SOUTH CAROLINA: Sad, ODD Rural Towns That Are Fascinating - Far Off The Interstate

I visit the small South Carolina towns of Springfield, Blackville, Denmark & Bamberg.

Sights seen: South Carolina Governor's Frog Jump
God's Acre Healing Springs
Voorhees University - On The National Register Of Historic Places
Nikki Haley birthplace

Travel Vlog 192

[sierraipa]

Born and raised South Carolina. I certainly appreciate you bringing real living, real issues to peoples' consciousness. At the same time, my family came from this rural part of SC. At one point driving through one of these towns, I made a remark that it is so sad, that is is so unlikely that people growing up here will have upward mobility. My father (who grew up far poorer than this) gently, but firmly corrected me. He changed my entire outlook. He grew up in a housing project, but he went on to be the first in the family to go to college - marry a beautiful, loving spouse and create a family.

While statistics may say one thing about the poverty, personal diligence and perseverance can mean a whole lot more. This part of the country can be a vast reserve of grit and determination - which make for a hugely important factor in life success.

[josephherrmann]

I always like to see the semi-trucks sneaking around but nobody seems to notice them. As an over-the-road trucker, I have been in thousands and thousands of these kind of towns and places. You really see America if your a trucker.

[paradoxstudios]

I was born in Columbia but only lived there till I was 7, then moved to Oklahoma and later Alabama, my grandparents lived in Spartanburg and owned land up near Cowpens - Gaffney on an old farm with abandoned house and wooded area with creek, the times we went there are priceless with the visitations reminiscent of exceptional food and the smell of honeysuckle and Carolina Jasmine, to the north you could see 2 mountain peaks that were the south boundary of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

[teresaharris-travelbybooks]

Guess what you didn't see in this video; homeless encampments, piles of trash, choking traffic. I am so, so very thankful that I was born and grew up in rural North Carolina. I'm just a couple of minutes from South Carolina. Also, I just got back from a trip to India. After experiencing the streets and traffic of Delhi, these wide, clean, empty streets look like the road to Paradise. So you see, a town that might not look like much to you, can be that slice of Heaven, for someone else.

[teage]

Im in the foot hills of the Blue Ridge, SC has been great to me. I come from western NY State and the ppl of this state share my values and are extremely caring and welcoming. God bless SC!

[AL-Boogie.]

As a trucker, I literally drove through each one of those towns the other evening after leaving from Walterboro on my back home to North Augusta! You dropped a lot of info that I had zero knowledge of, and after asking my dad neither did he. Excellent work on your behalf sir!

[ned]

I live in Aiken, SC and drive to Hilton head island a lot. I take the back roads through many small towns. I find them fascinating like you and enjoy seeing the country side. Keep up the good work.

[JBirdBlackCrow]

Love to see all my South Carolinians in the comment section. We are one of the most passionate, sincere and humble people I know. Growing up in these area's really makes you appreciate all walks of life. (Salute Charleston SC town of Hollywood)

[LittleFrenchHen]

Living in the UK, I find this a fascinating insight! I liked Denmark best - the history of the college was great...and I wonder what stories the old abandoned houses could tell. The way Nature has reclaimed then make them almost works of art. Thank you for sharing :)

[reginaford]

Born in Sumter, SC and proud of my town. Planning to go visit my mother this weekend. Hard workers and many successful classmates from South Sumter area(across the tracks )

[southernwanderer]

I live in SC., near Augusta, GA. My house has a large front porch. The big porches in the south were necessary before air conditioning. They not only shielded the windows from allowing the sun to shine right in, keeping the house cooler, but they provided a shady area to sit outside when the house became unbearably hot, especially when there was a breeze blowing outside, or when the sun was going down.
Denmark is one of, I believe, three towns in SC that have an Amtrak station.

[hoopty.]

What is weird is, I see all these abandoned homes, in many cities in this country, but we have people living in tints and under bridges. The cities could donate those homes for the homeless, and require them to do fix the homes up, as a community service. Just a thought.

[stevemcdaniel]

Thanks for showing these hidden parts of the Palmetto State that even most who live here rarely see. There are really two South Carolinas. The one that includes urban areas around Columbia, Greenville and Charleston, as well as Myrtle Beach and Rock Hill, can't build homes or improve infrastructure fast enough for the massive influx of new residents. But many other parts of the state like these towns are just backwaters now with little in the way of economic growth or incentive for people to stay or move to. It's sad to see the state of decay in these places that were left behind in an area of the country that is overall experiencing explosive growth.

[fabbedout]

I absolutely love this channel. Very educational as well. Born and raised in SC and still learning a lot on your channel.

[tonydabaloney]

I live in SC and enjoy taking the long way to wherever I'm going just to pass through towns like these. SC has plenty of them, probably more so than any other state. The mills all set up at the bottom of the mountains and the ruins can still be seen at the fall line across the state. All the processing plants died when they did.

[graff]

Always a pleasure to ride along with you as you explore the back roads and small towns of our country.

[janky]

Rural South Carolina looks better than many of the other Rural areas you've shown us on this channel. Thanks again for the perspective!

[cedetricamcbride]

I enjoy watching people venture into towns in South Carolina. I am a faithful citizen of a town in SC, all my life I've traveled through county's and what a road trip. South Carolina is filled with rural towns some are often afraid of traveling through especially at night. History and stories are often known for the history of each rural area. But you also have towns people refuse to talk about and what's the real reason the town is the way it is today.I can say Columbia maybe the capital of SC but it's also a place to know your surroundings. Blessings to all your adventures in the wonderful world of SC!!!

[TheTanya]

Healing springs! Water tastes so good. I love driving through these forgotten towns. 😢😢

[Iamnicholascorbitt]

I was raised in Denmark and Springfield from 82 until 2000 and I also lived in blackville from 2000 until 2002 moved to Greenville great times in those woods and back roads..