♪ upbeat music ♪ ♪ ♪ music continues ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <Devyn Whitmire> South Carolina's rich history can be explored in many ways, through architecture, artifacts, and above all by engaging with the people dedicated to preserving it.

Hey there, I'm Devyn Whitmire.

In this episode of "Go For It", we venture back for a look at the textile industry in the upcountry, visit a historic opera house in the Old 96 district, and head to Charleston to meet an artist who shares their history and culture through their craft.

There's something so special about small-town South Carolina.

Today I'm visiting the Elloree Heritage Museum and Cultural Center located at the heart of this town's historic district.

Around 130 miles northwest from here is Abbeville, where they say is pretty near perfect.

Come along as we find the best seat in the town's opera house.

♪ light music ♪ ♪ In my world, talking about places to see and experience in South Carolina, we use the words hidden and gem quite a lot.

But when you think about it, what do those words really mean?

So I looked it up.

The definition of the word hidden gem is actually something that has value or beauty that isn't immediately apparent, and therefore it gets less recognition than it deserves.

And it's one of my absolute favorite things to find such places and then share it with as many people as I can.

I am so thrilled to be able to do that today with Abbeville.

Abbeville is a town with so much history and charm.

And at the very heart of this true hidden gem is the Abbeville Opera House.

So let's go for it.

♪ light music ♪ ♪ <Devyn> This is Austin Walker, the Community Development Director here in Abbeville.

Austin, can you tell me a little bit about your role here?

>> Yeah, I have one of the funniest roles in city government.

I get to plan events and festivals.

I also get to direct the Opera House and the events that go on there, and then help small businesses grow and develop and stay for a long time.

<Devyn> Oh, I love that.

So when I parked earlier, I saw the tagline.

It said, "Pretty near perfect."

Can you tell me what that means?

<Austin> Yeah, so that's our city's tagline.

When you come to Abbeville, you see that life just runs at a different pace.

We're slower.

We take long walks, take in the fresh air.

And we really believe that, when you visit or stay here, it is pretty near perfect.

<Devyn> I am so excited to see the Opera House.

Can you tell me a little bit about why it's such a big part of Abbeville's story?

<Austin> Yeah, so it's been a part of Abbeville's story from the beginning.

So the Seaboard Airline Railroad came through in the late 1800s.

And it was bringing people from up north.

And it was the perfect place to build an inn and an opera house to accommodate these attractions.

And so all of the rail workers would come for entertainment, and we'd also actually get people from our nearby town Greenwood.

<Devyn> I know this opera house is the star.

Do you think you can show me around?

<Austin> Absolutely.

<Devyn> All right, let's go for it.

♪ tango music ♪ ♪ <Austin> So it was actually designed after Atlanta's Grant Theater.

And it officially opened in 1904, but they didn't dedicate it until 1908.

<Devyn> Okay.

So what would you say is the best seat in the house?

<Austin> I would say the best seat in the house are the box seats on either side down in the orchestra because you really feel like you're on stage.

It's eye level.

You're not looking up.

You're not looking down.

You're right at it.

<Devyn> I don't know, it feels like you're walking back in time.

Could you imagine the people who would be sitting in the boxes.

<Austin> Yeah.

Dressed up, hand fans, yeah, all the things.

This opera house used to seat nearly a thousand people, but the seats were like this big.

(laughs) So now we only see about 300.

But one day, we hope to restore the third floor and create more seats.

♪ Welcome backstage.

<Devyn> Welcome backstage.

<Austin> We also have one of the last rigging and pulley systems with ropes in the state of South Carolina.

It's made of ropes and weights.

And it would pull sets and curtains and lights up and down on stage.

<Devyn> Oh, my goodness.

And so you said these are really dangerous, so you don't use them anymore?

<Austin> Well, we do actually have one little rope system that we use.

It's not anywhere near as dangerous as this, and it's to pull open Big Red.

<Devyn> Big Red, that's the curtain?

<Austin> Yeah, that's the main curtain.

<Devyn> Oh, I love that.

<Austin> Do you wanna pull it?

<Devyn> (gasps) I can?

<Austin> Yeah, come on.

<Devyn> Okay.

(laughs) I've never pulled a curtain before.

<Austin> So here we are.

It's gonna be this one.

<Devyn> Okay.

<Austin> You're gonna pull really hard because it's very heavy.

<Devyn> Okay.

Oh, my gosh!

Are you sure?

<Austin> Yeah.

<Devyn> I'm really excited.

Okay.

<Austin> Yeah.

<Devyn> Ooh, gosh.

