid-size towns across the country, minor league ballparks have added to the game’s charm with an up-close view of tomorrow’s stars.

But all across America, another brand of the game—one without much fanfare—has endured for a full century. American Legion Baseball claims more than 3,000 teams that play in local communities.

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Sentinels of the Shore

Journey to historic lighthouses in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida
By the staff

Our Summer There and Back Again feature journeys to historic lighthouses. In honor of our nation’s 250th birthday, we start this excursion at the Morris Island Lighthouse, which played a role in the American Revolutionary War. On the return trip, we suggest stops at a Revolutionary War battlefield and fort. We’ve designed this journey to span three days, but you can stretch it out if you’d like. We’ve also suggested accommodations for each location.

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Plus:

Revolutionary-era recipes, Founding Fathers’ philosophies, events celebrating our nation’s 250th birthday, patriotic products, and our Summer Portfolio collection.

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Backroad Portfolio is for explorers.

Travel down roads marked by endless fields, immaculate vistas, and small, cozy towns. Discover the history behind how these backroads came to be for future generations. Meet people who breathe life into the landscape, sharing stories, traditions, and artisanal endeavors that make each stop along the way unforgettable. Escape from the busyness of life on the main thoroughfares. Take the long way home.

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This week, travel with us along Tennessee’s trails and roads. It’s the perfect time to revisit our three-part Appalachian Trail thru-hiking feature. Below, find the link to Part 1, which is completely unpaywalled. Check it out if you haven’t already.

READ PART ONE

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The Elkmont Troll Bridge

Elkmont, Tennessee
Coordinates: 35.660144, -83.582882

Tucked away in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park, just 100 feet into the Little River Trail, a small side trail leads to the fairy tale-like, moss-covered stone Elkmont Troll Bridge. The main trail continues past streams and small waterfalls on this moderate roundtrip hike that covers about 5 miles. The coordinates for the bridge are 35.660144, -83.582882.

Old Town of Elkmont

Homesteaders, hunters, and loggers first settled the community of Elkmont in the mid-1800s. By the early 1900s, it had grown into the county’s second-largest town, complete with a post office, school, hotel, store, church, and homes. When Great Smoky Mountains National Park was created, cottage owners received lifetime leases—later changed to 20-year terms in 1952 and renewed in 1972. Their leases ended in 1992, and most structures were slated for demolition. The Elkmont Troll Bridge survived and was restored by park officials.

South Holston Lake

South Holston Lake, Tennessee
918 Holston Dam Road

South Holston Lake in eastern Tennessee stretches through the Appalachian highlands. Formed by the South Holston Dam on the South Fork Holston River, the lake is known for its calm, glassy surface and peaceful forested shoreline within the Cherokee National Forest. From secluded fishing spots to sweeping views along the Tennessee–Virginia border, its tranquil waters and surrounding mountains create a timeless retreat in one of the most scenic corners of the southern Appalachians.

Hidden Gem: Cliff Island is a popular cliff-jumping spot located off Point 2. Pull your boat near the small island, swim to its low side, and in about 50 steps, you’ll be ready for an exhilarating 10-20 foot drop. Check out a video of the jump below.

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Story and photos by

I’ve been traveling Highway 378/78 to Athens, Georgia, all my life. When I can, I avoid the bypass and drive through the heart of Washington, Georgia, a beautiful town first named in honor of our first president. Living across the Savannah River, on trips to Athens I take my South Carolina friends through Washington so they can marvel at its majestic Southern homes.

“Beaufort, Aiken, and Camden have many fine Southern homes,” I tell them, “but wait until you see Washington, Georgia.” The old homes never disappoint.

This glimpse of the past came about thanks to a feature I wrote. The writing life introduces me to some memorable people. Among them are memories of the late Steve Blackmon. He found me when his daughter, Myra, read my feature, “Remembering Danburg,” in an online journal of Southern culture. She told her father about my story and Steve called me. “Would I speak to his Kiwanis Club?”

I did.

