Thursday, September 16, 2010

TOMORROW: "Exploring the Archaeology of Lake Marion" at Elloree Museum

From the Times and Democrat

Busy fall on tap at Elloree museum

ELLOREE - Three special events are scheduled at the Elloree Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in September and October.

On Friday, Sept. 17, Dr. Robert C. Costello of the University of South Carolina-Sumter will conduct a lecture on "Exploring the Archaeology of Lake Marion."

The presentation, set for 7 p.m., will highlight photographs and discuss archaeological artifacts of Lake Marion as well as its flora, fauna and shoreline landscape.

Illustrations will include projectile points - from 13,000-year-old Clovis to more recent lithic tools, pot shreds from ancient fiber-tempered to colonial-era North Devon gravel-tempered ware, cypresses in barrier beach ponds, birds and alligators.

It is hoped those who attend will leave with an enhanced appreciation both for the beauty and the historic significance of Lake Marion, and with the conviction that Hickory Top Wildlife Management Area, the principal location of these studies, is a priceless resource that should remain forever immune from commercial development.

Those in attendance are welcome to bring their own archaeological finds to show the speaker and his research collaborator, Kenn Steffy, following the formal presentation.

There is no charge for the lecture, but seating is limited. Call 803-897-2225 or e-mail elloreemuseum.ntinet.com to make reservations.

You can read the rest of this Times and Democrat article here.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

TOMORROW! Beaufort County Historical Society-Meeting Sept. 16th

Beaufort County Historical Society-Meeting Sept. 16th

The Beaufort County Historical Society will present Parris Island Museum’s Dave Smoot Sept. 16th at noon at the Beaufort Yacht & Sailing Club 30 Yacht Club Drive. Smoot will discuss military medical practices during the Civil War.

An optional light lunch catered by Debi Covington will be served at 11:30 for $10. RSVP, please to Nancy Gilley 843·524·7969

Directions: The Beaufort Yacht & Sailing Club is across the Swing Bridge from Carteret onto Lady’s Island, turn right on Meridian Road ,second right after the bridge. In less than 2 miles, turn right onto Yacht Club Drive.

Upcoming Events:

Nov. 11th --Speaker Kristina Dunn Johnson to discuss the history of the Beaufort US National Cemetery

Dec. 3th – Night on the Town-Downtown Beaufort http://www.downtownbeaufort.com/night-on-the-town

Dec. 4th --The 2nd Annual Beaufort County Historical Society Tour of Historic Churches, this year to include holiday entertainment and optional lunch.

The Beaufort County Historical Society is the oldest association in Beaufort County dedicated to the study and preservation of history. A member based organization, the society was established in 1939.

For further information contact: Pamela Ovens-President
sail@singlestar.us or call 843-785-2767

ASSC/Hilton Head Chapter Fall Speakers Series kicks off Tuesday

Archaeology Society of SC/Hilton Head Chapter Fall Speakers Series Kicks Off Tuesday, September 21

The Archaeology Society of SC/Hilton Head Chapter is pleased to announce that Carl Steen will kick off the Fall speaker series this Tuesday, Sept. 21st, at Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn on Hilton Head, SC at 7 pm. The public is always invited and welcome to attend our Chapter meetings.

Steen's talk will highlight his archaeological exploration at Penn Center, including both American Indian and historic African American (Gullah) recoveries. A native of Charleston, SC, Steen attended College of Charleston, received his BA from USC, and his MA from William and Mary. he began workng as an archaeologist in 1981, and founded Diachronic Research Foundation, a non-profit corporation, in 1991.

Some of Steen’s major projects have included excavations at the John de la Howe site in McCormick County; a survey of pottery kiln sites in the old Edgefield District (modern Aiken, Edgefield and Greenwood counties); excavations at Fort Bragg, concentrating on sites occupied by descendants of the early Scot settlers there; and excavations at Fort Johnson, on James Island, where he examined a variety of occupations including a freedmen's settlement and several military-related occupations.

