Old Orangeburg Cemetery Reveals Interesting Finds

 

Thursday, Sept. 23's gorgeous weather was an excellent excuse to do something I have been itching to do for a few weeks: visit Orangeburg’s First Presbyterian Cemetery. Located downtown the small cemetery is just a short drive from SC State University where I teach. 

A little harder to find was First Presbyterian Church located several blocks away. Curious to me was that the gravesite is not next to the church, hence it’s a cemetery and not a graveyard. 

Ironically, there’s a large public cemetery across the street from the beautiful white church. The Presbyterian church was organized in 1835.

The cemetery opened the same year. The grounds are well kept with many large magnolia trees and other types providing nice shade in places. 

Can’t Buy This At Sears!

 No it’s not a U.S. Navy or Coast Guard ship though it looks big enough to be. 

This is a 288-foot megayacht called Fountainhead. Wow, Fountainhead even has its own Wikipedia entry! 

I took this photograph Sunday while on the beach at Sullivan’s Island. The yacht was heading into Charleston Harbor. A little online research found that this “boat” is worth a whopping $130 million. The owner is big too in the business world: the CEO of Sears Eddie Lampert. The 59-year-old is said to be a billionaire and that sounds about right. The flag flying from the stern is that of Cayman Islands. Less surprisingly, Lampert also has a Wikipedia site.

This wasn’t Lampert and Fountainhead’s first visit to the Holy City. The Post and Courier had an article and photo of the yacht in the paper in August 2017. 

Another Yacht steamed toward Charleston earlier in the day. This one is called Homecoming. She is 136 feet long. An online look did not reveal Homecoming’s owner but we did learn it was built in Taiwan.

Idyllic Labor Day Weekend at Folly Beach

 We looked for sharks teeth and other fossils at Folly Beach the day before Labor Day. No luck with the fossils but the weather and water were great, and the vibe was relaxed and family friendly. 

Back in the Classroom!

 

It has been almost a year and a half since I taught students in a classroom at South Carolina State University. 

In March 2020 I left campus for Spring Break. Who would have thought the rest of that semester then the next two would be taught remotely due to the terrible, deadly scourge that has been the Coronavirus pandemic? 

It is finally safe, or safe enough, for students and their teachers to resume face-to-face instruction. 

Other big changes have been that our communication classes and faculty/staff offices being moved out of the Harold Crawford Building due to water and mold problems.

My colleagues and I are now ensconced in Turner Hall. This is my new office that is slowly taking shape. 

I’m back to being a road warrior driving from North Charleston to Orangeburg and back. It’s 66 miles and 70 minutes each way. 

I’m again enjoying my favorite podcasts and the occasional amazing cloudscapes.

I use the free photo enhancement application called Snapseed to make these images really pop. 

Here’s to safe travels and a great school year that will also be safe for students and teachers everywhere!