It is really heavy.

(Austin laughing) (gasps) <Devyn> Big Red!

(fanfare playing) Is this thing on?

Did you know that the first french fries were actually not made in France?

They were cooked in Greece.

(Austin laughing and clapping) <Devyn> Why did the Invisible Man turn down the job offer?

Because he couldn't see himself doing it.

(Austin clapping) Thank you so much, everybody.

Thank you.

You've been a great audience.

It's been wonderful.

Have a good night.

♪ <Devyn> Oh, my gosh.

Well, I didn't realize I was gonna be doing standup today, but thank you so much for that life opportunity.

<Austin> Yeah, you did great.

I mean, we're gonna call you back next time for Ginger Billy.

<Devyn> Oh, my goodness.

I'm ready.

But thank you so much >> Yeah.

<Devyn> For showing me around.

<Devyn> This place is so special and cool.

I really appreciate your time and touring me around and giving me a stage.

<Austin> Absolutely.

<Devyn> That was so much fun.

<Austin> Any time.

<Devyn> Thank you.

I think I really wanna kind of go and explore a little bit more of the Town Square.

What was that donut place that you told me about?

<Austin> It's called Two Brews.

<Devyn> Okay.

<Austin> You've got to go.

<Devyn> I've got to go?

<Austin> Yeah.

<Devyn> All right.

So let's go for it.

♪ light music ♪ ♪ <Devyn> If you've watched the show, you know I love a small town.

I love the history.

I love the architecture, the quaintness, and especially the people.

I so enjoyed meeting Austin today and getting a tour of the Opera House, and really just experiencing some of Abbeville's magic.

There is nothing like small town South Carolina.

And if you are looking to discover a hidden gem of your own, well, we've got plenty right here in the Palmetto State.

So just go for it.

♪ light music ♪ ♪ I wonder if they'll have me back as an opening act.

Being on stage and seeing the theater gave me a moment to realize all the history that had taken place within the Opera House walls.

Now let's head inside the museum to get a glimpse at rural life when the town of Elloree was founded by William J. Snyder, whose original home is on display inside.

♪ It's got our barbershop, our first essential here at the Elloree Heritage Museum.

Got our bank, all the essentials, our hardware store.

And this is where I would spend all of my time, I think, where you get ice cream at the soda shop.

♪ Oh, my gosh.

It's like an old school kitchen.

See, I love this because I spend a lot of time in my own kitchen.

Is this an ice box?

I think so, or... (gasps) It is.

Ah, look at this.

They even have old school ice trays.

♪ That's amazing.

♪ And the toaster.

What is that?

Got to have your radio in your kitchen.

We just ask Alexa, but ♪ they knew what they were doing.

Oven, that is amazing.

Even the little knobs on the stove.

♪ It's fascinating to get a glimpse at what Cleveland Street looked like in the 1900s.

Now we'll travel to Charleston City Market, where you can shop from vibrant entrepreneurs and craftspeople the same way they've done it for the past 200 years, now with air conditioning in some portions.

♪ light music ♪ ♪ Over the past few years, I've had the privilege of visiting the beautiful city of Charleston quite a bit.

And it truly never gets old.

Whether you're visiting for the first time or you get down here every chance you get, you're gonna be moved by the stories that the city tells through every meal, every tour, and every person that you meet along the way.

And today I have the honor or the opportunity to hear the story of sweet grass weaving from Gullah consultant and artist Corey Alston.

Let's go for it.

♪ light music ♪ ♪ ♪ <Corey> Hey, Dev.

<Devyn> Hi, Corey, how are you?

<Corey> How are you?

It's good to see you.

<Devyn> It's good to see you.

How are you today?

>>It's going well, how you been?

<Devyn> I've been so good.

>> That's good, that's good.

<Devyn> Family well?

<Corey> Great, doing well.

>> Good.

<Corey> What brings you in the area?

<Devyn> Well, I'm actually here for you to tell me a little bit about sweet grass basket weaving.

<Corey> Yeah.

<Devyn> Yeah, so you know people can't come to Charleston, right, And not see sweet grass baskets.

<Corey> Right.

<Devyn> So why don't you tell me a little bit about the history behind the art form- >> Okay, well- <Devyn> In South Carolina.

<Corey> Well the art form has...

It dates back to the mid 1600s.

It was brought here during days of enslavement mostly because of rice cultivation.

So this pattern right here is known as a fanning basket.

And so the rice fanners was used for separating the rice from the shaft, known as a winnowing style basket, taking more of a throwing thrashing motion.

The shaft, the husk would've blown away.

