GALLOP THROUGH CAMDEN S HISTORY OVERVIEW Camden, South Carolina is so rich in history and cultural activities that you will want to get a gallop on to experience as much as possible during this year s festival. Background: Camden is the oldest inland city and fourth oldest city in South Carolina (after Beaufort, Charleston and Georgetown). Near the center of the Cofitachequi chiefdom that existed in the 1500s, Camden became part of a township plan ordered by King George II in 1730. In 1758, Joseph Kershaw, from Yorkshire, England came into the township from Charleston, established a store and back-country settlement that became the main inland trade center in the colony. The town was renamed Camden, in honor of Lord Camden, the champion of colonial rights. After Charleston fell under the Crown s control in 1780, General Lord Cornwallis and 2,500 of his Loyalist and British troops marched to Camden and established the main British supply post for the Southern campaign. The Battle of Camden was fought on August 16, 1780 near Camden, and on April 25, 1781 the Battle of Hobkirk s Hill was fought between about 1,400 troops led by General Nathanael Greene and 950 Loyalists and British soldiers led by Francis, Lord Rawdon. After the Revolution, Camden's prominence and wealth grew as a major interior trading town with direct ties to Charleston and the world. Regional products, augmented with goods from the interior of North Carolina and far lands to the west were transported from Camden to Charleston on flat-bottom riverboats that plied the adjacent Wateree River before the railroad arrived in 1842. During the Civil War, Camden sent six generals who contributed significantly. Hero of the American Civil War Richard Rowland Kirkland - 'The Angel of Marye's Heights' - is interred in the Old Quaker Burying Ground in Camden s Colonial District. Components of Sherman's army burned Confederate and nearby properties including a full block of downtown buildings, and the last Federal officer killed in the Civil War died in a skirmish near Camden. A New Era - The Horsey Set In the mid-1880s Camden became an increasingly popular destination for wealthy northern families to spend the winter. Eventually three resort hotels provided state of the art winter tourism activities well into the 1930s and beyond. The town became associated with many equestrian activities, and is now the home of the third oldest active polo field in America, and is well recognized as the Steeplechase Capital of the World. Today, more than 1,500 thoroughbreds call the area home, with equine-related activities comprising a primary component of the regional economy. Major equine events include The Carolina Cup in the spring. The "Cup" attracts more than 65,000 race goers annually and is the state s premier social sporting event. Springdale Race Course is also home, since 1970, to the Marion dupont Scott Colonial Cup held in the fall. Because of its long history and many years of wealthy winter visitors and deep-pocket northern owners, Camden has an enviable inventory of antebellum homes and charm that remains unique among South Carolina towns and elsewhere. This includes Holly Hedge, owned by Marion dupont Scott from 1944 until her death in 1983.
Registration information is below, followed by general agenda of weekend festivities. REGISTRATION INFORMATION Early Registration Encouraged Basic Festival Registration $35 x ( ) tickets = $ Includes Classically Carolina Welcome Tote with Event Brochure, Maps, Coupons; Continental Breakfasts on Thursday and Friday; Thursday Seminars and Lunch; Saturday Bloomsbury Cooking Demonstration (space limited); And fees waived on select local activities. Friday Bus Tour & Lunch at Boykin Millpond $35 x ( ) tickets = $ Friday Wine & Cheese Reception at Holly Hedge* $40 x ( ) tickets = $ TOTAL $ To register and pay by credit card call The National Steeplechase Museum at 803-432-6513. Or Return this form with your check payable to 2015 Humanities Festival and mail to: 2015 Humanities Festival c/o National Steeplechase Museum P. O. Box 2424 Camden, SC 29021 NAME MAILING ADDRESS CITY, STATE, ZIP DAY PHONE EMAIL ADDRESS 2015 Humanities Festival Schedule of Events THURSDAY, APRIL 30 9:00 am 9:45 am Registration (pick up Festival tickets) and Continental Breakfast Robert Mills Court House, 607 Broad Street, Camden - Breakfast included in Basic Registration 10:00 am Noon Grant Writing Seminar for Non-profits Dr. Randy L. Akers, Executive Director, The Humanities Council SC Robert Mills Court House, 607 Broad Street - Included in Basic Registration. Please register early Noon 1:00 pm Lunch for Seminar Participants Robert Mills Court House, 607 Broad Street - Included with Basic Registration. - Must be pre-registered for morning and/or afternoon seminar.