How well I remember my day in Washington, Georgia. I had no clue just how many beautiful and interesting homes Washington has until I spoke to Steve’s Kiwanis Club. Prior to speaking, Steve gave me a tour of seven historic homes that had something unique in common. All had been moved in total or in part to their current location. And moved for good reason.

Arriving at Steve’s I met him and his wife, Eleanor. Steve had made a list of eight homes to visit, complete with a timetable an airline scheduler would envy. (One home would be unavailable to us.) I appreciated the tight scheduling. A book event back in Columbia, South Carolina, that evening had me in a squeeze.

Now these mobile homes were not trailers or doublewides as we know them today, mind you. As Steve drove me to homes with names like Holly Court, Hollyhock, Woods Huff’s House, and Colley House, we talked of the old days. Our reflections, combined with Steve’s “mobile” home tour, amounted to a time capsule of a day.

Born Out of Necessity

I was in for a memorable day. Besides the star attractions, I’d see a millstone inlaid among bricks as a walkway centerpiece, a volume of Jericho, The South Beheld, by James Dickey and Hubert Shuptrine. I’d hear a deflating story about a letter Mrs. Jefferson Davis left the wartime owners of Holly Court purloined during a home tour. I’d see Civil War artifacts and vintage oil paintings and remarkable old homes that share a unique heritage born out of necessity.

In the 1800s, the plagues of old age made going to see the doctor too much of a challenge. For others, fashionable excursions such as going into town, say, to enjoy the opera spurred changes. The solution? Well, it was something near impossible to do today.

They moved their home into town.

In 1978, a feature in The Christian Science Monitor titled, “The Traveling Homes of Washington, Ga.” found its way into the Washington Post. The feature quoted historian Robert M. “Skeet” Willingham Jr. “In the early 1800s, when boards were hand-hewn and nails were handmade, houses were not simply demolished when no longer needed. They were recycled,” Willingham said.

“Our 19th-century counterparts knew much more about recycling than we do. If a certain home was no longer needed, it was either disassembled and rebuilt in another form or moved as it was to another location,” Willingham said.

According to the feature, Washington’s “prefab” houses were manor houses brought in from nearby plantations as it became fashionable to live in town between 1820 and 1840, a time when local farmers prospered after switching from tobacco to cotton farming.

Slow and Steady

Let’s return to the era when power lines and utility poles didn’t hem in roads. Envision teams of oxen hauling a house down a dirt lane. Not mules, mind you, but oxen. Now mules may have been used but handling them wasn’t always easy with their tendency to bolt. Oxen plodded along, were reliable, and resilient. Moving a house best happens at a slow, steady pace. That would be what oxen do, and best of all, oxen are world-class strong.

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This week, we’re back in Georgia. Discover the “original mobile homes” in historic Washington, a hidden treasure near the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain, and the Georgia Mountain Scottish Festival and Highland Games in Hiawassee. Plus, take a ride on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway.

The Original Mobile Homes

By

In the 1800s, the plagues of old age made going to see the doctor too much of a challenge. For others, fashionable excursions such as going into town, say, to enjoy the opera spurred changes. The solution? Well, it was something near impossible to do today.

They moved their home into town.

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Springer Mountain, Georgia

The Southern Gateway to Adventure

The Appalachian Trail officially begins at Springer Mountain in northern Georgia, a 3,782-foot summit nestled in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. This remote peak marks the southern starting point of the 2,200-plus-mile trail that stretches to Mount Katahdin in Maine. Most northbound hikers reach it via the challenging 8-mile Approach Trail from Amicalola Falls State Park.

Under-the-radar gems: While the bronze plaque and summit register mark the spot for that first official hiking photo, a hidden spot via an easy detour known as Three Forks lies 4 miles north of Springer Mountain at the peaceful confluence of Stover, Long, and Chester creeks into Noontootla Creek. It also marks the spot where the Appalachian Trail meets the Benton MacKaye Trail.

