ABBEVILLE, S.C. — Sometimes, you need a break from the same four walls, and getting in my husband’s truck and driving an hourish north via Highway 28 seemed like a good excuse to do that and write another column in my “Short Getaways” series.
Last October, Bret and I visited Newberry, S.C., and one of its focal points for me was the Newberry Opera House. I knew there were others in the state of South Carolina, so I decided that was my objective — visit the opera house there.
The purpose of the Short Getaways column is to highlight places with a drive of only two to three hours so that if you really wanted to make the trip in one day you could.
And we could’ve made the trip to Abbeville in a day and come home late last night, but I wanted just a few more hours away before I got back to work.
The drive to Abbeville is a pleasant one via the treelined two-lane route we took, skirting through towns such as Willington, Mount Carmel and Calhoun Falls.
Bret suggested we stay at a bed and breakfast.
Hotel options in Abbeville are limited. There’s one in the town square, and it’s the historic Belmont Inn, built in 1903. It was originally called the Eureka Inn. Over the years, it’s gone through its share of ups and downs. There are years it was closed as it changed ownership multiple times and been restored.
It’s located in the heart of the picturesque town square. And it has a definite bed and breakfast feel to it.
The room we stayed in looked and felt like the bedroom of an older home. There are no cookie cutter furnishings, bedding or paintings on the walls. It reminded me of staying in my aunt and uncle’s home during the summers I was growing up — down to the A/C window unit.
When we checked in, I noticed a couple of books about haunted Abbeville at the counter. I asked if our room was haunted, the woman behind the counter said it wasn’t; however, later that evening as Bret and I wandered the town square, I overheard a woman tell her friends about the hotel.
“It’s always on the haunted tour,” she said.
And I did later learn that the hotel does have a reputation of ghosts – one named Abraham and an unnamed Scotsman.
They didn’t seem to notice our visit because they didn’t bother us.
Abbeville’s residents are proud of the town’s history, and the historic society has gone to great lengths to create a walking tour complete with signage with QR codes so visitors can find out more about different buildings.
“Abbeville is known the ‘Birthplace and Deathbed of the Confederacy,” according to the city’s website. “On what is now known as Secession Hill, the meeting which launched the state’s secession from the Union took place on Nov. 22, 1860. Five years later in 1865, Jefferson Davis and his cabinet decided to dissolve the Confederacy at the Burt-Stark Mansion, a stately home right off from Abbeville’s Historic Court Square.
The Burt-Stark Mansion, which is only open for a few hours on Saturday afternoon, the Belmont Inn and the Abbeville Opera House are among the many stops on the walking tour.
Intermingled amongst all the reminders of the Confederacy is a solitary marker dedicated to the memory of Anthony Crawford, who was lynched in front of the courthouse in 1916.
Directly across the street from the inn is the Abbeville Opera House/Municipal Building.
Sylvia Cooper could have such a field day with this one.
Yes, the city’s offices are in the same building as the theater, but I’m not a political columnist, so I’ll leave that one for you to insert your own comments.
The opera house is next door to the courthouse.
The beaux art building that houses both government and entertainment was constructed in 1904, “and served as a cultural center for theatrical productions, public speeches, and other town events. The Opera House drew prominent attractions such as the Ziegfield Follies, George White Scandals, Jimmy Durante, and Fanny Brice,” according to the South Carolina Historic Properties Record online archive. “The design of the Opera House closely copied Atlanta’s Grant Theatre and Richmond’s Lyric, with a huge 7,500 square-foot stage to accommodate large touring casts. The Opera House is one of few remaining in South Carolina, and it was fully restored in 1968.”
While meandering downtown and visiting the shops that were open, we met Andrew, the owner of Pendleton Farms Home and Market, who told us that other renovations were taking place at the opera house. Eventually, the city offices will move from the first floor to the third floor.
Andrew’s shop specializes in spices, sauces, jams and jellies. He also has a baker’s case of chocolate confections.
A mural is on the side of the building where Andrew Hartsfield operates his Pendleton Farms Home and Market business in Abbeville, S.C. Photo by Charmain Z. Brackett
July, he said, isn’t the best time to visit Abbeville.
“Come back during the holidays,” he said.
Last November, Andrew’s beloved dog, Pendleton, died, and he wasn’t up to decorating for Christmas. This year, however, he plans to go all out, and by the holidays he should be sharing his space with a restaurant.
Other shops downtown included a variety antique shops and a store dedicated to art and jewelry of Native American Indians. The town’s newspaper also has its offices just off the square.
Our hotel has an on-site restaurant called JP’s Food and Spirits. Another dining room on site was closed for a wedding rehearsal dinner.
Bret and I tried out JPs, and we were seated next to a group from the Augusta area.
I overheard them talking about the Peach Jam, and Bret heard them say something about Austin Rhodes.
He had a quesadilla and the potato skins, while I had the salmon. For dessert, we shared some strawberries and cream. It was a light dessert with just the right amount of sweetness.
After dinner, I got my glimpse inside the three-tiered theater, where we planned to see a community theater production of “Everything I Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”
Andrew told us that the balconies are blocked off. The lower level seats about 300, but if the two balconies were used, it could seat 1,000.
Upcoming performances include a tribute to Alice in Chains on Aug.6, comedian Ginger Billy Aug. 13, a tribute to the Doors Aug. 27 and a Motown tribute in October.
Our short walk back was enchanting under the strands of lights between the Belmont and the nearby building that housed Andrew’s shop.
On Saturday morning, we had breakfast at the inn and tried to decide what we wanted to do. I tried to talk Bret into going to the Diamond Hill Gem Mine, but he said with his competitive nature, he’d want to stay until he found something.
Instead, we headed south to Calhoun Falls State Park.
That is a misnomer because there are no falls there. What is there is 318 acres of camp grounds, hiking trials and picnic areas on Lake Russell. We arrived around 9:30 a.m. and there was not a single person on the beach despite the clear skies and moderate temperatures.
We walked around to a point and found a lone fisherman who said it was always like that. Prior to the nearby golf course closing, people would play rounds of golf, head to the state park for a picnic lunch and head back.
I wished I’d packed a picnic lunch as I sat at one of the picnic tables listening to the sounds of boats and the soft crashing of the waves from their wakes as they rippled along the shoreline.
Just being around water refreshes my soul. I wished we could’ve stayed longer; however, in less than 24 hours, we were back at the house, where our dog acted as though we’d been gone for weeks.
I missed you too, Duckie.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the managing editor of The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
