Taken from a short bridge we use when walking out to the Ashley and marshes. A nice looking shortcut.
This house was rebuilt in the 1870’s. A section even pulled up river by boat. Everything along the river here, up to this plantation, was damaged or burned during the US Civil War.
The land and home is in the 15th generation of family ownership. Original rice plantings and cultivation dates to 1676.
Magnolia Plantation, Charleston, South Carolina.
They always look to be so deep asleep.
Military grave site alongside the salt marsh. This was off by itself instead of being with the military ‘Soldiers Ground’ graves near the entrance.
The marsh, and Ashley River, will claim this soon. You can Charleston Harbor and ports from here.
Sarah Ann 1833 – 1854.
Charleston, South Carolina.
The far side of old Magnolia Cemetery, down near the salt marshes, has a row of mausoleums built in the late 1800’s. After the US Civil War traditional church grave yards had become full. A war, major earthquake, and a yellow fever pandemic made cemeteries now an option.
One of the large mausoleums has had all the vaults removed in the past. The coffins were placed under the tile floors. Unusual for a large ornate building.
The large Wragg family crypts remain in their places in a second nearby building.
I have read it’s unusual to have multiple crypts still within the old mausoleums around the US. Not in old Magnolia, there are quite a few here.
People with wealth during the 1800’s expected to be buried in the grave yards of the church they attended. Cemeteries came into use once the traditional grave yards were no longer available. Eventually it became a status symbol to have expensive monuments in large cemeteries, even if the family members were buried at the church.
Charleston, South Carolina.
An above ground burial vault had a few items piled top. This being an old cemetery there were many obstacles around making it difficult to get a closer look. Of course the obvious thing was to take a shot, which I did.
What I discovered was an old hand made brick from the original plantation, remnants of an old American Flag, and some other cloth.
The photograph actually turned out to be interesting both for the content and the crypt itself.
Note; the brick is one of the old rough and uneven bricks common around Charleston. When you find one it’s important to take a close look. Some still have the finger impression from the person who removed the still warm brick from a kiln. Most likely an enslaved worker from the local plantation.
Yesterday I upgraded my NIK Silver Efex to the latest version. Of course I needed a test right away. Why not pick something hard…so a foggy morning landscape fit the bill.
Nothing dramatic, no film noir’s, or blown out high keys. All of which I’m a big fan. Something with details and different shading for the first test. I like it 🙂.
In case you don’t do many monochrome or B&W photographs NIK Silver Efex is the standard third party conversion software. It’s much more than conversion though. All aspects of shading, structure, and light/dark management are available. The color filters are very good.
NIK is a collection of programs primarily used as add ons to photo editing systems. The parent company DxO is well known for providing both consumer and camera manufacturers technical software.
These photographs are from the Cypress Methodist Campgrounds in South Carolina. Yearly revival meetings have been held here since 1794, I don’t think a year has ever been missed. That means earthquakes, pandemics, and even civil war has not been enough to cancel the meetings.
Circuit Riders (ministers / preachers) made the rounds in the beginning however tents ultimately were replaced by cabins and a local Methodist Church administered to the parish.
There are 5 – 6 different campgrounds around South Carolina though we have only been able to reach 3 so far.
Outside parts of rural America few people know of their existence. I’ve talk to many and they had never heard of them. Searching on line I have sites mentioned in other areas, even New York State.
The cabins, still called tents, are family owned and passed down through generations. This is private property however we have been fortunate enough to have visited inside tents, it’s a snap shot of a time long gone.
From the photo above you can see there’s no water, there are privies for each tent. Electricity has been run to tents.
To view additional Campgrounds select ‘Camp’ from the list of tags on the web site, or just search on ‘Camp’. If I were ever to create a documentary photobook this would be the subject.
Cypress Methodist Campground, South Carolina.
