Preserved Historic Homes and a Lost Treasure
Plus, the “Gentleman Pirate,“ a Sunday oyster roast, and a southern snow day
This week, we share the importance of preserved homes and the stories they tell. Southern Voice author Beth Yarbrough cherishes and celebrates these grand homes, lovingly restored by artful hands and skilled preservationists. “The story of a place is important, and when a structure remains, that story becomes something we can reach out and touch,” she writes.
We also hunt for treasure near Charleston and learn about the pirate who may have stashed it there, then spotlight a nearby Sunday oyster roast series in the Lowcountry. Our closing Portfolio image captures the peace of a rare southern snow day.
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Voices of Yesterday
Learn from the sacred stories preserved homes tell
Story and photos by Beth Yarbrough, author of Southern Voice
Most anyone who cares a lick about beautiful architecture will tell you that houses can talk. They will also tell you that the old ones have the sweetest voices—deep, rich, and layered with centuries of stories that will both break your heart and make it sing. Yet all too often we hear that it makes more sense to bring in the wrecking crew, scrape the site clean, and start fresh.
“It’s just an old house. Who cares?”
We all should, and for good reason. The story of a place is important, and when a structure remains, that story becomes something we can reach out and touch. Historical markers won’t quite get you there.
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The Lost Treasure of the Wando River
Deep beneath the waters of the Wando River near Charleston, South Carolina, pirate treasure is rumored to be buried, awaiting discovery. Legend has it that a group of pirates or privateers who were fleeing the law hid gold, silver, valuable gems, rare coins, and priceless artifacts there in the early 1700s after a series of successful raids along the coast. Many treasure hunters believe the loot is worth millions.
Who stashed it? Some say either Captain Stede Bonnet (1688–1718), the “Gentleman Pirate,” or members of his crew buried it in the river. Bonnet spent time in South Carolina’s waters before being captured and executed in Charleston in 1718.
