“An ever changing display of local history.”
Members of R&R.com are provided a number of features, which some of you have taken advantage of, others not so much. The one I personally like the most is having the ability to showcase and easily revisit my “Favorite” pages. I have found this most rewarding as I try to explain the preservation role of R&R and in providing civic speeches. But members can use it in dozens of ways: earmarking their own family connections, showcasing architectural similarities, categories such as old stores, those sites that are in my backyard, sites that feature just log houses, etc., on and on I could go with the ways members can enjoy using the feature. And the other feature, “Stay Connected” provides members with a quick way to be sure they are notified of changes to specific sites. From week to week R&R has no idea what materials are arriving for digitization or electronically, they may impact your specific sites of interest. (A few images of rural S.C.)
So, this week, as we were making numerous updates to pages, I came across a crossroads in Williamburg Co., one which I had stumbled upon on a trip to the region, Woodman. Though the crossroads is barely marked on any map, I did find it on a S.C. Dept. of Transportation map from ca. 1938. The little cluster of buildings, many of historic importance and note were a photographers dream. Unfortunately, I had about two minutes to enjoy the conclave. I photographed them in fear I would never return!
What little community do you know of that is similar? Can you not take images of it and share on Roots and Recall? Five minutes is not long to capture a fleeting glimpse of local history, often being razed before we return. One of R&R’s favorite images is of an unidentified store, one the contributor just thought was of interest, oh so right they were. Enjoy a few pages of nearly forgotten history across the Palmetto state:
Often we recall what these little spots on the map were like forty years ago, and I too think, why didn’t I take a picture of that building before it was gone. I want to kick myself for not just slowing down and doing so, but then my wife reminds me we were keeping shoes on children, not spending money of a camera. Well times have changed and digital cameras have enabled us to capture and share as never before. So once again, take a few minutes and capture your community’s forgotten and interesting history – share them with Roots and Recall for preservation.
A R&R NOTE: About a month ago, at a community event, several individuals stopped at the R&R booth, to nicely inquire about Roots and Recall’s ability to generate some income. Another words they wanted to know just how long R&R was going to be around. We explained that R&R has considered providing ads as well as a sponsors category, for individual to donate toward further preservation. (Both of these actions were recommended by the R&R Advisory Board in the spring of 2017.) Each visitor said they would continue using the website even with ads. One unidentified visitor stated, “you need to generate income to be able to sustain the website, I know it is very expensive.” So, after fighting the idea of running ads for the past five years, we gave in. Perhaps as another person commented, “I expect all websites to have ads, it legitimizes…..their activities.” Well we don’t like them but for the foreseeable future they are here.
R&R’s newest volunteer is a computer architect, Mr. Mike. He is hoping to make significant changes to R&R’s platform, ending in R&R offering a better user experience. Oh how pleased we are to have his expertise….and one of our most widely read R&R Facebook pages was that of the Southern Decoration Day, posted on Memorial Day, thanks for your upbeat comments and love of history!