Framed by lush rhododendrons, scenic Long Creek Falls connects directly to Three Forks via a 1.1-mile hike from the Three Forks parking area.

Georgia Mountain Scottish Festival and Highland Games

June 6-7, 2026
Hiawassee, Georgia

This vibrant celebration in the North Georgia mountains showcases traditional Highland games, pipe bands, Scottish dancing, clan societies, and Celtic music. Held at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, it features cultural demonstrations, athletic competitions, children’s activities, and Scottish food in a scenic lakeside setting—perfect for experiencing Celtic heritage in the Appalachian foothills.

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Our June Backroad Bulletin showcases regional music, local agriculture, floral artistry, Southern cuisine, and a legendary 8-foot-tall Lizard Man.

Cherokee Bluegrass Festival

June 4-6, 2026
Cherokee, North Carolina

A family-friendly bluegrass gathering at the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this event showcases top bluegrass bands with afternoon and evening performances. Set in a rural campground pavilion, it highlights Appalachian musical traditions with camping, mountain views, and a relaxed atmosphere—no alcohol allowed.

Mountain Music Festival

June 4-6, 2026
New River Gorge, West Virginia

Set in the rural New River Gorge National Park at ACE Adventure Resort, this event combines live music from over 20 bands with outdoor adventures like rafting, mountain biking, rock climbing, paddleboarding, and zip-lining. It also features art galleries and workshops.

South Carolina Festival of Flowers

June 4-7, 2026
Greenwood, South Carolina

This longstanding event showcases beautiful topiary displays, garden tours, live music, food trucks, a Flower Power Fun Run, Kidfest activities, Blooms & Beats concerts, a garden symposium, and family-friendly events.

Mount Airy Bluegrass & Old-Time Fiddlers Convention

June 5-6, 2026
Mount Airy, North Carolina

Inspired by the hometown of Andy Griffith, this rural old-time music event in the foothills celebrates traditional Appalachian fiddling, banjo, and string bands. Attendees enjoy competitions, workshops, and jam sessions steeped in Mayberry charm and mountain heritage.

Georgia Mountain Scottish Festival and Highland Games

June 6-7, 2026
Hiawassee, Georgia

This vibrant celebration in the North Georgia mountains features traditional Highland games, pipe bands, Scottish dancing, clan societies, and Celtic music. Held at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, it features cultural demonstrations, athletic competitions, children’s activities, and Scottish food in a scenic lakeside setting—perfect for experiencing Celtic heritage in the Appalachian foothills.

Ag + Art Tour

June 13, 2026
Barnwell and surrounding small towns, South Carolina

This self-guided tour highlights local farms, artisans, farmers’ markets, and live music across Barnwell and Allendale counties. Visitors explore agriculture, art, and Lowcountry culture through hands-on experiences, tastings, and community stops—a unique, off-the-beaten-path celebration of small-town creativity and farming heritage.

Caroline County Agricultural Fair

June 17-20, 2026
Ruther Glen, Virginia

A classic rural county fair celebrating America’s birthday early with livestock shows, carnival rides, fair food, live entertainment, crafts, agricultural exhibits, and family activities. Held at the Caroline County Fairgrounds between Richmond and Fredericksburg, the event embodies traditional Southern fair fun with competitions, fireworks, and community gatherings.

West Virginia State Folk Festival

June 18-21, 2026
Glenville, West Virginia

This authentic folk gathering showcases traditional Appalachian music, dancing, storytelling, and crafts. Attendees experience jam sessions, square dances, and heritage exhibits in a small-town setting that preserves the state’s pioneer culture.

Monticello Watermelon Festival

June 19-20, 2026
Monticello, Florida

The Monticello Watermelon Festival is one of North Florida’s signature rural events, blending patriotic themes, family entertainment, and agricultural heritage. Festival-goers can enjoy a community parade, live music, local vendors, family activities, and plenty of fresh watermelon. This year’s event also features a car show and pickleball tournament.