During that time of enslavement, rice was the number one cash crop.

And so with the enslaved having the skillset of rice growing, sweet grass basket weaving, that culture pretty much stayed here along the coast and passed down now generationally.

<Devyn> You have been on "Good Morning America".

You have a piece on display at the Smithsonian.

What does that mean for you as a generational artist to be able to share your story, your family's story and culture, with the world?

<Corey> What it means to me is more culture keeping, keeping the culture alive.

There's always someone of a generation that is active, that's putting the work in, that's making sure the people aren't forgotten, the heritage isn't forgotten.

And then also knowing that the collectors or the families that's gonna receive it, they will also have more of a wow factor of, "Wow, you just turned that raw natural grass "that was harvested..." We lay it to dry for about two to three weeks before I can even weave with it.

But I turn it from this into art.

<Devyn> You've got some stunning work here.

It's all so beautiful.

Tell me a little bit about these.

<Corey> So these are palmetto roses.

I actually sell them individually.

I got a bucket up here.

Let me show you a little bit about it if you don't mind.

<Devyn> Yeah.

<Corey> All right.

So up here is where I have them individually tagged for some people that wanna learn the history about them.

I teach people how to make these because this is more of a Confederate background.

And this is a Gullah African history background.

This is bloodline.

This is South Carolina love tokens.

Would you like to make one?

<Devyn> I would love to.

<Corey> Well how about, how about we walk over here?

There's a palm tree that's kind of low.

and I can pull a palm frond out, and maybe I can show you how to make it.

You like that?

<Devyn> I would love that.

<Corey> Let's walk this way.

Come on.

<Devyn> Let's go for it.

<Corey> All right.

♪ <Corey> With palmetto rose making, we first need our state tree.

That's the palmetto tree.

What we're gonna be doing is making a fresh rose.

And as the fresh rose dries, it then takes on this natural tint that lasts forever.

Most people wanna know, where did this come from?

Is it a sweet grass rose?

No, it's not.

It's a palmetto rose.

So we're gonna use our palmetto trees to make this rose from start to finish.

Are you ready?

<Devyn> I'm so ready.

Let's go for it.

<Corey> All right.

So what we have to do is find a palmetto tree.

And what we're gonna do is, we're gonna pop out the center stalk.

<Devyn> Okay.

<Corey> That's where it grows at in the middle before it opens up.

All right?

♪ All right.

So if you'll hold this.

<Devyn> I would be delighted to, thank you.

<Corey> What we're gonna do now is, we're gonna open it up.

We're gonna take that center.

>> Oh, my gosh.

<Corey> This is what we're gonna make it out of, this material right here.

So we break it down.

<Devyn> I've never seen...

It's like an accordion.

<Corey> Yeah.

<Devyn> Almost.

<Corey> And this is gonna be how we're gonna make it.

And I'm gonna show you every step.

So then when you get back later, you can make them.

Yeah?

All right.

<Devyn> That's amazing.

<Corey> So we'll sit that right there.

<Devyn> Okay.

<Corey> So, this here is gonna be what we call a palmetto frond.

So we're gonna split it down.

You know what?

How about, Devyn, you make this one.

<Devyn> Oh, okay.

<Corey> And I make one as well.

>> Okay.

<Corey> Yeah.

<Devyn> I love that.

<Corey> That way you have hands on.

<Devyn> I love that.

<Corey> All right, let's do that.

<Devyn> Can I sit our friends right there?

<Corey> Yeah.

This is gonna be fun.

So then you'll make it yourself.

<Devyn> Ah, okay.

<Corey> All right.

All right, so now I'm going to catch up with you.

I'm going to bring it down to about 12 inches of stem.

<Devyn> Okay.

<Corey> So leave it, okay.

So we turn the same way.

You're on my left.

So we're gonna take this top frond, fold it to the left at about a 90 degree, using your right thumb to press down.

Let's take this one and take this down to a 45, like right in between the 90 and the stem.

Now we go back.

Now we're gonna start rotating and alternating, all right?

I'm going to go slow.

So don't worry.

<Devyn> Okay.

<Corey> I'm gonna go slow.

<Devyn> I trust you.

<Corey> All right, so we're gonna take the first one and go over, turn.

Now we're gonna slowly turn the stem clockwise.

Yep, now we're gonna take the other one and fold it over.

Keeping the stem moving at all times.

Fold and turn.

Keep on turning that stem away from you, yep.

You got it, Dev.

Check that out.

We folded all the material out.

You must have did this before.

You're doing good.

You're doing great.

What are you doing in Columbia?

