The Hutchison Place - A Labor of Love

[Arkie John]

Hello Forum buddies,

During my recent visit to Georgia and South Carolina, I was given the opportunity to view a most unique home place, built in the 1820s. Until 20 years ago, it was occupied by siblings Kathrine and Brandon Hutchison. Their farm was essential for the coming of Lake Richard B. Russell. The Government built them a new home, complete with central heat and air, of which they never used, opting only for the warmth of a wood parlor stove. Below are some of what I thought about as I approached this very special place, known as The Caldwell-Hutchison Farm, located near Abbyville, South Carolina.



I peered upon grandeur of times gone by
As I approached, at first.
The house of logs and of sweat and blood, and I
I knew I had trod on a family

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

Many of us would have loved to have seen them, but there will always be another day! I do not believe that many of the houses being built today will survive 185 years like the Hutchison Place. I am always amazed at the workmanship used in building those old homes, most with no nails used but rather wood pegs and interlocking joints.

Were the folks down that way friendly? What was the country side like, lots of hills or what? Do you think that you will ever return there for a visit? Sorry for the questions, I am interesting in hearing more about the area. Thanks for sharing and please have a great day! Kelley (Texas)

 

[Arkie John]

Hello Fred,

SC and GA are similar to Arkansas, gentle rolling hills with much water and greenery. The fields are lush wherever one looks.

The people are really a friendly lot. I didn't meet one horses' butt while I was there. Beileve me, I spoke to a BUNCH of folks and not even one was contentious.

I keep hoping for a miracle. Maybe, just maybe, I have tucked the disc into one of those seldom-remembered pockets of my briefcase or suitcase. I made a special effort to protect it and it seems, in spite of that, it may be gone forever.

Maybe one day I will return. I have a nibble or two concerning speaking engagements there. We'll see what pans out. You can bet that if I get the chance, I'll get back there and spend another hour or two, taking the photos of yesteryear.

Thanks for the post, buddy!

AJ

 

[General Ray]

very old log cabins here in Wisconsin and you are right, they are a true labor of love.

General Ray

 

[Arkie John]

The "Big House" consisted of two stories, with a 20 X 30 room on each side of the dog-trot breeze way, about 10' X 25'. One or two generations later, a back portion--about a 20 X 30-- was built using rough-cut slab lumber and square nails.

All the out-buildings, including the barn were dove-tailed and made of huge hand-hewn beams. The cedar shake roofs had been "updated with tin in years past, laying it right over the shakes.

It was something to just to allow your fingers to feel individual cuts as the beam was being made flat on each side.

It is similar to sitting quietly at Chancellorsville and remembering the key players and what they must have gone through...why Hooker got psyched out and retreated with a superior force...the agonizing of Lee as he stated "...Jackson has lost his left arm but I have lost my right."

I could only imagine the hard work, the many mid-wife deliveries, some likely still-born, many healthy. The thoughts of them during the coming of the industrial age, WWI, WWII, Korea, VN...of listening to Jack Dempsey, Lindberg, Earhart, FDR and Truman on the battery radio.

On the back porch standing in mute testimony, was an old kerosene refrigerator. The smoke house had a rock-made smoker/bar-be-que pit. The barn still had the implements of a bygone era and the rough cut timbers of decades past. Below the Big House was a root cellar, complete with canning jars and lids.

I sat there for hours and relived where I had never been.

Thanks for responding. <><

AJ

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

I love old homes, barns, and out buildings...love to dream about what it was like back in those days. Over on the Views Forum, there is a man going by the name of Cierlast that has taken some beautiful pictures of some old barns...kinda wish that I could get him to post some of them on this Forum. Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas)

 

[General Ray]

gave me a true sense of it all, thanks John.

General Ray

 

[Micheal_R]

Just to be able to touch that history....what a special feeling.

Many thanks for your tale.

All the best

M

 

[Arkie John]

I would have loved to have put the ace 250 over the yard for about four hours, but it was not to be. I did not have the room to bring it along.

But in this case, the treasure was in the viewing. Thanks for the post! <><

AJ

 

[Sunny]

n/t

 

[Wayne in BC]

see what you saw and felt as you did, the richness of life and history in the air, wood and soil.
Something to be proud of and revere!
Wayne

 

[VT Dave]

Thanks for posting it John. You have a wonderful way with words and put the reader in the scene you're describing. Wouldn't it be great if we could have a looking glass that we could see into the past with?

Dave

 

[Arkie John]

I just didn't know how to express it any other way.

Thanks for the post. I hope to return there someday. <><

AJ

 

[Arkie John]

pick up on it.

I really need to find my great-grandfather's house (a dog-trot that has been converted). I hear tell that it was moved from its original grounds to less than a mile away on the road going to a country club called Trace Creek.

I read of an old log home that was moved, one log at a time and reassembled at a new location. The logs were numbered individually before being dismantled. It would be so great to be able to purchase the old house and move it to the back forty.

Sounds like a project for after I retire. We'll see. <><

AJ

 

[Arkie John]

in the 1790s. But most say about the 1820s. Thats why I opted for that date.

AJ

 

[Arkie John]

but am having trouble saving them to jpeg. They are in .art or .bit files and it does not give me the option to save as jpeg.

One day I'll figure it out. Until then, just do a Google search on Caldwell-Hutchison Farm and you will see it one or two lines down.

Thanks for the post. <><j

AJ