301 Endless Yard Sale

June 19-20, 2026
Johnston County, North Carolina

This massive yard sale spans a 100-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 301 in North Carolina—from Roanoke Rapids to Dunn—and features a treasure trove of bargains, vintage items, and antiques from local vendors. The event attracts visitors nationwide and also from Canada.

Red Wing Roots Music Festival

June 19-21, 2026
Mount Solon, Virginia

Set in Natural Chimneys Park in rural Shenandoah Valley, this intimate roots music festival combines bluegrass, Americana, and folk with camping, artisan vendors, and family activities amid towering rock formations and mountain scenery.

79th Rhododendron Festival

June 20-21, 2026
Roan Mountain, Tennessee

The 79th Rhododendron Festival celebrates the stunning natural beauty of the Appalachian Mountains as rhododendron bloom. Attendees enjoy handcrafted vendors, delicious food, live entertainment, scenic trails, and Appalachian mountain views.

Note: Expect heavier traffic on Saturday of the event. Visitors are advised to bring water, snacks, and prepare for slow-moving vehicles on the mountain roads.

Lizard Man Stomp

June 27, 2026
Bishopville, South Carolina

This quirky hometown festival on Main Street celebrates Bishopville’s legendary 8-foot, red-eyed Lizard Man cryptid from Scape Ore Swamp. The event features live music, vendors, food trucks, kids’ activities, contests, costumes, car shows, and storytelling.

Causeway Cove Country & BBQ Festival

June 27-28, 2026
Hutchinson Island, Florida

Located on Florida’s Treasure Coast, this waterfront festival combines barbecue, country music, classic cars, and family-friendly activities. The 2026 event also commemorates America’s 250th anniversary. Visitors can sample barbecue from local vendors, enjoy live performances, browse antique vehicles, and spend time along the scenic marina setting.

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ELEVATE YOUR BACKROAD EXPERIENCE

We’re heading southbound to the Sunshine State this week, with stops at Little Talbot Island State Park in Jacksonville, Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, and Myakka River State Park in Sarasota. We also spotlight the first documented Spanish explorer to discover Florida.

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Little Talbot Island State Park

Jacksonville, Florida

This undeveloped barrier island near Jacksonville offers over 5 miles of pristine white-sand beaches, ancient dunes, and diverse ecosystems. One of the few remaining untouched islands in Northeast Florida, Little Talbot Island State Park provides a peaceful escape with rolling surf, maritime hammocks, and salt marshes. Visitors enjoy hiking the park’s scenic 4-mile Dune Ridge Trail, along with beachcombing, surfing, fishing, kayaking along Myrtle Creek bluffs, birdwatching, and camping beneath live oaks.

Unique hidden treasures include dramatic sun-bleached cedar and palm trunks scattered along the shoreline like natural sculptures, vibrant sea oats and wildflowers on the dunes, and a rich refuge for migratory shorebirds and nesting wildlife. The park’s wild, rugged coastline feels like stepping back in time to Florida’s earliest natural landscapes.

Ponce de León Claims Florida

April 1513, near St. Augustine, Florida

While searching for the legendary Fountain of Youth, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León sighted Florida’s east coast in late March and landed near the area between St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra Beach sometime around April 3, 1513. Since he arrived during the Easter season, he named it Pascua Florida, which means “Flowery Easter” or “Festival of Flowers,” and claimed the land for Spain, marking the first documented European contact with mainland Florida. Encounters with indigenous Calusa and Timucua peoples followed, initiating Spanish exploration, missions, and colonization efforts that helped shape Florida’s early history.

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument

St. Augustine, Florida

This historic site preserves the oldest masonry fortification in the continental United States. Constructed by the Spanish between 1672 and 1695 using coquina stone—a unique shell-based limestone—the imposing fortress defended Florida and the Atlantic trade routes for over 450 years. Multiple flags have flown over it: Spanish, British, Confederate, and American. It served as a military post, prison, and symbol of resilience through sieges, wars, and cultural intersections involving Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans.

