Thursday's Steamboat Mural 08-18-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Thursday.  Okay, so I took a picture of a picture (actually a mural) to show you today.  This is in downtown Conway, South Carolina.  The steamboat belonged to F.G. Burroughs.  Born in 1834, F.G. Burroughs grew up farming, but decided he didn't want to be a farmer and so he went to Conway (it was Conwayborough then) and opened a mercantile and manufactured turpentine.  Many years later, a war, a marriage, some business partnerships and new ventures and he was setting his sights on Myrtle Beach.  There was already steamboat trade like the boat in the mural from the Waccamaw River to there and he wanted to connect the beach with the railroad.  He died in 1897, but his heirs continued his vision for Myrtle Beach. F.G. Burroughs felt that Myrtle Beach's Grand Strand could rival notable northern beach communities such as Coney Island and Atlantic City.  Thanks to his heirs, his vision didn't die with him.  You can read more about him at:  http://www.hchsonline.org/bio/fgburroughs.html

I hope you had a terrific Thursday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

First United Methodist Church, Conway, SC 05-15-16

Copyright AJ Horton

Hello and happy Sunday.  Today I'm taking you to First United Methodist Church in Conway, SC. This church and its facility takes up the entire block, and part of another block.  The front of this side, to me, looks like a castle, so it must have been here a long time.  The church formally began in 1828 with meetings at the home of Mrs. Jane Norman.  In 1942 Mary Hillen donated the property at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Main Street where it still stands.  Isn't that interesting?  Methodist Bishop Francis Asbury made many visits to this area between 1745 and 1815, and I'm sure subsequent preachers were male.  However, they inspired (or God did, or Jesus did, or the Holy Spirit did - or all three) two women - Jane Norman and Mary Hillen - to be instrumental in making sure this vision of the First United Methodist Church in Conway, SC, became a reality.  I'm sure there were countless other unnamed men, women and children from 1828 to now responsible for everything necessary to continue the operation of this beautiful church.

I hope you had a great Sunday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.