Today we went out and about the area. It was a really nice sunny 70 degree day. We went a total of about 100 miles today. Our first stop was in the Sumter Mountain area north west S. Carolinia, at Stumphouse Tunnel State Park. As the name implies there is a tunnel there. It is 1600 feet into the mountain. First dug in the early 1850’s to try and get a railroad through. The civil war got in the way and brought construction to a halt. It was pretty neat, being dug with not a lot of the equipment we have today

We then took a short hike to Issaqueena Falls. This is a 200 foot falls, but you can only access it from the top. It is named that after a Indian Maiden rode to warn the fort nearby of a Indian attack coming. she then escaped the pursuing Indians by pretending to jump over but actually hid beneath them.  She them later married a white man and they settled in the area. Pretty neat.

After that we drove to Station Cove Falls. This was about a mile and a half walk in the woods, which was very peaceful. the trail was nice and wide and not to hilly. When we got there we were rewarded with a good view of the falls.

Melissa crossing the raging waters.

We then walked back to the trail head and visited the Fort or Station that was built @ 1792. It was an outpost manned by 30 or so Militiamen and they were to protect the area and settlers from Indians. After a while a stone building was put up as a trading post. These are the original buildings and are pretty impressive. People today never would have survived.

The buildings were built at the intersection of a old Indian trail ,and early wagon road. By the early 1800s it became pretty obsolete. Built on a hill it commanded the whole area. After that we drove back home, had dinner and are now relaxing. More to come.