Original subtitles

SOUTH CAROLINA...

IT MAY BE THE SMALLEST STATE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE SOUTH,

\hBUT IT‘S PLAYED A GIANT ROLE IN THE HISTORY OF THE NATION.

\hIT WAS HERE WHERE EUROPEAN SETTLERS AND AFRICAN SLAVES

\h\h\h\h\hTURNED MARSHES INTO FORTUNES OF RICE...

WHERE THE FIRST SHOTS OF THE CIVIL WAR WERE FIRED

AND WHERE NEW INDUSTRY \h\h\hHAS TRANSFORMED

\h\h\h\hA SMALL NORTHERN TOWN INTO THE DETROIT OF THE SOUTH.

\h\hAERIAL SOUTH CAROLINA JOURNEYS ACROSS LANDMARKS

OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR

THROUGH A VAST CYPRESS SWAMP \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT ONCE WAS

THE REFUGE OF A FAMOUS AMERICAN FREEDOM FIGHTER...

AND DOWN THE COLORFUL STREETS

OF WHAT MAY BE THE MOST ELEGANT CITY IN THE NATION...

\h\hTO EXPLORE THE TRUE SPIRIT AND RICH HISTORY OF THE SOUTH.

FROM A STUNNING COASTLINE

WHERE HURRICANES STRIKE \h\h\hWITH DEADLY FORCE

TO A LITTLE-KNOWN ISLAND THAT TURNS NEW RECRUITS

INTO AMERICA‘S MARINES.

THIS IS SOUTH CAROLINA.

THE COAST OF SOUTH CAROLINA \h\hIS ONE OF THE MOST LOVED

ON THE EASTERN SEABOARD.

BUT IT WASN‘T ALWAYS THIS WAY...

IN 1562, 27 FRENCH SAILORS \h\hWERE DROPPED OFF HERE

WITH ORDERS TO START A COLONY.

\h\hBUT LIFE WAS DIFFICULT AND FOOD SUPPLIES SCARCE.

SO THE SETTLERS ATTEMPTED \h\hTO FLEE BACK TO FRANCE

ON A HOMEMADE SHIP.

\hIT WAS A HORRIFIC JOURNEY ON WHICH MANY OF THE MEN PERISHED

\hAND OTHERS RESORTED TO CANNIBALISM TO SURVIVE.

THE BRITISH HAD MORE SUCCESS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN 1670, ENGLAND‘S KING CHARLES II

GIFTED THE LAND OF THE CAROLINAS TO EIGHT OF HIS NOBLEMEN.

SOON A GROUP OF ENGLISH SETTLERS ARRIVED ON A STORM-TOSSED SHIP

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hCAROLINA TO START A COLONY HERE.

\hTHEY NAMED THEIR FIRST SETTLEMENT CHARLESTOWN,

AFTER THEIR KING.

WRITER PAT CONROY HAS SAID

THAT CHARLESTON IS A FEAST \h\h\h\hFOR THE HUMAN EYE,

BUT ALSO A DARK CITY \h\h\h\hWITH SECRETS

AS POWERFUL AND BEGUILING \h\h\h\h\hAS ITS ELEGANCE.

\h\hCHARLESTON MAY BE AN ELEGANT CITY TODAY,

BUT IT HASN‘T ALWAYS BEEN.

IN 1923, WHILE WORKING ON \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hRUNNIN‘ WILD,

COMPOSER AND PIANIST \h\hJAMES P. JOHNSON

MADE CHARLESTON A HOUSEHOLD NAME AROUND THE WORLD.

THE CHARLESTON WAS ONE OF THE DEFINITIVE DANCE TUNES

OF THE 1920s.

BUT AT THE TIME,

THE CITY WAS ALREADY SHOWING \h\h\h\h\hSIGNS OF ITS AGE.

MANY 18th CENTURY BUILDINGS, \h\h\h\h\h\hINCLUDING THESE,

WHICH STOOD IN THE HEART OF

CHARLESTON‘S FORMER COMMERCIAL DISTRICT,

WERE FALLING INTO DISREPAIR.

\h\h\h\h\hAFTER THE CIVIL WAR, PLANTATION PROFITS PLUMMETED,

AND MANY WEALTHY LANDOWNERS \h\h\h\h\h\hHAD A HARD TIME

MAINTAINING THEIR PROPERTIES.

\h\hAS A LOCAL SAYING GOES, THE OWNERS BECAME TOO POOR TO PAINT,

BUT TOO PROUD TO WHITEWASH.

IN THE 1930s, A PRESERVATIONIST NAMED DOROTHY LEGGE

WANTED TO SEE IF SHE COULD \h\h\hTURN THINGS AROUND.

SHE BEGAN RESTORING TWO OF THESE HISTORIC BUILDINGS,

WHICH DATE FROM THE 1700s.

SOON, OTHERS FOLLOWED.

\h\hTHE OWNERS DECIDED TO PAINT THEIR HOUSES

THE COLORS OF THE RAINBOW \h\hTO HELP DRAW ATTENTION

\hTO CHARLESTON‘S RICH ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY.

TODAY, THESE ICONIC BUILDINGS \h\hARE KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD

AS RAINBOW ROW.

FROM ITS EARLIEST DAYS, \hCHARLESTON‘S HISTORY,

AND MANY OF ITS RESIDENTS, HAVE BEEN JUST AS COLORFUL

AS ITS STREETS.

CHARLESTON‘S LOCATION, \hSURROUNDED BY WATER

AT THE MOUTHS OF THE ASHLEY \h\h\h\h\hAND COOPER RIVERS,

MADE THE CITY AND ITS PORT \hPARTICULARLY VULNERABLE

TO INVADERS FROM THE ATLANTIC.

\h\hIN THE EARLY 1700s, THE INFAMOUS BLACKBEARD

PLUNDERED VESSELS ANCHORED \h\hIN CHARLESTON HARBOR,

HOLDING THEIR CARGO AND \hPASSENGERS FOR RANSOM.

BLACKBEARD ESCAPED CAPTURE \h\h\h\hIN SOUTH CAROLINA,

BUT ANOTHER EQUALLY COLORFUL \hPIRATE NAMED STEDE BONNET

WASN‘T SO LUCKY.

HE WAS BROUGHT TO JUSTICE HERE \hIN CHARLESTON‘S BATTERY PARK

OVERLOOKING THE HARBOR.

STEDE WAS AN UNLIKELY BUCCANEER.

\h\h\hSOME CALLED HIM THE GENTLEMAN PIRATE.

HE WAS ONCE A WEALTHY LANDOWNER IN BARBADOS,

\h\h\hBUT LEGEND SAYS THAT MARITAL PROBLEMS

DROVE HIM TO A LIFE OF CRIME.

HE BOUGHT AN OLD SLOOP, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hREVENGE,

\h\hAND PLUNDERED VESSELS UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST

BEFORE HE WAS FINALLY CAPTURED \h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE CAROLINAS.

ON DECEMBER 10, 1718, STEDE WAS BROUGHT HERE

TO WHITE POINT GARDENS \hTO FACE THE GALLOWS.

\hHIS BODY WAS LEFT HANGING FOR FOUR DAYS AS A WARNING TO OTHERS

WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING A LIFE OF PIRACY.

IN LATER YEARS, FORTS WERE BUILT TO PROTECT THE CITY

FROM PIRATES AND THE UNION NAVY.