<Devyn> My crafty mom is gonna be so excited.

<Corey> Yeah, I think you making roses on the side.

<Devyn> She calls herself a freaking craft genius.

I'm like, but you don't know how to make a rose though.

<Corey> This looks good.

All right.

So I'm gonna catch up with you because you're almost done.

<Devyn> You can already see the... A little bit of the pedals though.

<Corey> This tail, remember the hole that we left in that rose?

We want to now stick this tail through the hole.

♪ Just like that.

<Devyn> Okay.

<Corey> You wanna kind of pull it.

You'll hear a click.

♪ All right, stop.

You're gonna take your hand, your right hand, and open it like a V. You're gonna stick that in there, that rose, everything like that.

Set it on in there.

What we're gonna do, we're gonna take this stem, and now counterclockwise twist it.

We're gonna twist it to your left.

<Devyn> Okay.

<Corey> And as we twist it, I want you to squeeze your hand like a pump in it.

<Devyn> Like a stress ball.

<Corey> Correct, correct.

So we're gonna pull and squeeze, pull and squeeze.

As you're doing that, you're gonna see it start to shape.

Look at it.

It's coming together.

♪ See it?

<Devyn> Mine's not nearly as pretty as yours.

<Corey> Well, I've been doing this for a long time long.

>> I mean, yeah.

<Corey> Long time.

(laughs) <Devyn> Come on.

<Corey> Now we're gonna lock it in by using these little fingers that was draping around.

And we're gonna find a hole to stick it through.

Some people... Yep, yep.

<Devyn> I'm gonna to cheat and look and see <Corey> Yep, just find it.

Okay, so you guys found my hole.

So some people use a rubber band.

Rubber band locks it in permanently.

We're locking it in just temporarily.

To secure it permanently like I did on mine, let me show you.

So like on mine here, I use a rubber band to lock it in.

So when it dries, it stays together.

You have a palmetto rose.

<Devyn> I have a palmetto rose.

<Corey> People first mistake it to be a sweet grass rose.

It's not that it's a sweet grass rose.

It's a rose made by a sweet grass weaver.

This is a palmetto rose that was more known as a love token, a confederate artifact.

So today you'll find sweet grass basket weavers making it.

You'll find some of the boys of Charleston making the palmetto roses.

I want you to have this one.

<Devyn> Oh, thank you.

<Corey> And then, so this is the story on the back.

That's gonna tell you everything I just told you about.

<Devyn> Thank you.

This is so special and so significant to you to know the difference between what you do as a sweet grass weaver and what you can teach others about the palmetto rose.

<Corey> Yes, yes.

<Devyn> The difference.

I'm so grateful to Corey for sharing his time and talent with me today.

Just getting a glimpse of his story, his culture, and craftsmanship, I'll never come to Charleston and look at sweet grass basket weaving in the same way.

That is the beautiful power of travel.

When you dig a little bit deeper, and you try or learn something new, it's gonna change you for the better.

So plan a new visit to South Carolina.

Maybe support a local artist and take the time to hear their story.

Just go for it.

♪ light music ♪ ♪ If you have the pleasure of catching Corey at the market's entrance on Meeting Street, make sure to say hello if he doesn't beat you to it.

Now that you've seen weaving as an art form, let's look at it on an industrial scale.

At one point, the textile industry employed one out of every three people living in Green Bowl, one of those people being my dad, Gary.

Come along with my dad and I as we go on a tour of Greenville's historic textile mills and villages.

♪ light music ♪ ♪ Today's adventure is really special for a few reasons.

For starters, we are in Greenville, South Carolina, which is where I grew up.

I love coming to visit my old stomping grounds and spending time with family.

And speaking of family, my dad is here with me today.

I get to bring him along with me as we take a very special family history lesson.

You know, when you travel across South Carolina's upstate, you're probably gonna see some towering smoke stacks, skeletons, and even restored old mills from Oconee to Pickens, to Spartanburg and beyond.

These mills once put the Palmetto State at the very top of the textile industry.

My family has deep roots within the textile mills and villages here that are such a major part of Greenville's history.

And I'm super excited to trace those roots today.

So let's go for it.

♪ light music ♪ ♪ <Devyn> All right, y'all, we are here with John Nolan of Greenville History Tours.

John, what kind of tours can people have and experience with you around Greenville?

<John> I started the tour business 16 years ago, and I offer a variety of historic tours.

I have a couple of that are walking tours downtown.

And then I have some driving tours that cover various aspects of our city.

<Devyn> I actually brought my dad here with me today.