Visitors can explore the fort’s thick coquina walls, cannon platforms, powder magazine, and breathtaking views of Matanzas Bay. The park also interprets stories of soldiers, prisoners, and early American history.

Secret Passageway: Look for a small, inconspicuous postern gate on the landward side of the fort, identifiable by its distinctive funnel-shaped keystone above the doorway. This discreet passage allowed defenders to slip out undetected for resupply, reconnaissance, or surprise attacks, while remaining largely hidden from enemies.

Myakka River State Park

Sarasota, Florida

Myakka River State Park, located east of Sarasota, Florida, is one of the state’s oldest and largest parks, spanning over 37,000 acres of wild, unspoiled wilderness. The majestic Myakka River—Florida’s first designated wild and scenic river—winds through vast dry prairies, wetlands, hammocks, and pinelands, offering a glimpse of old Florida as seen by early Native Americans and Spanish explorers.

Visitors enjoy hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, and wildlife viewing, with abundant alligators, birds, and other native species. The Canopy Walkway is the first public treetop trail in North America and rises through the forest to offer breathtaking elevated views.

Hidden Treasure: The massive Deep Hole is a 300-foot-wide, 130-foot-deep sinkhole in Lower Myakka Lake that attracts hundreds of alligators during the dry season.

Thanks for reading, and remember to always … take the long way home.

By

We Southerners turn every decent memory into a blockbuster and every hardship into a footnote—yet those small, unvarnished truths stick with us longest.

For me, it’s 1980s Georgia soil under my bare feet as I scurry down the path to my grandparents’ creek. The taste of Southern-fried chicken, sweet tea, and coconut cake at a family gathering. The smell of oranges in my Christmas stocking and the pride I felt pinning a track medal on my letter jacket. Later, my wedding day and the birth of my children …

We all suffer from selective memory. But cherished recollections help us make sense of our lives, pass on grains of wisdom, and affirm that our life matters in some way. The memories we hold onto are worth sharing—and reason enough to start writing our memoirs.

I recently learned the importance of passing memoirs down to future generations while reading my great-grandmother’s, which she wrote during the 1980s. She was born in 1896 and lived to be 101. I’m currently transcribing her “random notes” from a typewritten document and sharing them in a Substack series called Memoirs of a Southern Centenarian. Her life was quite extraordinary.

If a long-lost memory is nagging at you—good, bad, or hilariously exaggerated—here are some tips, apps, and platforms that can help you get your stories down, honestly and without apology. Your friends, family, and future generations will thank you for it.

Tips for Getting Started

Since I’d like to write my own memoirs someday, I did some research. Here are tips from experts about how to get started.

• Start small. Write or even voice-record one memory per sitting. Don’t aim for the whole life story—start from your earliest memories and move forward chronologically, or focus on a theme like “growing up” or “lessons from hard times.”

• Be honest but kind to yourself. Acknowledge poignant memories, then decide what feels important enough to share.

• Use prompts. “What’s a childhood moment I laugh about now but hurt me back then?” or “What story did my family tell over and over?”

• Set low-pressure goals. Write for fifteen to thirty minutes a day, three to four days a week. Track progress in a simple notebook or app.

• Revise later. Get that first draft down, then edit for truth and flow later.

Formats and Structures

Read more

This week, we’re in Georgia—home state of Backroad Portfolio co-founder , who writes about the process of transcribing her Georgia-born great-grandmother’s memoirs and sharing them with family and friends. She also presents tips and platforms for how you can begin writing your own.

We also feature the beauty of Jacks River Falls Trail, Crooked River State Park, and Arabia Mountain.

Share Your Story

Start writing your own memoirs

By Elizabeth Poland Shugg

We Southerners turn every decent memory into a blockbuster and every hardship into a footnote—yet those small, unvarnished truths stick with us longest.