STARTING IN THE 1841,

70,000 TONS OF NEW ENGLAND \hGRANITE AND OTHER STONE

WERE SUNK IN CHARLESTON HARBOR \h\h\h\h\hTO MAKE FORT SUMTER.

IT WAS ONE OF A SERIES OF KEY FORTIFICATIONS

ALONG THE EASTERN SEABOARD.

\h\hLITTLE DID ANYONE KNOW, THE FIRST ATTACK ON THE FORT

\hWOULD COME FROM CHARLESTON ITSELF.

ON APRIL 12, 1861, CONFEDERATE \h\hFORCES STORMED FORT SUMTER

AND FIRED THE FIRST SHOT \h\h\hOF THE CIVIL WAR--

OR AS IT‘S CALLED IN THE SOUTH, THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES.

GUARDING THE HARBOR TODAY \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hU.S.S. YORKTOWN--

\hAMERICA‘S OLDEST AIRCRAFT CARRIER.

\hIT‘S DOCKED HERE AT PATRIOTS POINT,

\hONE OF THE WORLD‘S LARGEST NAVAL AND MARITIME MUSEUMS.

COMMISSIONED IN 1943,

AND NEARLY AS LONG AS THREE FOOTBALL FIELDS,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIS THE FOURTH U.S. NAVAL SHIP TO BEAR THAT NAME.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWAS LOST AT THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY

DURING WORLD WAR II.

\h\h\hTHIS ONE WAS RENAMED IN ITS HONOR AND TOOK PART

\h\h\hIN SEVERAL IMPORTANT PACIFIC THEATER CAMPAIGNS,

INCLUDING THE BATTLE OF IWO JIMA AND LATER IN VIETNAM,

EARNING HER A TOTAL OF \h\h\h16 BATTLE STARS.

\h\h\hIN DECEMBER 1968, THE CARRIER MADE HISTORY

\hWHEN SHE SERVED AS THE RECOVERY VESSEL

FOR THE APOLLO 8 COMMAND MODULE AND HER ASTRONAUTS,

WHO RETURNED TO EARTH \h\h\hAFTER COMPLETING

NASA‘S FIRST MANNED LUNAR \h\h\h\h\hORBITAL MISSION.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hDECK STANDS AN F-14A TOMCAT--

\hONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL FIGHTERS

IN THE HISTORY OF THE U.S. NAVY.

AND THE E-1B TRACER.

DATING FROM THE 1950s, \hTHE E-1B IS MOUNTED

WITH AN EARLY WARNING \h\h\h\h\h\hRADAR DOME

THAT WAS USED BY THE PLANE‘S \h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOUR-MAN CREW

TO FIND AND TRACK \hENEMY AIRCRAFT.

TODAY CHARLESTON HARBOR \h\h\h\h\h\hIS ALSO HOME

TO ONE OF THE BUSIEST CONTAINER CARGO PORTS IN THE COUNTRY--

SECOND ONLY TO NEW YORK ON \h\hTHE EASTERN SEABOARD.

\h\hTHE PORT IS LOCATED INSIDE THE MOUTH OF THE COOPER RIVER

TO HELP PROTECT FREIGHTERS \h\h\hFROM THE HURRICANES

THAT BATTER THE COAST.

WITH ITS WIDE, DEEP \h\h\hNATURAL HARBOR

AND HIGH-TECH CRANE SYSTEM, THIS PORT CAN MOVE CARGO AND SHIPS

FASTER THAN ANY OTHER IN THE UNITED STATES.

\h\h\h\hBUT TO GET HERE, SHIPS HAVE TO PASS UNDER

\h\h\hTHIS MARVEL OF MODERN ENGINEERING.

THE ARTHUR RAVENEL BRIDGE SOARS 570 FEET ABOVE THE COOPER RIVER.

ITS ROAD DECKS ARE SUSPENDED \h\h\h\h\hHIGH OFF THE WATER

TO MAKE WAY FOR THE WORLD‘S \h\h\h\hLARGEST FREIGHTERS.

NAMED AFTER U.S. CONGRESSMAN \h\h\h\hARTHUR RAVENEL, JR.,

THE BRIDGE‘S MAIN SPAN IS MORE THAN 1,500 FEET LONG,

MAKING IT THE LONGEST \hCABLE-STAYED BRIDGE

IN NORTH AMERICA.

\hBUILDING THE RAVENEL WAS A MAJOR ENGINEERING FEAT.

ITS LOCATION MAKES IT VULNERABLE

\h\h\h\h\h\hTO A HOST OF POTENTIAL CATASTROPHES,

SO ENGINEERS HAD TO TAKE EVERY MEASURE TO MAKE IT FAIL-SAFE.

THEY DRILLED 240 DEEP SHAFTS \h\h\h\h\hINTO THE RIVERBED

FOR THE BRIDGE‘S MAIN FOOTINGS.

\hAND THEY ENCASED EACH SUPPORT TOWER IN A ONE-ACRE ROCK ISLAND,

\h\h\h\h\hBUILT WITH MORE THAN HALF A MILLION TONS OF STONE.

\hTHESE FEATURES ENSURE THAT THE BRIDGE CAN WITHSTAND EVERYTHING

\hFROM 300 MILE PER HOUR WINDS TO MAGNITUDE 7.4 EARTHQUAKES,

AND EVEN IMPACT COLLISION WITH \h\hTHE WORLD‘S LARGEST SHIPS.

TODAY THE RAVENEL IS A CRUCIAL LINK

IN SOUTH CAROLINA‘S \h\hHIGHWAY SYSTEM.

IT OFFERS TRAVELERS FROM \hCHARLESTON FAST ACCESS

TO SOME OF THE STATE‘S \hGREATEST TREASURES--

THE STUNNING BEACHES AND BARRIER ISLANDS THAT LINE ITS COAST.

THIS 60-MILE-LONG BEACH IS \hCALLED THE GRAND STRAND,

AND STRETCHES FROM GEORGETOWN

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hRIGHT UP TO THE NORTH CAROLINA BORDER.

AT ITS HEART IS SOUTH CAROLINA‘S MOST FAMOUS COASTAL TOWN--

MYRTLE BEACH.

\h\h\hIT‘S HOME TO JUST 30,000 WINTER RESIDENTS

BUT TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS \hDURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.

THEY TURN THIS SLEEPY WINTER TOWN INTO A VACATION MECCA,

\hPACKING HIGH-END HOTELS AND GOLF COURSES AND CAMPGROUNDS.

THE PACE OF DEVELOPMENT ON THIS STRETCH OF BEACH HAS BEEN RAPID.

\h\hJUST OVER A CENTURY AGO IT WAS LARGELY UNINHABITED--

AND FOR GOOD REASON.

UP UNTIL THE END OF \hTHE 19th CENTURY,

\h\h\h\hSWAMPS MADE IT HARD TO EVEN GET TO THE COAST...

AND SANDY SOIL CONDITIONS \h\h\hAND LOW CROP YIELDS

MADE FARMING HERE DIFFICULT.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTO TOP IT OFF, STORMS BATTERED THE BEACH.

NO ONE KNEW THE DIFFICULTIES OF FARMING AND SURVIVAL HERE

BETTER THAN A FAMILY CALLED THE WITHERS.

IN THE MID 1700s

THEY RECEIVED LARGE LAND GRANTS ALONG THE COAST

AND CLEARED FORESTS \h\hTO MAKE FIELDS.