1:00 pm 3:00 pm Public Speaking for Non-Profit Executives Presented by Buckley School of Public Speaking/ Jana Daley Robert Mills Court House, 607 Broad Street - Included in Basic Registration. Please register early 1:00 pm 5 pm History of Kershaw County Talk & Book Signing Presented by authors Joan and Glen Inabinet Kershaw County Historical Society Headquarters The Bonds Conway House, 811 Fair Street FREE 4:00 pm 7:00 pm Stroll and Browse in Camden s historic Downtown District - Uncover treasures in Camden s antique shops, museums and galleries - Dine in upscale and down-home Southern eateries - Check Festival Registration packet for maps, coupons, merchant information, and other events. FRIDAY, MAY 1 8:00 am 9:45 am Registration, pick up tickets and Continental Breakfast at The National Steeplechase Museum, 200 Knights Hill Road - Overlooking Springdale Race Course, watch a morning training session with Kip Elser, former steeplechase jockey and owner of Kirkwood Stables - Breakfast included in Basic Registration 10:00am 4:00 pm National Steeplechase Museum & Gift Shop 200 Knights Hill Rd, Camden - Visit the only museum in the United States dedicated to telling the story of steeple chasing through film, photography, memorabilia, and interactive exhibits - FREE 10:00 am 4: pm Guided Bus Tour of Horse Country & Historic Districts TICKETED EVENT. Please register early Departs from the National Steeplechase Museum with stops at: *Camden Training Center * Fox Hunting & Riding Trails * Private Horse Barns * SC Equine Park * Swift Creek Church * Old Quaker Burying Ground * Beth El Cemetery * Cedar Cemetery * Bethesda Presbyterian Church*Historic Homes NOON - Bus Tour includes Lunch on the Mill Pond Historic Boykin, SC
5:00pm 7:00 pm Wine & Cheese Reception at historic Holly Hedge 302 Greene Street Hosted by home owners Mr. and Mrs. Ben Schreiner and Camden Mayor Tony Scully, featuring Camden s famous Aberdeen Catery - TICKETED EVENT. - Early registration encouraged. - Camden: Classically Carolina musical performance SATURDAY, MAY 2 7:30am 5:00pm Nationwide Celebration of Books and Independent Bookstores Books on Broad, 944 Broad Street 8:00 am Noon Kershaw County Farmers Market Revolutionary War Park, 222 Broad Street - THE Saturday morning gathering place with local produce, artisans, Farm-to-Table festivities, live entertainment, demonstrations and more. - FREE 9:00 am 4:00 pm Camden Archives & Museum- 100 th Anniversary of Camden s Carnegie Library, 1314 Broad Street The Best Gun Collection in the South. Visit with collector Ross Beard The Little Brown Dog: The Boykin Spaniel Story. Let South Carolina s State Dog be your guide for a special tour. Reconciliation Sculpture Garden and conversation with sculptress Maria Kirby-Smith regarding sculptures of - Baseball Hall of Famer, Larry Doby and Camden native, financier and philanthropist, Bernard Baruch - FREE 10:30 am Noon & 1:30 pm 3:00 pm Tours the Revolutionary War Park, 222 Broad Street - Admission fees waived for Festival ticket holders - Tours of Cornwallis House McCaa s Tavern Museum & Gift Shop Film Documentary 2:30 4:00 Meet the Author Davie Beard- Postcards of Kershaw County He will discuss his extraordinary collection of photos and postcards Published by Arcadia. McCaa s Tavern, Revolutionary War Park, 222 Broad Street 3:00 pm - 4:30pm The Way It Was in the Old Kitchen House Bloomsbury Inn Bed & Breakfast, 1707 Lyttleton Street - Features Bloomsbury owner, Katherine Brown - Cooking demonstration from the era of Mary Boykin Chesnut. - Included in Basic registration, however space is limited. - Shuttle to Bloomsbury from Camden Archives & Museum, 1314 Broad Street
7:30-5:00pm Nationwide Celebration of Books and Independent Bookstores Books on Broad, 944 Broad Street - Readings, book signings and conversation; times to be announced - Tom Poland 10 am Noon; Southern author and magazine contributor will be on hand to sign his books - Robert Arial 2 pm 4 pm; Camden s own award-winning editorial cartoonist speaks about his art and career - Kathryn Lovett 4 5 pm; Meet our local poet, author and literary award-winner. FREE 5:00 pm 7:00 Derby Party at Salud s - Who will win this year s Kentucky Derby? Catch the thrill live by joining locals view the race on the big screen Salud s @ TenEleven Galleria, 1011 Broad Street - Light complimentary fare with cash bar. SUNDAY, MAY 3 Sunday Morning Worship Services Visitors welcome at over 200 churches in Kershaw County Church Directory included in Festival Packet 3:00 pm Spring Concert at Rectory Square - Featuring the Camden Community Concert Band FREE. Bring your own chair or blanket. (In case of rain, the concert will be held at Wood Auditorium, Fine Arts Center, 810 Lyttleton Street. The 2015 Humanities Festival is dedicated to the memory of Camden resident and philanthropist, John Stringer Rainey Episcopalian by choice, American by birth, and a Southerner by the grace of God. SEE NEXT PAGE FOR DETAILS ON CARRIAGE RIDES THROUGH CAMDEN
FESTIVAL SPECIAL CAMDEN CARRIAGE COMPANY TOURS Let Camden Carriage Company take you on a tour past elegant antebellum homes, tree-lined neighborhoods and historic parks. You will drive past the oldest structure in Camden; learn about courting benches, floating porches, the historic Fire House, double staircases. Experience our local charm at a different pace. - All carriage rides begin and end at the Camden Archives & Museum, 1314 Broad Street - Group rate tours for the 2015 Humanities Festival are as follows: *Thursday at 4:00, 5:00 and 6:00 pm *Friday at 10:00 and 11:00 am, and 12:00 noon *Saturday at 10:00 and 11:00 am and 12:00 noon - Pre-register carriage tour rate is $25.00 per person (Book early. Seats go fast.) - On-site registration at the Humanities Festival is $30.00 per person (as available). Carriage tours through Camden s Historic Districts are available Thursday evening, Friday and Saturday during the Festival BY APPOINTMENT. Book directly by calling Camden Carriage Company at 803-425-5737 or pre-register via our website, www.camdencarriage.com. Look for the Button on the Home Page created specifically for the 2015 Humanities Festival. Book early as seats go fast. Camden Carriage Company is also available throughout your stay in Camden for private and/or extended tours through other parts of Historic or Downtown Camden.