Upcoming events:

Oct. 20th- Charlie Cobb discussing the campaigns at Palachacolas Town on the Savannah River near Garnett, SC. This will be Wednesday, Oct 20 at 1:00 PM

Nov 16th-- Dan Elliott discussing the Yuchis of Mt Pleasant, SC

For further information: George Stubbs- 843-363-5058 www.assc.net

Friday, September 10, 2010

Legendary guitarist and passionate historian passes

Michael C. Taylor

Legendary guitarist and passionate historian, archaeologist and preservationist, Michael Curtis Taylor, 62, of Hilton Head passed away on Sunday, September 5 at Hilton Head Regional Medical Center.

Taylor was born on July 21, 1948, to Katie Steed and George F. Taylor in Fayetteville, N.C. While a teenager, he taught himself to play the acoustic guitar. His mastery of the instrument put him in demand in the 1960s as a lead guitarist for a variety of folk singers in both Fayetteville and New York City, playing for such legends as Joni Mitchell.

In 1969, he joined an up-and-coming singer named John Denver and with Denver wrote such hits as Sunshine on My Shoulders and Rocky Mountain High. His guitar technique in songs such as The Season Suite and The Eagle and The Hawk often led to his being considered the best guitarist in the country. While playing with Denver, he married Mary Kay Kolacz of Washington, N.C., on July 25, 1970.

Taylor, seeking to escape winter in Aspen, Colorado, came to Hilton Head in January of 1973 at the suggestion of a friend to spend the season. As a boy he had always loved collecting arrowheads and other artifacts with his father, and found the relatively undeveloped Hilton Head and Daufuskie Islands fertile fields for exploring and piecing together the history of the islands. His passion for educating others about the complex relationship between man and his environment, and assuring that historical sites were secured soon surpassed his love of the stage, and Taylor put down roots on Hilton Head and began studies at the University of South Carolina in Columbia in archaeology and anthropology. As with the guitar, Taylor completely immersed himself in the subjects and became a Research Fellow at the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology at USC.

In 1985, Taylor and a group of islanders began an effort to create The Museum of Hilton Head Island (now Coastal Discovery) and Taylor became the first director in 1988. Under his leadership, beach, nature and history walks and lectures began, archaeological projects were undertaken at Fish Haul Creek & Mitchelville (site of the first freedman's village), the museum took over management of the pre-historic Green's Shell enclosure, and a bird hospital and Project Turtle Watch operated under the museum's umbrella.

Taylor later was the co-founder of the Southeastern Ecological Institute and was that organization's Executive Director. He wrote and narrated "Mike Taylor's History of Hilton Head Island," an audio-cassette feature in Southern Living Magazine as well as a video series Hilton Head Island - A Television History which aired on the History Channel. In addition, he collaborated and contributed in 1993 on a limited edition book The Forgotten History: A Photographic Essay on Civil War Hilton Head Island.

In 2002, Taylor was named Executive Director of the South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust. Among the many accomplishments during his tenure was the preservation of Battery White, a Civil War Confederate fortification near Georgetown; the confirmation and preservation of Fort Pemberton, a Confederate site on James Island; and he was currently involved in preservation and interpretive signs at Battery Brayton, a Union Fort near Beaufort. Over the past several years, Taylor consulted with filmmaker Mike Kirk on several documentaries including The Trumpet at the Walls of Jericho about a slave who obtained freedom and became the chaplain of the African-American 54th regiment during the Civil War. He just completed work as co-writer and associate producer for America's "Iliad: The Siege of Charleston," a 2-hour film about Charleston during the Civil War which is set to air nationally on PBS stations in April of 2011.

In addition to his wife, Mary Kay, Taylor is survived by his sister Janet Taylor Knight (David), of Washington, N.C., and a brother, George Taylor, of Chapel Hill, N.C. A Celebration of Life will be held at the The Island Funeral Home and Crematory, 4 Cardinal Road, on Friday, September 10 at 6:00 p.m. In honor of the many ways Mike sought to help others, memorial contributions may be made to The Deep Well Project, P.O. Box 5543, Hilton Head, SC 29938 or to the South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust, P.O. Box 21781, Hilton Head, SC 29925 The Island Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.