BUT IN 1822, THE GIFT OF THAT \h\hPROPERTY TURNED TO TRAGEDY

WHEN A HURRICANE SWEPT THE HOME OF ROBERT WITHERS

INTO THE OCEAN.

18 PEOPLE HAD SOUGHT REFUGE IN THE HOUSE FROM THE STORM,

BUT 14 OF THEM DROWNED.

AFTER WITHERS WATCHED \hTHE STORM CARRY AWAY

HIS WIFE AND FIVE CHILDREN, \h\h\hHE ABANDONED THE LAND

HIS FAMILY HAD HELD HERE \h\h\h\hFOR GENERATIONS.

\h\hCOASTAL FORESTS RECLAIMED HIS FIELDS

AND THE AREA REMAINED LARGELY UNINHABITED...

THAT IS UNTIL A LUMBER BARON \h\h\hARRIVED WITH A VISION

THAT WOULD TRANSFORM MILES \h\hOF PRISTINE COASTLINE

INTO THE POPULAR TOWNS AND \hBEACHES THEY ARE TODAY.

IT STARTED AFTER THE CIVIL WAR,

WHEN A BUSINESSMAN NAMED \h\h\h\h\hF.G. BURROUGHS

BUILT A LUMBER MILL NEARBY.

\h\h\h\hBURROUGHS LOGGED THE LONGLEAF PINE TREES

THAT STILL GROW ABUNDANTLY HERE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHE STARTED LAYING RAILROAD TRACKS ACROSS THE SWAMP

TO GET HIS TIMBER ONTO SHIPS

\hAND TRANSPORT IT UP THE EAST COAST.

\h\hBURROUGHS DIED BEFORE THE TRACKS WERE COMPLETED,

BUT HIS SONS FINISHED HIS WORK.

\hSOON, VACATIONERS WERE HITCHING RIDES

ON THE LUMBER TRAINS TO REACH THE BEACH.

IN 1901 THE BUDDING RESORT HAD \h\h\h\hITS VERY FIRST HOTEL--

THE SEASIDE INN.

LONG SINCE DEMOLISHED,

THE INN WAS AT THE CENTER OF \h\h\h\hWHAT‘S NOW DOWNTOWN.

\h\hTHAT SAME YEAR A CONTEST WAS HELD

TO GIVE THE UP-AND-COMING TOWN \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hA PROPER NAME.

BURROUGHS‘ WIDOW PROPOSED \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNAMING IT

AFTER THE MYRTLE EVERGREEN SHRUB THAT GREW ALONG THE SHORE.

\h\h\h\hSHE WON THE CONTEST AND THE NAME MYRTLE BEACH WAS BORN.

AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, \h\h\h\h\h\hEMPTY LOTS HERE

WERE PURPORTEDLY SOLD FOR JUST \h\h\h\h\h25 DOLLARS A PIECE.

TODAY THEY CAN BE \hWORTH MILLIONS,

\hEVEN THOUGH THE BEACH THEY‘RE ON IS SHRINKING.

\h\h\h\h\hSTUDIES ARE SHOWING THAT PARTS OF THE GRAND STRAND

AND LOSE UP TO 8 INCHES OF BEACH EVERY YEAR TO EROSION.

EVERY FEW YEARS THE STATE SPENDS TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

TO REPLENISH THE BEACH.

OFFSHORE, A DREDGE GATHERS SAND FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA

\hAND SENDS IT TO A PUMPING STATION.

\hHERE, GIANT PUMPS DELIVER THE SLURRY OF SAND TO SHORE

VIA STEEL PIPES.

ONCE IT ARRIVES,

BULLDOZERS SPREAD THE NEW SAND \h\h\h\h\hAND SHAPE THE BEACH.

\hAN AMPHIBIOUS TRIPOD ARMED WITH GPS, KNOWN AS THE CRAB,

\h\hALLOWS SURVEYORS TO MAP THE SHORELINE

\h\hAND CAREFULLY DETERMINE HOW MUCH NEW SAND IS NEEDED.

THE REPLENISHED BEACHES CAUSE \h\h\h\hSTORM SURGES TO BREAK

SAFELY FAR AWAY FROM SHORE,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hPROTECTING THE BEACHFRONT PROPERTY.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIES IN HURRICANE ALLEY.

EVERY JUNE BRINGS A NEW \h\h\hHURRICANE SEASON.

\h\hNO ONE KNOWS IF AND WHEN THE NEXT BIG STORM WILL HIT,

BUT WHEN THEY DO THE DAMAGE \h\h\h\hCAN BE CATASTROPHIC.

ONE HURRICANE SYSTEM CALLED \h\hTHE GREAT STORM OF 1893

\h\h\hKILLED AN ESTIMATED 2,000 PEOPLE ON THE COAST.

IN 1989 HURRICANE HUGO WAS \hONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL

RECENT STORMS TO HIT THE STATE.

WINDS GUSTED UP TO 160 MILES PER HOUR

AND COASTAL WATERS \hSURGED 20 FEET,

\hCAUSING 7 BILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGE AND KILLING 35 PEOPLE.

SO FAR THIS STATE HAS \h\h\hNOT YET BEEN HIT

BY A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE-- \h\h\h\h\hTHE MOST POWERFUL.

BUT EVERY HURRICANE SEASON \h\h\h\hCOASTAL RESIDENTS

IN MYRTLE BEACH AND OTHER TOWNS UP AND DOWN THE COAST

TURN THEIR EYES TO THE SEA

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND TRACK EACH NEW WEATHER SYSTEM THAT MOVES NORTH,

\h\h\h\h\hJUST IN CASE THE NEXT GREAT STORM IS HEADED THEIR WAY.

BUT IT‘S NOT JUST THE COAST \h\h\h\hTHAT CAN BE HIT HARD

BY NATURAL DISASTERS.

SOUTHWEST OF THE GRAND STRAND

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hLIES MORE THAN A QUARTER OF A MILLION ACRES

\h\hOF WILD, SWAMPY LAND AND GIANT CYPRESS TREES.

THIS IS THE FRANCIS MARION \h\h\h\h\hNATIONAL FOREST.

IN 1989, HURRICANE HUGO LEVELED MORE THAN 30% OF THE FOREST,

AND STRIPPED THE LEAVES FROM THE CYPRESS TREES,

LEAVING THEM VULNERABLE \h\h\h\hTO FOREST FIRES.

BUT IT REMAINS A HAVEN \h\h\h\hFOR WILDLIFE,

INCLUDING THE CANADA GEESE THAT MIGRATE HERE EVERY WINTER.

\h\h\hAT THE END OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, THE FOREST WAS HOME

TO A FAMOUS FREEDOM FIGHTER \h\hKNOWN AS THE SWAMP FOX.

WHEN BRITISH FORCES TOOK CONTROL OF SOUTH CAROLINA IN 1780,

\h\h\hIN WHAT‘S KNOWN AS THE SIEGE OF CHARLESTON,

\h\hMANY IN THE COLONY CONTINUED TO FIGHT FOR THEIR INDEPENDENCE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hONE OF THEM WAS A PLANTATION OWNER AND SOLDIER

NAMED FRANCIS MARION

WHO RALLIED A BAND OF FIGHTERS

TO LAUNCH HIT-AND-RUN ASSAULTS \h\h\h\hON BRITISH REGIMENTS.

THE MEN WERE CALLED \hMARION‘S BRIGADE.

\hWITH THE BRITISH HOT ON HIS TRAIL,

\hMARION TOOK REFUGE IN THIS SWAMPY FOREST

JUST 30 MILES NORTH \h\h\hOF CHARLESTON.

