While the rest of the country can be celebrated for its vast array of industrial powerhouses and metropolises, the defining nature of the states south of the Mason-Dixon Line has always been their inextricable tie with agriculture, tradition, and a pastoral outlook on life. Tucked away snugly on the shores of Lake Wallace in northeastern South Carolina, the small city of Bennettsville, renowned for its historical district and an impressive landmark courthouse with records dating back to 1785, truly captures the spirit of the region.
With the Great Pee Dee River lazily rolling by to the west, it won’t take long for visitors to get immersed in Bennettsville’s enchanting landscape. With its verdant hills and lush nature, peppered by the signature charm of giant oak trees and swaying Spanish moss, the city is the seat of Marlboro County, which has long served as a cultural and social center for this flourishing agricultural region. It boasts dozens of historical landmarks closely tied to the state’s storied past, with its downtown worthy of a walking tour to admire the beautifully preserved homes and public buildings.
Bennettsville can be easily explored on foot, and you can pick up a walking tour map highlighting its sights at the Visitor Center, designed in the Queen Anne style, located at 304 West Main Street. After learning all about Bennettsville, one of the many rural pearls that define South Carolina’s soul, head on over to Lake Paul Wallace for a relaxing stroll along its trail or a sunset picnic.
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Bennettsville’s historical legacy
Picture of the Jennings Brown House, Marlboro County, SC – Bill Fitzpatrick
As you make your way east from the Bennettsville Visitor Center, enjoying the quaint charm of the two-storied commercial buildings on Main Street, it is impossible to miss the imposing sight of the Marlboro County Courthouse resting nobly at the crossroads of East Main Street and Broad Street. The original building on the current site was constructed in 1819, right in the heart of the city, and Bennettsville has grown around it ever since. Even today, the building still houses a collection of priceless records that allow the public to conduct genealogical research on their ancestry dating back to 1785.
Make a right turn heading south on South Marlboro Street, and at number 123, you will encounter the county’s historical museum. Divided into three buildings, the museum offers a variety of exhibits and stories, ranging from the medical to Native American and Civil War artifacts. One of the three, the Jennings-Brown House, dates back to 1826, and actually served as headquarters for a Union general during the Civil War.
The Market Street area in Bennettsville also contains some fascinating history. Known as the Gulf, it was home to African-American businesses and cultural gathering places as early as 1876. South Carolina is steeped in this kind of history, and if you’re up for a drive to the coast, consider checking into the Gullah Geechee culture that has settled in the Palmetto State’s Lowcountry.
Man made lakes and other attractions in Bennettsville
Lake Wallace with pier, Bennettsville, SC – Wilma Engelhardt Ellis/Shutterstock
If you want one more look at the city’s architectural treasures, it is worth stopping by the McCall Block Building, located at 112 East Main Street, right across the county courthouse, and admiring its beautifully preserved cast-iron facade dating back to 1889. But after all that walking, it’ll be time to eat.
Stanton’s BBQ, located just over a 10-minute drive north from downtown, happens to be the only private fly-in restaurant in the Carolinas, with its very own grass landing strip for airborne guests with a palate for pit-cooked pork. An absurdly entertaining concept with the meat to back it up, it was opened in 1972 by Lynn Stanton, a leisure pilot who wished to treat other fliers to a good meal, and built a miniature runway just for that purpose. Drive on up to enjoy some genuine southern-style BBQ and watch the small airplanes fly in and out, especially on the weekends, or grab a meal to go and head back south to Lake Paul Wallace for a picnic and a stroll.
The lake is actually a 600-acre manmade structure that offers fishing, water sports, and light hiking activities, with its own walking trail that uniquely splits the waters down the middle. You can reach this quiet gem of a southern city from Florence via a short 45-minute drive on Interstate Highway 95 North. Otherwise, should you have a valid pilot’s licence and are on a tour of other historic jewels of the Carolinas, fly to Stanton’s BBQ.
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Read the original article on Islands.