For me, it’s 1980s Georgia soil under my bare feet as I scurry down the path to my grandparents’ creek. The taste of Southern-fried chicken, sweet tea, and coconut cake at a family gathering. The smell of oranges in my Christmas stocking and the pride I felt pinning a track medal on my letter jacket. My wedding day. The birth of my children …

We all suffer from selective memory. But cherished recollections help us make sense of our lives, pass on grains of wisdom, and affirm that our life matters in some way. The memories we hold onto are worth sharing—and reason enough to start writing our memoirs.

I recently learned the importance of passing memoirs down to future generations while reading my great-grandmother’s, which she wrote during the 1980s. She was born in 1896 and lived to be 101. I’m currently transcribing her “random notes” from a typewritten document and sharing them (for free) in a Substack series called Memoirs of a Southern Centenarian. Her everyday experiences are quite extraordinary.

READ MORE HERE

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Jacks River Falls Trail

Epworth, Georgia

This vast, remote wilderness in Chattahoochee National Forest offers one of Georgia’s most secluded backpacking experiences. The Jacks River cascades into a rocky, grassy riverbed surrounded by dense forests and abundant wildlife. Best for experienced hikers, the Jacks River Falls Trail is around 9 miles round trip, extending 4.5 miles through rugged wilderness before looping back. Portions of the trail along the river lie atop the roadbed of the old Conasauga Railroad, which was once used to bring out felled logs from timber camps in the mountains around. Click here for directions.

Crooked River State Park Opens

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Story by Dr. Katherine Loflin
Photos by Jennifer Linney

For nearly two decades, my work has centered on one deceptively simple question: Why do people love where they live—and why does that love matter?

What I’ve learned: Our relationship with place determines far more than we realize. When we feel that we “fit” where we live, we don’t just survive—we thrive.

Across countries, cultures, and community sizes, I’ve consistently seen the same pattern. When people feel emotionally connected to their place, local economies strengthen, resilience grows, public health improves, and people invest their time, talent, and resources into the future of their community.

What I’ve learned through my research on communities around the world is that this love isn’t sentimental or accidental. It’s measurable. Predictable. Powerful.

I call this bond place attachment—the emotional connection between people and place that shapes how they think, feel, and act. Any community can cultivate it. But time and again, I’ve observed that small and rural communities possess natural advantages that make attachment easier to grow and sustain.

The Place Attachment Model

Through my national research with the Soul of the Community project and my subsequent global work, I developed a practical framework communities can use intentionally. The model identifies four core ingredients that consistently predict attachment:

1. Social offerings

2. Aesthetics

3. Welcomeness

4. Place identity

Social offerings, aesthetics, and welcomeness are all expressed through place identity.

However, different places manifest social offerings in different ways. New York City’s social offerings are very different from those of Beaufort, North Carolina—and with good reason. What matters isn’t scale or flashiness—it’s the authenticity for that place, and reaching its residents in such a way that they experience the manifestation of that authenticity.

Why Small and Rural Places Have an Edge

In large cities, connection often requires programming and planning. In small communities, it often happens organically. As a result, you hear people in small towns describe their place in terms of a critical component of social life: the civility and closeness of the town’s people, which creates the social offering of connectivity, which humans crave. This helps build the love of place.

Next, the aesthetics of the environment and landscape in rural towns is often quite beautiful to behold—and the first and most consistent message a place sends about itself. A small town’s natural beauty is baked into its narrative and a key source of pride and love for its residents.

These two combine to create a sense of belonging, a welcomeness, that just feels right. There is a sense of community—of being in this together—that many humans also crave. They feel welcome in their place and believe others feel the same, which forges a common bond.

Identity is the Anchor

Where small and rural communities truly shine is in the concept of identity.

There’s often a shared and understood narrative about the place people call home. They know and share their town’s local history. Landmarks, which can include historic farms, feed stores, homes, and churches, carry meaning. Families who have lived there often span generations.

Their stories carry memories. The memories build identity. Identity shared through social offerings, aesthetics, and welcomeness build the attachment that makes others want to become a part of that story, too.