UNABLE TO CATCH HIM, THE BRITISH NICKNAMED MARION THE SWAMP FOX.

TO THIS DAY, HISTORIANS DEBATE \h\h\h\hWHETHER FRANCIS MARION

WAS A TERRORIST OR A HERO

IN AMERICA‘S FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE.

SOME CLAIM THAT HE‘S THE FATHER OF MODERN GUERRILLA WARFARE.

\hWITH SUCH COLORFUL EXPLOITS, IT‘S NO WONDER THAT FILMMAKERS

\hDREW INSPIRATION FROM MARION‘S LIFE

THE PATRIOT,

STARRING MEL GIBSON \hAS THE SWAMP FOX.

WITH SO MANY HURRICANES SLAMMING SOUTH CAROLINA‘S COAST,

BUILDING ANYTHING HERE \h\h\hCAN BE RISKY...

UNLESS IT‘S ENGINEERED \h\h\h\hFOR DISASTER.

A TOWER RISES

OVER ONE OF SOUTH CAROLINA‘S \h\h\h\h\h\hCOASTAL ISLANDS.

THIS LIGHTHOUSE WAS BUILT WITH JUST THREE SIDES FOR A REASON.

ITS RIGID TRIANGULAR SHAPE

WILL ENABLE IT TO SURVIVE WINDS UP TO 125 MILES PER HOUR

AND HELP KEEP SHIPS \h\hSAFELY OFFSHORE.

BUT ONCE, SULLIVAN‘S ISLAND \h\h\h\hWAS THE PORT OF CALL

FOR MANY OF THE WORLD‘S \h\h\h\h\h\hSLAVE SHIPS.

HISTORIANS ESTIMATE THAT AS MANY AS 40%

\hOF THE MILLIONS OF AFRICAN SLAVES

THAT ARRIVED ON AMERICA‘S SHORES DISEMBARKED HERE.

\h\hTHOSE WHO SURVIVED THE VOYAGE FROM AFRICA

WERE QUARANTINED ON THE ISLAND

\h\h\h\h\h\hBEFORE BEING SOLD IN THE SLAVE MARKETS OF CHARLESTON.

IT‘S WHY THE AREA \hHAS BEEN CALLED

THE ELLIS ISLAND OF SLAVERY.

IN 1989, THE WRITER \h\h\hTONI MORRISON

NOTED THAT AMAZINGLY, THERE WAS NO SUITABLE MEMORIAL, PLAQUE,

OR EVEN WREATH ON THE ISLAND \h\h\hTO PAY PROPER TRIBUTE

TO THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SLAVES WHO LANDED HERE.

SULLIVAN‘S ISLAND HAS ALSO \hPLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE

IN THE DEFENSE OF CHARLESTON \h\h\h\h\h\hAND ITS HARBOR,

THANKS TO FORT MOULTRIE.

WHEN IT WAS BUILT, THE FORT‘S WALLS WERE CONSTRUCTED OF LOGS

MADE FROM FRESHLY CUT \h\h\hPALMETTO TREES.

DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, \h\h\h\hTHIS WOOD PROVED TO BE

SURPRISINGLY RESILIENT \hAGAINST CANNON SHOT

\hAND HELPED COLONIAL FORCES REPEL A BRITISH NAVAL SIEGE.

IT‘S WHY THE PALMETTO TREE \h\h\h\hEVENTUALLY BECAME

THE STATE SYMBOL AND APPEARS ON THE SOUTH CAROLINA FLAG.

\h\h\hSOUTH CAROLINA HAS 187 MILES OF COASTLINE,

\hBUT THAT NUMBER CAN BE DECEPTIVE.

BEHIND THE STATE‘S PRISTINE BEACHES AND BARRIER ISLANDS

LIE NEARLY 3,000 MILES \h\h\h\hOF SHORELINE.

MUCH OF IT LIES HERE

IN ONE OF THE COUNTRY‘S \h\hGREATEST WATERWAYS--

THE MOUTH OF THE SANTEE RIVER.

IT‘S THE LARGEST DELTA ON \h\hTHE EASTERN SEABOARD.

MILE AFTER MILE OF TWISTING \hINLETS AND SALT MARSHES--

A HAVEN FOR MIGRATING BIRDS.

BY 1690, ONE OF THE WORLD‘S \h\hMOST DESIRED COMMODITIES

WAS PRODUCED HERE ON THE COAST--

\h\hA VARIETY OF RICE CALLED CAROLINA GOLD.

SLAVES WORKED AND SHAPED THESE MARSHES TO CREATE

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE LARGEST \h\hRICE PLANTATIONS ON EARTH.

GROWING RICE HERE WAS \h\hBACKBREAKING WORK.

\h\hSLAVES CUT DITCHES AND BUILT EMBANKMENTS

TO CONTROL THE SALINITY \h\h\h\h\hOF THE WATER,

WHILE TRYING TO AVOID ALLIGATORS AND POISONOUS SNAKES.

RICE BECAME SOUTH CAROLINA‘S \h\h\h\h\hBIGGEST COMMODITY.

\h\hGEORGETOWN COUNTY ALONE ONCE PRODUCED CLOSE TO HALF

\hOF ALL THE RICE GROWN IN THE U.S. AND AT ONE POINT

EXPORTED MORE RICE THAN ANY \h\hOTHER PORT IN THE WORLD.

\h\hIT‘S BEEN SAID THAT CAROLINA GOLD WAS ONCE THE PREFERRED RICE

OF THE EMPEROR OF CHINA.

THE END OF SLAVERY DROVE MOST OF THESE COASTAL PLANTATIONS

OUT OF BUSINESS.

BUT A FEW OLD STRUCTURES \h\hREMAIN IN THE SWAMP,

LIKE THIS HOUSE BUILT ON STILTS TO PROTECT RESIDENTS

\h\hFROM FLOODING AND STORMS, A COMMON PRACTICE TO THIS DAY.

WHILE MOST OF SOUTH CAROLINA‘S \h\h\hCOASTAL RICE PLANTATIONS

\h\h\h\h\h\hARE GONE, MANY OTHER PLANTATION HOUSES INLAND REMAIN.

THE FIRST OF THESE ESTATES WERE BUILT WHEN BRITISH LORDS

AWARDED LARGE TRACTS OF LAND \hHERE TO ENGLISH SETTLERS,

IN ORDER TO FARM RICE, COTTON, \h\h\h\hAND OTHER CASH CROPS.

POWERED BY SLAVE LABOR,

\h\hTHE OUTPUT OF THESE ONCE GIANT FARMS WAS ASTOUNDING.

\h\h\h\h\hBY THE DAWN OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION,

\h\hPLANTATIONS HERE HAD ALREADY PRODUCED

A MILLION POUNDS OF \hTHE PLANT INDIGO,

FROM WHICH WAS PRODUCED A DISTINCTIVE BLUE DYE.

INDIGO EXPORTS HELPED \hMAKE SOUTH CAROLINA

BRITAIN‘S WEALTHIEST COLONY.

DURING THE FIRST YEARS \h\h\h\hOF THE COLONY

MOST ENGLISH SETTLERS \hCAME FROM BARBADOS.

\hTHEY WERE YOUNG, AMBITIOUS FARMERS

\h\hEAGER TO EXPAND THEIR OPPORTUNITIES.

