Florence County Real Estate Blog

I experienced a first today. I went on my first train ride, catching Amtrak in Florence, SC and traveling to Wilmington, Delaware. My 83 year old mother, two sisters and I are visiting a first cousin in Maryland, the Amish country and Philadelphia. I was very pleased with the train ride. There is a lot more room on the train than you have on an airplane and you have electricity to power any electronic devices. I was able to use my laptop and not worry about losing power. Our train did not have a dining car, only a concession stand, so it was good that we brought along sandwiches and snacks for the trip (very cost effective too.) It was nice not to have to worry about driving and being able to visit with my mother and sisters during the trip. So if you have never experienced a train ride, I would definitely recommend trying one especially if you are traveling with family or friends. It gives you bonding time, sleeping time, reading time, or whatever you want to make of it time. All Aboard!

The National Bean Market Museum of SC located at 111 Henry St., Lake City, SC will be hosting a plethora of events the remainder of 2008. The schedule is as follows.

Hours of Operation Monday – Friday 8-4 2008

Fall Schedule of Events

Farmers Market every Saturday through October (9am – 1pm)

September 3rd – October 1st The SC Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum Traveling Exhibit: Write from the Front. This exhibit showcases SC Military who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Bosnia.

September 20th SC Tobacco Festival: Activities at the Bean Market: Attic Artifacts (a showcase of local’s citizen’s antiques and antiquities), Antique Auction, Exhibits, Expanded Farmers Market, and Entertainment.

October 24th – December 21st Smithsonian Institute Traveling Exhibit: Key Ingredients: American by Food

October 24th and 25th The SC Humanities Festival with guest speakers, tours and entertainment.

November 1st Registration Payment for European Trip: Germany and Switzerland (July 8th - July 21st) Dr. Joe Stukes Tour Leader and Sherri Moore/Briley Altman Tour Coordinators.

November 15th Junior Women’s Club Annual Oyster Roast

November 21st and 22nd Native American Days (schedule TBA)

November 29th Clemson-Carolina Tailgate and Game

December 5th – 7th SC Holiday Market (schedule TBA)

Currently, renovations and reconstruction of the Bean Market building are under way. However, intensive designs and redevelopment of the building to enhance the property as a community facility without diminishing the Bean Market feel will start after the first of the year. The National Bean Market Museum will close January – March 2009 due to these renovations; the office, however, remains open at an offsite location.

Scrantons's Schoolhouse Bar-B-Que offers some of the best food to be found. It is in Florence County in a historical setting. This popular restaurant opened in 1994 in Scranton, SC in a schoolhouse built in the 1930's during the Great Depression. Howell has added on several times due to his growing business and now has a seating capacity of 350. So if you want some good ole southern barbeque or fried chicken leave  church a little early on Sunday because the crowd will be gathering for their Sunday dinner and the line is always back out the door.

The sign is a replica of the actual building which Howell has decorated with a lot tins to lend to the rustic atmosphere. So see what the buzz is all about in Scranton Thursday - Sunday at the Schoolhouse Bar-B-Que.

Mcleod Park offers over 50 acres of recreational fun in the heart of Florence on Santiago Drive. It has many of the common features you find in most parks - picnic areas, nature trails, tennis courts, volleyball court, baseball fields, basketball goals, horse shoes, concession stand and restrooms. But one unique feature that you don't find at other parks is a Skate Park Facility. Skate boarding is a passion of many especially the younger crowd and they now have a place to perfect their skills without using sidewalks and parking lots. So thumbs up Florence to offering this facility that is unique and needed.

Florence County is fortunate to be the home of the new Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (SIMT). Located at Florence Darlington Technical College, SIMT will provide training and technology solutions that will maximize workforce productivity in the manufacturing industry. According to the SIMT's website, "The Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology is the premiere technical service provider, and training facility, for industry in the southeastern portion of the United States. It’s state of the art facilities are located on a 146-acre campus in Florence, SC. SIMT provides engineering/CAD/CAM, rapid prototyping, and 3D/virtual reality services as well as leading edge manufacturing workforce development and business process training."

Coward may be small but it is home of one of the best barbeque restaurants around. A little over a year now Fat Back's BB-Que has made its home in the little town of Coward. So when you are passing down Highway 52 from Florence to Lake City stop by and enjoy a good ole plate of southern barbeque in their rustic setting. The restaurant mimics an old tobacco barn.

Effingham is a community or populated place located in Florence County on Highway 52 between Florence and Lake City. Lynches River runs through Effingham and on the river is the McCalls Farms Cannery. The cannery added a $3.9 Million Dollar expansion that includes a vegetable-freezing division to the already massive operation. Effingham is also home to the Florence County Detention Center. The Detention Center, part of the Law Enforcement Complex, has a reputation among the law enforcement community of being one of the finest facilities of its kind anywhere.

Need a quick birthday gift or wedding gift? Then go to the hospital. What? The Hospital? Yes, one of the best gift shops in Lake City is located at the Lake City Community Hospital. The Gift Nook is located in the front entrance of the hospital. It is open Monday through Friday from 9am – 4pm. The Gift Nook has a variety of gifts for many occasions. It is staffed by the volunteer auxiliary. Not only will you find great gifts there but you will also be helping out the community by supporting the local hospital.

Coward is a small town located on Highway 52 in Florence County between the towns of Florence and Lake City. The town has a population of approximately 700 people. Coward is home of the Lynches River County Park which features fishing, canoeing, nature trails, picnicking, cabin rentals and more. The park has a community center which can be rented for events, a Splash Pad for entertainment for the family, and a newly constructed Environmental Discovery Center. Coward is also home of a recreation complex featuring three fields, picnic shelter and concessions. Coward has a community center, public tennis courts and a park in the center of town.

Lake City is located 23 miles south of Florence in the lower part of Florence County. Lake City is strategically located in the state. It is only 60 miles from Myrtle Beach, 90 miles from Charleston, and only 80 miles from Columbia. Lake City has a population of around 7000 people and is the second largest city in Florence County. The recreational activities within the city include the 18-hole golf course at the Lake City Country Club, eight public tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, and playgrounds. Lake City has a history rich in agriculture and is home of the National Bean Market Museum located in downtown Lake City. The Museum sponsors many community activities including the Farmer’s Festival, Tobacco Festival and many more. The museum includes exhibits and displays depicting early farm life in the Pee Dee area. The site includes a pole tobacco barn, market area and Agriculture Center. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.