The Tourism Advantage

This attachment formula doesn’t only apply to residents. It’s equally powerful for visitors. One of the most effective tools I teach in tourism is the place narrative strategy—using storytelling to help guests quickly form emotional bonds to the place.

People don’t attach to statistics and timelines. They attach to authentic stories and experiences.

Visitors might forget your population count. But they’ll remember discovering an arrowhead in a farm field, hearing local folklore told by the town founder’s descendant, or learning how the town became the Gourd Capital of the World.

Small and rural communities hold a remarkable advantage here. Their stories are accessible, human, and authentic—exactly what visitors crave. Done well, tourism simply becomes attachment-building for newcomers.

From Attachment to Action

Place attachment isn’t just a warm, fuzzy outcome. It drives results that communities care deeply about.

Read more

This week, we’re in North Carolina, home to “place attachment” specialist Dr. Katherine Loflin, who writes about the importance of loving where you live. We also visit remnants of a pre-Revolutionary War town, share an Allman Brothers tribute band event, and take in the view of a vibrant Carolina Beach mural.

Also, we’re putting together an America 250 Road Trip Spotify list and would love to include your song suggestions. Submit them below and we’ll share the completed playlist in time for summer Semiquincentennial road tripping.

SHARE YOUR SONG(S)

Love Where You Live

By Dr. Katherine Loflin

For nearly two decades, my work has centered on one deceptively simple question: Why do people love where they live—and why does that love matter?

What I’ve learned: Our relationship with place determines far more than we realize. When we feel that we “fit” where we live, we don’t just survive—we thrive.

Across countries, cultures, and community sizes, I’ve consistently seen the same pattern. When people feel emotionally connected to their place, local economies strengthen, resilience grows, public health improves, and people invest their time, talent, and resources into the future of their community.

READ MORE

Upgraded subscribers will receive the full story in a separate email. Free subscribers can preview this email. Upgrade your subscription for full access.

Pre-Revolutionary Relics

Winnabow, North Carolina

Brunswick Town, a pre-Revolutionary colonial port founded in 1726, then destroyed by British troops in 1776, was never rebuilt. Today, its relics lie below Confederate Fort Anderson’s earthworks near the Cape Fear River. Excavations have revealed foundations of homes, a church, and fortifications, plus artifacts from enslaved Africans and merchants. The town’s remnants, unmarked graves, and stories of buried treasures and ghosts—including a soldier’s apparition—offer a glimpse into what life was like before the Revolutionary War.

Ramblin’ Man: The Ultimate Allman Brothers Experience

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Story and photos by

Magnolia. Three syllables conjure up snow-white blooms, antebellum homes, old churches, and home places where magnolias anchor a landscape rich with dogwoods and azaleas. And there’s that lane where 122 magnolias welcome dignitaries to the world’s grandest golf course.

To be Southern, y’all, is to walk among magnolias.

I’ll never forget the magnolia my mother and I planted at my boyhood home or the magnolia at my grandfather’s old home place. When I conjure up those magnolias in my mind’s eye, boyhood returns. Many years later, a drive to another magnolia would bring those boyhood memories back.

My journey began with a suggestion. “You need to see the magnolia down in Edgefield County. It might be a record tree.”

That was enough for me. I went.

A Drive Into History

Driving down Edgefield way, I felt a bit like William Bartram, that legendary explorer who documented a magnolia of “great perfection.” On a March afternoon, blue sky streaked white with fleecy clouds, I drove to the site of the old Curryton Academy. Topping a rise, I spied the crown of a magnolia rising from a copse. Younger trees huddled around the old tree as if seeking advice. “O great one, what’s your secret for living nigh 173 years?”

The Curryton Magnolia’s secret resides in man’s desire for knowledge and the protective acts of men 172 years later. Upon hearing the tree’s site would become a residential development, men took action to spare it. The tree merited preservation for good cause. One, it’s a magnolia that has doubled its normal lifespan. Two, it stands on a historic site, and three, it may be a state record tree.