AMONG THESE EARLY SETTLERS WERE THOMAS AND ANNE DRAYTON.

ARRIVING FROM BARBADOS IN 1679, THEY BUILT MAGNOLIA PLANTATION.

BUT IT WAS ONE OF THE DRAYTONS‘ SONS

WHO ESTABLISHED THE FAMILY‘S \h\h\h\h\h\hGREATEST LEGACY.

AS THE THIRD SON,

JOHN DRAYTON KNEW HE WOULDN‘T \h\hINHERIT HIS FAMILY‘S LAND.

\hSO, IN 1738 THE 23-YEAR-OLD PURCHASED 350 ACRES OF HIS OWN

ALONG THE ASHLEY RIVER.

THE RIVER WOULD PROVIDE A TRANSPORTATION NETWORK

TO CARRY HIS CROPS TO THE PORTS.

HE THEN SET ABOUT BUILDING \h\h\hHIMSELF A NEW HOUSE

ON A GRAND SCALE.

DURING THE CIVIL WAR, UNION SOLDIERS TORCHED

MANY OF THE PLANTATION HOUSES \h\h\hALONG THE ASHLEY RIVER.

AMAZINGLY, DRAYTON HALL WAS ONE OF ONLY THREE THAT SURVIVED.

WHY IT DID IS A MYSTERY THAT HAS LONG PUZZLED HISTORIANS.

SOME SAY THAT GENERAL SHERMAN \h\h\h\h\h\hSPARED THE ESTATE

BECAUSE HE WAS IN LOVE WITH \hONE OF THE DRAYTON WOMEN.

\h\h\hANOTHER THEORY IS THAT THE SLAVES WORKING ON THE PLANTATION

WERE ORDERED TO TELL UNION \h\hTROOPS THAT THE HOUSE

WAS A SMALLPOX HOSPITAL \hAND SHOULD BE SPARED.

\h\h\hTODAY DRAYTON HALL IS CONSIDERED THE OLDEST

\h\hAND MOST SPLENDID EXAMPLE OF GEORGIAN PALLADIAN ARCHITECTURE

IN THE UNITED STATES.

LUCKILY, IT‘S NOT JUST THE GRAND HOUSES OF PLANTATION OWNERS

THAT HAVE SURVIVED.

ON THE NEARBY BOONE PLANTATION, SMALL SLAVE CABINS STILL STAND

ON WHAT‘S KNOWN AS SLAVE STREET.

IT WAS COMMON AT THE TIME FOR \h\h\hSLAVE CABINS TO BE BUILT

\h\h\h\hIN FRONT OF A PLANTATION MANSION

AS A PUBLIC DISPLAY OF THEIR PROSPERITY.

THESE HISTORIC SITES PROVIDE \h\h\h\h\hSTUNNING GLIMPSES

OF THE ANTEBELLUM PERIOD AND \h\h\hA CHANCE TO UNDERSTAND

WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE FOR ENSLAVED AFRICANS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

AS PLANTATION PROFITS GREW,

SO, TOO, DID THE ESTATES \h\h\h\hOF THEIR OWNERS.

THE VAST LANDSCAPE GARDENS \h\h\h\hOF MIDDLETON PLACE

\h\hARE THOUGHT TO BE THE OLDEST IN THE U.S.

THEY WERE DESIGNED AND PLANTED

SO THAT THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING IN BLOOM EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR.

\hMIDDLETON PLACE WAS ALSO THE SITE OF A FARMING EXPERIMENT.

IN 1846 THE OWNERS IMPORTED

\h\h\hWATER BUFFALO FROM CONSTANTINOPLE

\h\h\hTO SEE IF, WITH THEIR WIDE HOOVES AND STURDY LEGS,

THEY COULD OUTPERFORM HORSES \h\hIN TILLING RICE FIELDS.

BUT DURING THE CIVIL WAR

UNION TROOPS BURNED \h\h\hTHE MAIN HOUSE

AND SLAUGHTERED SOME OF \hTHE ANIMALS FOR FOOD.

MANY OF THE BUFFALO \h\hTHAT WERE SPARED

\h\h\hULTIMATELY ENDED UP IN NEW YORK‘S CENTRAL PARK ZOO.

\h\hTODAY, MIDDLETON PLACE IS A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK.

ITS GARDENS WERE OPENED TO \hTHE PUBLIC IN THE 1920s.

\h\h\hTHE GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA CALLED THEM

"THE MOST INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT GARDENS

IN THE UNITED STATES."

\h\h\h\h\hFROM THE AIR IT‘S EASY TO SEE WHY.

\h\h\h\h\hMOVING INLAND FROM SOUTH CAROLINA‘S COASTLINE,

A ROLLING LANDSCAPE BECKONS.

THIS IS NORTH AMERICA‘S \h\hLARGEST INTACT AREA

\h\hOF OLD GROWTH FLOODPLAIN FOREST.

THIS FERTILE REGION \h\h\hONCE BELONGED

TO A NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBE \h\h\hCALLED THE CONGAREE.

PERIODICALLY, NEARBY RIVERS \h\h\h\h\hFLOOD THE FOREST,

\h\hSUPPLYING IT WITH NUTRIENTS AND SEDIMENT

THAT CREATE A RICH ECOSYSTEM

THAT‘S HOME TO A WIDE VARIETY OF FISH, REPTILES, AND INSECTS.

WHEN EUROPEAN SETTLERS ARRIVED \hHERE THEY BROUGHT SMALLPOX,

WHICH NEARLY WIPED OUT \h\h\h\hTHE CONGAREE.

THE FEW MEMBERS OF THE TRIBE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT REMAINED

WERE EITHER IMPRISONED OR KILLED BY THE COLONISTS.

THERE ARE NO CONGAREE \h\h\h\h\hLEFT TODAY,

BUT THIS VAST STRETCH OF \h\h\hTHEIR ANCIENT LAND

REMAINS PRACTICALLY UNTOUCHED.

THE CONGAREE NATIONAL PARK \h\h\hCOVERS 27,000 ACRES

AND IS HOME TO NEARLY \h100 SPECIES OF TREES

AND A CANOPY THAT RISES HIGHER \hTHAN THE AMAZON RAINFOREST.

\h\h\hTHE DAMPNESS HERE IS ALSO WHAT‘S PROTECTED IT FROM PEOPLE.

IN THE EARLY 20th CENTURY,

\h\h\h\hA SINGLE LOGGING COMPANY BOUGHT UP NEARLY ALL THIS LAND.

BUT THE TREES WERE SO WET THEY WOULDN‘T EVEN FLOAT DOWNRIVER,

\h\h\h\hAND THE COMPANY QUICKLY ABANDONED THEIR OPERATIONS HERE,

\h\hLEAVING THE CONGAREE‘S FLOODPLAIN FORESTS INTACT.

20 MILES TO THE NORTHWEST \h\hTHE FLOODPLAIN ENDS...

JUST BEFORE REACHING COLUMBIA, THE CAPITAL OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

AT THE CENTER OF TOWN LIES ONE OF THE MOST NOTABLE BUILDINGS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE COUNTRY-- THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE HOUSE.

ITS MOST UNIQUE FEATURE \h\h\h\h\h\hIS ITS DOME

\h\h\h\h\h\hCOVERED WITH 44,000 POUNDS OF COPPER.

BUT WHAT‘S EVEN MORE REMARKABLE

IS THAT THIS STATE HOUSE \h\h\hIS EVEN STANDING.