You're gonna take the tour with us, daddy.

Don't we have, like, a significant textile mill history?

>> We do.

<Devyn> Yeah?

How often do you get people like us who have that kind of history come on your tours?

<John> Yeah, every once in a while.

And I love it when people that have worked at these mills come on the tour 'cause I learn so much from them, the personal stories.

It's just a thrill to have them and very nice to meet you today.

And I hope to learn more from you.

<Devyn> Great.

Well, what do you think, dad?

Are you ready to take a walk down memory lane?

<Gary> Let's go for it.

<Devyn> (laughs) Let's go for it.

♪ light music ♪ ♪ <John> We're here at the Woodside Mill.

This is a mill that was right at the turn of the century.

And it started out smaller than it is now, but it was continued to be added onto in the first decade of the 1900s.

And by 1912, this was the largest mill in America.

♪ <Devyn> So why are there so many textile mills in the upstate of South Carolina?

<John> Before the Civil War, the cotton was being grown down here in the south, but it'd be sent up to factories in New England.

And there was a huge fire in Boston in 1872 and burned down the city.

And a lot of the cotton merchants had offices there.

And when they kind of had to reset, they looked here to the south to build new mills.

So after the war, there was a lot of cheap labor down here.

And it was close to the cotton rather than shipping it up to New England.

So after the war, most of the mills started to be built down here.

So coming up here again to the mill village, I'm gonna show you a few pictures here.

This is the original size of the mill.

So we're actually driving right there where that stagecoach is in that photo, right here.

In this postcard, you can see the trolley coming down the street right here.

And the trolley went out to all the mill villages and would bring workers back into downtown Greenville.

Gary, I imagine this looks awfully familiar to you, coming up here in front of us.

<Gary> It does.

(John laughing) I spent many a day in Dunean.

<John> This is in the style of the Judson Mill.

So it's, you know, two story mill, spread out.

So this was the new style in the 1910s.

So Gary, I imagine you have so many memories right in here.

So how about we get out and take a look around, and you can tell us a little bit about it.

<Gary> Let's go for it.

<Devyn> Let's go for it.

♪ light music ♪ <John> So Dunean was really a innovative mill.

This was called the Million Dollar Mill, in fact.

It was the first mill in Greenville to cost a million dollars to build.

Ellison Smyth, who was called the Dean of Southern Mills, he's the one who started this up.

Smyth Street is just right over here.

<Devyn> Didn't you grow up on Smyth Street?

<Gary> That is the street I grew up on.

<John> Yeah?

>> Yep.

<Devyn> So cool.

<Gary> Now that's the Methodist Church where I went to church as a kid, and all the way up until...

In fact, your Uncle Bob and Aunt Jean got married there, 1969.

♪ light music ♪ ♪ <John> So this is where the company store was back in the day.

Looks like there's a little bit of a remnant of a wall right there.

You probably have maybe some memories of this building being here, right?

<Gary> I do.

I remember the building, but when I was coming up, it was Riddle's Grocery Store.

<John> Okay.

<Gary> It wasn't the company store anymore.

<John> Huh.

<Gary> It was my understanding years ago, they used company money that they could use to purchase their everyday goods.

<Devyn> Okay.

<John> I just happen to have some mill money with me here.

This is some paper money from Dunean Store.

This is a little more rare to see.

And this is an unused coupon book.

You know, there are different denominations here: 10 cents, 5 cents, 2 cents.

You know, workers would use this borrowing against their next paycheck.

You know, it could only be used at this store and get their everyday goods.

♪ light music ♪ <Devyn> Gosh, that is just so cool.

This whole tour has been so cool.

Thank you so much, John.

It's been really neat to get to experience this with my dad.

And you guys probably have a lot more that you could be talking about, so- <John> Yep.

<Gary> That's for sure.

<Devyn> I'm gonna leave you to it.

<John> Okay.

♪ <Devyn> I knew today was gonna be special, but it definitely exceeded all my expectations.

I feel like I'm seeing all of the stories and experience I had as a kid through a whole new lens.

There really is always something new to discover in South Carolina, even in your hometown.

So if you're looking to make some new memories out of the old, just go for it.

♪ light music ♪ ♪ What a special experience with my dad.

If you'd like to check out more "Go For It", visit SouthCarolinaETV.org.

You can read about more of my experiences and adventures at DiscoverSouthCarolina.com.

And if you want to discover South Carolina through the past or present, well, just go for it.

♪ light music ♪ ♪ ♪ music continues ♪ ♪ ♪ music continues ♪ ♪ ♪ music continues ♪ ♪