Mary Long’s Yesteryear, produced and hosted by the titular Mary Long, toured sites of history and heritage across South Carolina while telling interesting stories about them that may not have made it into the history textbook.
On this episode, Long delivers a captivating history of Pendleton, one of the first towns settled in Upcounty South Carolina, founded on former Cherokee ground after losing a small war against the British. In the hostile days of the early frontier, with the state being settled by many conflicting ideological groups in an often tense relationship with each other, Pendleton became a central location for them to come together. It also served as a crossroads where many important South Carolinians would gain experience and connections, such as Andrew Pickens, John C. Calhoun, Charles Pickney, and Stonewall Jackson.
Pendleton may be small, but Mary Long would not have anyone forget its storied history, still well preserved throughout its plantations, museums, and passion.
SIDE NOTE:
- The Pendleton Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, containing the entire town and its nearby surroundings.
- Hunter’s Store, the building that once hosted Pendleton’s first true general store, remains well preserved and serves as the headquarters of the Pendleton District Historic Commission. A ghost is said to live on the upper floor.
For more content about South Carolina history and heritage, there are plenty more episodes of Mary Long’s Yesteryear available from South Carolina ETV’s vault. For a broader view of our historic programming, check out the ETV Classics digital series. Additional programs from Mary Long's Yesteryear are located here.