\h\hCONSTRUCTION OF A NEW STATE HOUSE BEGAN IN 1851,

BUT THE FIRST STRUCTURE \h\hHAD TO BE TORN DOWN

\hBECAUSE OF MAJOR STRUCTURAL FLAWS.

\h\h\h\h\hMAJOR JOHN NIERNSEE, A VIENNA-BORN RAILWAY ENGINEER

TOOK OVER THE PROJECT.

\h\hBUT HIS STRUCTURE WAS THREATENED BY WAR.

\h\h\h\h\hON FEBRUARY 17, 1865, GENERAL WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN

AND HIS UNION TROOPS SWEPT INTO COLUMBIA.

FUELED BY ABANDONED BARRELS \h\hOF CONFEDERATE WHISKEY,

THE DISORDERLY SOLDIERS PILLAGED AND SET FIRE TO THE CITY.

\h\h\hA TOTAL OF 84 BLOCKS BURNED IN A SINGLE NIGHT.

INCREDIBLY, THE NEW STATE HOUSE, ALREADY UNDER CONSTRUCTION,

SURVIVED THE ATTACK.

BUT THE FIRES DID DESTROY

\hALL THE BUILDING‘S ARCHITECTURAL PLANS.

AND WITH THE STATE‘S COFFERS \hEMPTY AFTER THE CIVIL WAR,

THE BUILDING WASN‘T COMPLETED \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hUNTIL 1903.

ITS CORINTHIAN COLUMNS ARE AMONG THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD.

EACH IS CARVED FROM A SINGLE MASSIVE HUNK OF BLUE GRANITE

THAT SLAVES PULLED FROM A QUARRY JUST SOUTH OF THE CITY.

FOR NEARLY FOUR DECADES,

THE CONFEDERATE FLAG FLEW ATOP \h\h\h\hTHE STATE HOUSE DOME.

IT WAS RAISED IN 1962 TO MARK THE SACRIFICES

OF WHITE SOUTH CAROLINIANS \h\h\h\hIN THE CIVIL WAR.

BUT MANY SAW IT AS A SYMBOL \h\hOF THE STATE‘S REBELLION

\h\h\h\hTO THE GROWING CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN 2000, NEARLY 50,000 PROTESTERS

\hMARCHED UP MAIN STREET TO THE STATE HOUSE STEPS

\hAND DEMANDED THAT THE FLAG BE LOWERED.

\h\h\hLATER THAT YEAR IT WAS FINALLY REMOVED

MAKING SOUTH CAROLINA \h\h\h\hTHE LAST STATE

\h\hTO OFFICIALLY FLY THE CONFEDERATE FLAG.

BUT THE CONFEDERATE SPIRIT

STILL COOKS UP CONTROVERSY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN COLUMBIA.

\h\h\h\hTHE SAME DAY THAT THE REBEL FLAG WAS REMOVED

FROM THE STATE HOUSE, THE OWNER OF A POPULAR BARBECUE CHAIN

RAISED CONFEDERATE FLAGS OVER \hHIS NINE LOCAL RESTAURANTS.

BARBECUE IS ALWAYS A CONTENTIOUS SUBJECT IN THE CAROLINAS.

THE QUESTION OF MUSTARD VERSUS \h\h\h\h\hTOMATO-BASED SAUCES

HAS BEEN KNOWN TO START DUELS.

\hBUT THE BATTLE WAGED BY THE OWNER OF MAURICE‘S PIGGIE PARK

IS A RACIAL ONE.

\h\h\h\hMAURICE OPENLY DEFENDS THE FORMER PRACTICE OF SLAVERY

IN THE STATE.

IN PROTEST, MAJOR STORE CHAINS \h\h\h\h\hTHROUGHOUT THE SOUTH

HAVE PULLED ALL THE COMPANY‘S \h\h\h\h\h\hBARBECUE PRODUCTS

FROM THEIR SHELVES.

\h\h\h\h\h\hHEADING NORTH LIES SOUTH CAROLINA‘S BACKCOUNTRY.

THESE FORESTS WERE ONCE HOME \h\h\hTO THE CHEROKEE TRAIL,

\h\h\h\h\hA KEY NATIVE AMERICAN TRADE ROUTE THAT ONCE STRETCHED

\h\h\h\h\hFROM CHARLESTON ALL THE WAY TO TENNESSEE.

\hEUROPEAN SETTLERS USED THE TRAIL TO EXPAND WEST

AND TRADE THEIR WEAPONS, RUM, \h\h\hAND GUNPOWDER FOR PELTS.

IN 1748 ALONE, THE SKINS OF \h160,000 DEER WERE EXPORTED

\hFROM SOUTH CAROLINA TO EUROPE TO MAKE PANTS, GLOVES, AND HATS.

DEERSKIN WAS SOUTH CAROLINA‘S \h\h\h\h\h\hBIGGEST COMMODITY

\hUNTIL THE ARRIVAL OF RICE CULTIVATION.

\h\hBY 1775, A SETTLEMENT WITH 12 DWELLINGS AND A COURTHOUSE

WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE CHEROKEE TRAIL NEAR A PLENTIFUL SPRING.

\h\h\h\hIT WAS NAMED 96, FROM THE MISTAKEN BELIEF

THAT IT LAY 96 MILES AWAY FROM THE CHEROKEE CAPITAL, KEOWEE.

THE VILLAGE HAS SINCE \h\hBEEN RECONSTRUCTED

ALONG WITH A STOCKADE FORT BUILT IN 1781 TO PROTECT THE SPRING.

NEARBY, AN ODD FORM APPEARS \h\h\h\hON THE GROUND BELOW.

POINTS OF A STAR PUSHING UP \h\h\h\h\h\hFROM THE EARTH.

THESE ARE THE REMAINS \h\h\h\hOF STAR FORT.

\h\h\h\h\hBRITISH LOYALISTS BUILT THE FORT HERE IN 1780

\h\h\hWITH SLAVE LABOR TO DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST REBEL FORCES.

THE FORT WAS DESIGNED \h\hWITH EIGHT POINTS

TO HELP THE LOYALISTS BETTER SEE THEIR ENEMY

AND FEND OFF THE ATTACK.

IN 1781, 1,000 PATRIOTS \h\h\hATTACKED THE FORT.

\h\h\hTHE ENSUING BATTLE BECAME THE LONGEST SIEGE

OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

\h\h\h\h\hINSIDE THE FORT LIE THE REMAINS OF A WELL

\h\hTHAT BRITISH FORCES DUG HOPING TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES

THROUGHOUT THE LONG SIEGE...

BUT THEY NEVER REACHED WATER.

HEADING TOWARDS THE NORTHWEST \h\h\h\hBOUNDARY OF THE STATE,

THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS BECKON.

\hTHIS USED TO BE CHEROKEE COUNTRY.

\hA LEGEND OF THE TRIBE SAYS THAT A GIANT SPIRIT

USED TO SIT ON ONE OF THESE MOUNTAINS

AND EAT FROM THE TOP OF ANOTHER.

TABLE ROCK, AS IT‘S CALLED,

\h\h\h\h\hIS LOCATED IN TABLE ROCK STATE PARK--

\hA PROTECTED WILDERNESS THAT COVERS MORE THAN 3,000 ACRES.

IT‘S ALSO HOME TO PINNACLE MOUNTAIN.

AT MORE THAN 3,400 FEET,

IT‘S THE HIGHEST PEAK THAT‘S ENTIRELY WITHIN

THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS LIES GAFFNEY.