The tree’s journey began August 10, 1853, when some 1,200 people gathered at Sweetwater Springs to choose a site for an academy. Joel Curry gifted 1,000 acres and $2,000 for an academy. Thus did “Curryton” name the magnolia and the academy.

It’s no stretch to say the old magnolia’s roots intertwine with men’s desire to educate others. Joel Curry, Robert Meriwether, George Boswell, Samuel Getzen, Dr. Hugh A. Shaw, A.P. Butler, and Andrew J. Hammond, among others, founded an academy, which consisted of two schools. One school stood where the magnolia stands. What’s unknown is whether it was the girls’ school or the boys’. The other school stood a short piece near the present-day site of Old McDonald’s Fish Camp.

My journey took me down the rise. Driving closer in didn’t help. Trees kept me from seeing a tree akin to Bartram’s “great perfection” of a magnolia. I needed a close view of the magnolia’s trunks and limbs. I parked and, camera in hand, made my way through the shrubs and trees huddled around it. Leaves crunched beneath my feet as I approached the massive trunk. I looked up. Immense limbs and the sockets of limbs long-perished fired up my imagination, evoking images of what could be an elephant and what seemed like an octopus in the grand tree’s limbs. I stood beneath the tree, grateful to know others could experience what I was feeling. I took photos, made some mental notes, and looked around.

A home stood nearby—one home, not many. For that I was grateful also. Trees like Angel Oak and Curryton Magnolia deserve their own space. It should feel sacred when you visit the site of aged trees, survivors of note.

Read more

This week, as blooming magnolias scent the air with intoxicating citrusy sweetness, we introduce you to what many believe is South Carolina’s second-oldest magnolia tree. Then, join us for a view of the Morris Island Lighthouse in in Charleston Harbor and experience Lady Loutrel’s afternoon tea service in downtown Charleston. Our Palmetto State journey ends with a moonrise over Lake Wateree.

The Curryton Magnolia

A monumental tree and school of consequence

Story and photos by

Magnolia. Three syllables conjure up snow-white blooms, antebellum homes, old churches, and home places where magnolias anchor a landscape rich with dogwoods and azaleas. And there’s that lane where 122 magnolias welcome dignitaries to the world’s grandest golf course.

To be Southern, y’all, is to walk among magnolias.

I’ll never forget the magnolia my mother and I planted at my boyhood home, or the magnolia at my grandfather’s old home place. When I conjure up those magnolias in my mind’s eye, boyhood returns. Many years later a drive to another magnolia would bring those boyhood memories back.

My journey began with a suggestion. “You need to see the magnolia down in Edgefield County. It might be a record tree.”

That was enough for me. I went.

READ MORE

Upgraded subscribers will receive the full story in a separate email. Free subscribers can preview this email. Upgrade your subscription for full access.

Morris Island Lighthouse

1750 E. Ashley Avenue
Folly Beach, South Carolina

The 161-foot, cast-iron Morris Island Lighthouse, built in 1876, is the third to stand sentinel at the entrance of Charleston Harbor after wars and storms destroyed its predecessors. Severe erosion washed away the keeper’s quarters and island the lighthouse once stood on, making it accessible only by boat or kayak, with viewing opportunities from Folly Beach’s Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve. An organization called Save the Light is leading ongoing restoration efforts to maintain the lighthouse, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lady Loutrel’s Afternoon Tea

61 State Street, Charleston, South Carolina
theloutrel.com

This exclusive two-hour tea service, featured in our Spring There and Back Again journey, makes a delightful Mother’s Day gift for you or your mom this weekend. Savor heritage botanical blends from Oliver Pluff & Co. poured into elegant Estelle Colored Glassware on a private, biophilic-inspired rooftop. You’ll also be served a tiered tower of delicate finger sandwiches featuring smoked salmon, pimento cheese, chicken salad, and cucumber, along with warm scones and an array of sweet Southern pastries and confections. The experience requires a minimum of four people and includes optional alcoholic sips. The service is available Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. by reservation, with prices starting at $340.

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