DEL.ICIO.USFROM ATLANTA TO...ANDERSON, S.C.
One-tank trip: Anderson, S.C.
For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday, February 15, 2009
To celebrate its proximity to Lake Hartwell, the city of Anderson has put its own spin on the trend of town mascots. Thirty-six 6-foot-tall fiberglass fish (largemouth bass, to be exact) have been decorated by area artists and installed through the downtown area, demonstrating that there’s more to this Scots-Irish-founded town than its hard-working manufacturing base.
Lisa Lowe Stauffer / AJC Special
Big fiberglass fish adorn downtown Anderson. It’s a few minutes from Lake Hartwell and barely outside Georgia, so it’s doubly convenient.
Lisa Lowe Stauffer / AJC Special
Two Gather Beads store on Anderson’s Main Street has everything you could want if you’re into beading. It even offers workshops.
Lisa Lowe Stauffer / AJC Special
Split Creek Farm is known for its goat cheese and other farm-fresh goodies. You’ll love the goats, their kids and the herding dogs.
Lisa Lowe Stauffer / AJC Special
The Evergreen Inn, an antebellum mansion, is part of the Evergreen Day Spa and B&B. It offers comfort and gorgeous surroundings that remind travelers of the area’s fascinating history.
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Formerly part of Cherokee territory, the city of Anderson was founded in 1826 and named for a Revolutionary War hero, Gen. Robert Anderson. Mostly Scots-Irish farmers settled the region, producing crops that included cotton.
Anderson’s role as a manufacturing center was assured in the late 1800s when a local engineer, William Whitner, developed a network of wires to conduct electricity from its hydroelectric source. Anderson’s numerous textile mills could operate 24 hours a day all year long, and the first electric-powered cotton gin was put into service.
Because Anderson was the first city in the United States to have a continuous supply of electric power, it’s known as the Electric City. A statue of Whitner stands in front of the county courthouse to honor his accomplishment.
Don’t Miss:
• Split Creek Farm & Goat Dairy. Commune with goats, chickens and other livestock, then stock up on artisan goat cheese at the working farm. The farm teems with baby goats during “kidding” season, which begins in late February and lasts to early June. An open house is held twice a year — the next one is May 2. Come see Border Collies and Great Pyrenees demonstrate their herding and guarding skills. A shop is open year-round selling cheese, fudge, raw milk, milk soap products and eggs, as well as co-owner Patricia Bell’s folk art. 3806 Centerville Road. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 2-5 p.m. Sun.; admission free, tours $5 per person, 10-person minimum, call to schedule. 864-287-3921; www.splitcreek.com.
• Anderson County Museum. Notable displays include one on America’s wars from the Revolution to Afghanistan and Iraq, with memorabilia, uniforms and photos of service members from the local area. Another exhibit traces cotton’s path from the field to bales to manufacturing to finished products. Children will enjoy the half-sized one-room schoolhouse and miniature replica of a local mansion. 202 E. Greenville St.
10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tues., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wed.-Sat.; free admission; 864-260-4737;
• Anderson City Fire Department Museum. Explore antique fire trucks, uniforms, hose hand-carts and other firefighting equipment. Don’t miss the old fire alarm box. Tours of the modern fire station and the Safety House, where simulated smoke lets children experience what a real fire would be like, are available by pre-arrangement. 400 S. McDuffie St. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 864-231-2256; www.cityofandersonsc.com
• Anderson Arts Center. Permanent and rotating exhibitions are on view in a renovated 100-year-old building. Phil Moody’s “Textile Town,” on view through Feb. 20, features large-format collages that provide insight into the life of textile workers in towns like Anderson. 110 Federal St. 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; free admission; 864-231-2200; www.andersonarts.org.
̺ Two Gather Beads. This is the place to come for beads, tools, custom designs, repair services, free basic instruction and workshops. Beads come in all shapes, sizes and colors, including semi-precious and precious stones. 305 N. Main St. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tues.-Fri., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat.; 864-226-3223; www.twogatherbeads.com.
IF YOU GO
Where to stay
Evergreen Day Spa and B&B. Located in an antebellum mansion, the B&B has five guest rooms with private baths. Spa services include massage, hair care, mani-pedis and more. Rates are $108-$135. 1103 S. Main St. 864-375-9064, www.spa-it.com.
Where to eat
The Victoria Tea Room. Owners Trevor and Tracy Furlong have created a bit of England in the heart of the South, serving 69 tea varieties in the historic 1888 Chiquola building. A delightful place for breakfast, lunch, a quick cup or high tea on a chilly afternoon. 104 W. Whitner St. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues.-Sat., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun. lunch $5.50-$7.50 set tea $2.75-$11.50. 864-222-8832, www.thevictoriatearoom.com.
More information
Downtown Anderson Visitor’s Center. 110 Federal St. in the Arts Center Warehouse. 864-231-2200, www.downtownanderson.com.
Anderson Convention & Visitor’s Center. www.visitanderson.com
HOW TO GET THERE
From Atlanta, take I-85 north about two hours. Exit at 19A and follow US-76 East/US-178 South about 6 miles to the center of Anderson.
History produced here:
Area’s role in industry made it famous, but visitors will love its farms and other charms.
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