IT WAS ONCE A THRIVING \hTEXTILE MILL CENTER.

\hTODAY IT‘S A SLEEPY TOWN, BUT ONE WITH ENORMOUS PRIDE.

ENOUGH TO ERECT A FOUR-STORY, ONE MILLION GALLON WATER TANK

TO CELEBRATE IT.

LOCALS CALL IT THE PEACHOID.

PEACHES WERE ORIGINALLY \h\h\hBROUGHT TO AMERICA

BY SPANISH EXPLORERS \h\h\hIN THE 1500s.

AND WHEN ENGLISH COLONISTS \hARRIVED 100 YEARS LATER,

THEY FOUND NATIVE AMERICANS \h\hCULTIVATING THE FRUIT...

LEAVING THE SETTLERS TO BELIEVE

THAT PEACHES WERE ACTUALLY NATIVE TO SOUTH CAROLINA.

BUILT IN 1981, THE WATER TOWER WAS DESIGNED AS A GIANT PEACH

TO LET THE WORLD KNOW

\hTHAT SOUTH CAROLINA PRODUCES MORE PEACHES

\h\hTHAN THE SO-CALLED PEACH STATE, GEORGIA.

\h\hIN FACT, SOUTH CAROLINA NOW OFFICIALLY CALLS ITSELF

"THE TASTIER PEACH STATE."

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hANOTHER SMALL UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA TOWN

\h\hIS HOME TO A UNIQUE AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY.

\hAS IN GAFFNEY, TEXTILE MILLS THRIVED IN THE TOWN OF GREER.

BUT BY THE 1970s,

COMPETITION FROM ASIA SENT \hTHE REGION INTO DECLINE.

\hTHEN, IN THE EARLY 1990s, BMW OPENED ITS FIRST AND ONLY PLANT

IN THE UNITED STATES, RIGHT HERE IN THE SMALL TOWN OF GREER.

\hTHIS STATE-OF-THE-ART FACTORY COVERS FOUR MILLION SQUARE FEET,

\h\h\hAN AREA THE SIZE OF NEARLY 70 FOOTBALL FIELDS.

INSIDE, 7,000 WORKERS PRODUCE ABOUT 600 VEHICLES EVERY DAY--

ONE OUT OF EVERY SIX THAT \h\h\h\hTHE COMPANY MAKES.

AFTER THEY ROLL OFF \hTHE ASSEMBLY LINE,

\hTHESE LUXURY CARS ARE SHIPPED ACROSS THE U.S.

AND FROM THE PORT OF CHARLESTON INTO 130 MARKETS WORLDWIDE.

\h\h\h\hTODAY, MANY CALL THE REGION AROUND GREER

THE DETROIT OF THE SOUTH.

TRAVELING SOUTH OF GREER \hIS A TRIP BACK IN TIME

TO A PLACE WHERE PIONEERS

SETTLED THEIR DIFFERENCES \h\h\h\h\h\h\hWITH BLOOD.

\h\h\hTODAY, EDGEFIELD IS BY ALL APPEARANCES PEACEFUL AND QUAINT.

BUT IN THE EARLY 19th CENTURY,

\h\h\h\hTHIS TOWN AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTY

\h\h\hHAD ONE OF THE HIGHEST MURDER RATES IN THE COUNTRY.

LOCAL LEGEND SAYS THAT BLOOD HAS BEEN SPILLED

OVER EVERY SQUARE FOOT \hOF THIS TOWN CENTER.

ACCUSED CRIMINALS \hWERE TRIED HERE

AT THE EDGEFIELD COURTHOUSE.

ONE OF THE MOST COLORFUL TRIALS OF THE DAY

WAS THAT OF A YOUNG BEAUTY \h\h\hNAMED BECKY COTTON.

\hSHE HAD MURDERED HER FIRST HUSBAND WITH A LARGE NEEDLE,

POISONED HER SECOND,

AND PUT AN AXE THROUGH THE SKULL OF HER THIRD.

BUT SURPRISINGLY, SHE WAS ACQUITTED ON ALL CHARGES.

SOME SAY SHE USED HER BEAUTY \h\hTO WIN OVER THE JURY...

AND PERHAPS THEY‘RE RIGHT--

BECKY COTTON WENT ON TO MARRY \h\h\h\h\hONE OF THE JURYMEN.

BUT BEFORE SHE COULD KILL HIM

\h\h\hHER OWN BROTHER MURDERED HER FIRST...

\h\h\h\h\hAND HE DID IT RIGHT ON THE EDGEFIELD COURTHOUSE STEPS.

TODAY, EDGEFIELD COUNTY \h\hIS BETTER REMEMBERED

\hAS THE BIRTHPLACE OF TEN SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNORS,

\h\h\hFIVE LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS, AND A NUMBER OF STATE SENATORS,

INCLUDING THE OLDEST \h\hAND LONGEST ONE

TO SERVE IN THE STATE‘S HISTORY: STROM THURMOND.

\h\hWEST OF EDGEFIELD, THESE PEACEFUL WATERS

\h\hHAVE BEEN NAMED IN THURMOND‘S HONOR.

STROM THURMOND LAKE COVERS 71,000 ACRES

\h\hAND IS SURROUNDED BY A 1,200-MILE SHORELINE.

IT‘S ONE OF THE LARGEST INLAND BODIES OF WATER IN THE SOUTH.

AND WHILE IT MAY NOT \h\h\hLOOK LIKE IT,

THE LAKE IS ENTIRELY MANMADE.

\h\h\h\h\h\hIT WAS CREATED WHEN THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS

BUILT THE STROM THURMOND DAM ON THE SAVANNAH RIVER

IN ORDER TO STOP FLOODING IN COMMUNITIES DOWNSTREAM

AND TO PROVIDE POWER \h\h\hFOR THE STATE.

\h\h\h\hTHE SAVANNAH RIVER STRETCHES OVER 300 MILES--

\hFROM THE FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS

ALL THE WAY TO THE ATLANTIC.

THE RIVER DIVIDES SOUTH CAROLINA FROM GEORGIA TO THE SOUTH.

\h\hLYING IN THE MIDST OF THIS SEEMINGLY PRISTINE WILDERNESS

IS A VAST, ONCE TOP SECRET \h\h\h\hINDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

THAT COVERS 300 SQUARE MILES.

THE SAVANNAH RIVER SITE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hWAS BUILT

BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY IN THE 1950s.

FOR DECADES, UP TO FIVE GIANT \h\h\h\hREACTORS PRODUCED 40%

OF THE PLUTONIUM USED TO BUILD THE NATION‘S NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

\h\hTODAY THE REACTORS AND THE SITE‘S OTHER PROCESSING PLANTS

HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN.

THEY WERE TOO OLD TO OPERATE \hWITHOUT EXPENSIVE REPAIRS.

AND THE SITE IS NOW CONTAMINATED

WITH TENS OF MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE.

\hTHE PLAN IS TO ENTOMB THE OLD REACTORS AND SEAL OFF THE WASTE.

BUT THAT‘S EXPECTED TO TAKE \hA VAST AMOUNT OF CEMENT--

\hENOUGH TO FILL FOUR HOME DEPOT STORES RIGHT UP TO THEIR ROOFS.

60 MILES UP THE COAST FROM THE MOUTH OF THE SAVANNAH

IS WADMALAW ISLAND,

\h\h\h\hHOME TO A UNIQUE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT.

