Before I head out on my day drives, I try to find one place to make my destination. Although I take many wrong turns, I usually find what I am looking for ( and then some) Today I set out for what Google told me was an abandoned house in Williamsburg SC. As I drove down the dirt road, I saw no 'No Trespassing' signs (not that that stops me) I came to the end of the driveway and there sat this amazingly spooky old home. I shut my car off, grabbed my pocket knife (as if that will keep me safe) and my camera. Before I shut my car door, a tiny dog came down the stairs of the house. I couldn't understand how anyone could live here until a man came out the creaky old porch door. I held my camera up as he approached, shouted my name and prayed I wasn't about to get shot. Lewis Ward, 4th generation Ward, grew up in the house that was built in 1835 by his great great grandfather. He gave me the history of his family and asked if I'd like to go in and see it. Now, I know that it sounds ridiculous that I agreed but there was nothing but kindness behind Mr. Wards eyes. As he walked me up the porch he went over all the architecture. Inside, all the original fixtures hung, cobwebs in every corner and I was completely enamored by the history around me. Photos of his great great ancestors hung on the walls, upstairs the windows were all broken out. Each room filled with furniture he and his ancestors had made in the shed behind the old home. I didn't take photos inside out of respect, however, Mr. Ward invited me back anytime to explore the land and bring anyone that he thought would appreciate his heritage as much as I did. He is a widow, his sons are grown and gone and he is only 66, but the hard life of farming 700+ acres has weathered him greatly. The state has asked him to put his property on the National Historic Registry, but Mr. Ward said 'If I put something as 'history' it mean that my life has passed too quickly and although there's not much left to look at, generations of my families blood, sweat and tears cover this land and it's all I have to hold on to.’
I decided to print a copy of this photo and drive it back out to Mr. Ward. Looking forward to more stories!