IN THE LATE 19th CENTURY,

THE AMERICAN DEPARTMENT \h\h\h\h\hOF AGRICULTURE

\h\hWAS SEARCHING FOR NEW FINANCIALLY VIABLE CROPS.

\h\hUNTIL THEN, ALMOST ALL OF AMERICA‘S TEA CAME FROM ASIA.

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY DISCOVERED THAT SOUTH CAROLINA‘S HUMID CLIMATE

AND SANDY SOIL COULD BE PERFECT FOR GROWING HIGH QUALITY TEA.

\hBUT THE LABOR COST OF PICKING THE TEA LEAVES IN SOUTH CAROLINA

WAS EIGHT TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IT WAS IN CHINA OR INDIA,

AND AFTER JUST FOUR YEARS THE VENTURE WAS SHUT DOWN.

HOWEVER, ANOTHER TEA PLANTATION WAS FOUNDED NEARBY IN 1888,

\h\hPRODUCING AWARD-WINNING TEAS UNTIL ITS OWNER‘S DEATH IN 1915.

THEN, THE TEA PLANTS GREW WILD \hUNTIL THEY WERE TRANSPLANTED

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND CULTIVATED BY THE LIPTON TEA COMPANY IN 1963.

FEARING THE INSTABILITY OF THE THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES

\h\hTHAT PRODUCED SO MUCH OF ITS TEA, LIPTON WANTED TO EXPERIMENT

WITH CREATING ITS OWN \h\hWORKING TEA FARM.

THE COMPANY EVENTUALLY \h\hSOLD THE VENTURE,

BUT TODAY THE TEA PLANTATION \h\h\h\hREMAINS IN OPERATION

AS THE COUNTRY‘S ONLY COMMERCIAL TEA GARDEN.

THE AMERICAN CLASSIC BRAND \hOF TEA THAT IT PRODUCES

IS THE OFFICIAL TEA OF THE WHITE HOUSE.

SOUTHWEST IS ANOTHER \h\h\hBARRIER ISLAND

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT ONCE PRODUCED THE FINEST COTTON IN THE WORLD.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND COVERS MORE THAN 40 SQUARE MILES,

\h\hAND IS ONE OF THE LARGEST BARRIER ISLANDS ON THE COAST.

IT‘S HAD MANY INHABITANTS \h\h\hOVER THE CENTURIES,

INCLUDING NATIVE AMERICANS \h\hAND SPANISH EXPLORERS.

\h\h\h\hBUT IT WASN‘T UNTIL THE BRITISH COTTON PLANTERS

ARRIVED HERE AROUND 1800

THAT THE ISLAND DEVELOPED INTO \h\h\hAN ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE.

BY THE START OF THE CIVIL WAR,

MORE THAN 20 PLANTATIONS \h\h\h\h\hHAD SPRUNG UP,

INCLUDING THE FIRST IN AMERICA

TO GROW EXTRA-LONG \h\hSTAPLE COTTON,

BETTER KNOWN AS EGYPTIAN COTTON.

COTTON MAY NO LONGER \h\h\hBE KING HERE,

BUT THE ISLAND IS STILL AN ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE.

\hEVERY YEAR, TOURISTS PUMP ROUGHLY 1.5 BILLION DOLLARS

INTO HILTON HEAD‘S ECONOMY.

JUST NORTH OF HILTON HEAD

LIES ONE OF THE TOUGHEST \h\h\h\hPLACES ON EARTH.

PARRIS ISLAND HAD BEEN HOME TO \h\h\h\hTHE U.S. MARINE CORPS

SINCE 1891.

\hIT‘S HERE WHERE NEWLY ENLISTED RECRUITS ARE TURNED INTO MARINES

IN JUST 13 WEEKS.

TODAY, DRILL INSTRUCTORS \h\h\hTRAIN AN ESTIMATED

\h\h\h\h19,000 MEN AND WOMEN AT PARRIS ISLAND EACH YEAR.

THE HUMORIST ART BUCHWALD, \h\h\h\h\hA FORMER MARINE

WHO GOT HIS TRAINING \hAT PARRIS ISLAND,

DESCRIBED HIS EXPERIENCE THERE \h\h\hAS, "A VERY PAINFUL ONE,

WHICH IS EXACTLY HOW THE MARINES INTENDED IT TO BE."

\h\hITS PURPOSE HE SAID WAS TO "BREAK YOU DOWN,

AND THEN REBUILD YOU \h\h\hINTO A SOLDIER

\h\hWHO WILL NEVER QUESTION AN ORDER,

WHO WILL ALWAYS WORRY \h\hABOUT THEIR BUDDY,

AND WHO SOMEDAY WILL WALK \hAS TALL AS JOHN WAYNE."

IN MARCH 1971, JOE FRAZIER

BECAME A HOUSEHOLD NAME \h\h\h\hAROUND THE WORLD

\h\hWHEN HE KNOCKED DOWN MUHAMMAD ALI IN ROUND 15

AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.

FRAZIER WAS BORN HERE \h\h\h\h\hIN BEAUFORT,

\h\hSOUTH CAROLINA‘S SECOND OLDEST TOWN.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hITS QUAINT, HISTORIC STREETS AND HOUSES

HAVE MADE THIS TOWN AN IDEAL MOVIE SET.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFILMS LIKE FORREST GUMP, THE BIG CHILL,

\h\h\h\hPRINCE OF TIDES WERE ALL SHOT HERE.

CELEBRITIES OFTEN STAY AT THE RHETT HOUSE INN

ON CRAVEN STREET,

A CLASSIC 1820 PLANTATION HOUSE TURNED LUXURY HOTEL.

DURING THE CIVIL WAR,

BEAUFORT WAS MORE FORTUNATE THAN MANY OF ITS NEIGHBORING TOWNS.

WHEREVER THEY WENT,

\hNORTHERN TROOPS LEFT A PATH OF DESTRUCTION.

BUT THE ARMY SPARED BEAUFORT,

\hUSING IT INSTEAD AS A UNION HEADQUARTERS.

AS A RESULT, MANY OF THE CITY‘S HISTORIC ANTEBELLUM BUILDINGS

HAVE BEEN PRESERVED.

\hFROM ITS BARRIER ISLANDS, ALONG ITS PRISTINE BEACHES,

AND INLAND ACROSS ITS GIANT \h\h\h\h\hFLOODPLAIN FOREST,

SOUTH CAROLINA IS AS MUCH DEFINED BY ITS WILD SPACES

AS IT IS BY THE HISTORY \hWOVEN INTO ITS EARTH.

TO SEE SOUTH CAROLINA BY AIR \h\h\hIS A CHANCE TO EXPLORE

THE TRUE SPIRIT OF THE SOUTH.

FROM THE ELEGANT STREETS \h\h\h\h\hOF CHARLESTON,

TO THE ROUGH FRONTIER VILLAGES \h\h\h\h\h\hOF EARLY PIONEERS,

TO THE GIANT PLANTATIONS

\h\h\h\h\hTHAT BUILT SOME OF AMERICA‘S BIGGEST FORTUNES,

\h\hAND THE STORIES OF THOSE WHO WERE BROUGHT UNWILLINGLY

TO ITS SHORES...

AERIAL SOUTH CAROLINA \h\h\h\hTRAVELS ACROSS

AMERICA‘S SMALLEST \h\hSOUTHERN STATE

WHOSE STORIES ARE AS BIG \hAS THE NATION ITSELF.