CHARMING TOWN OF UNION SOUTH CAROLINA

THE OUTFIT CONSISTS OF:

BELK: (in stores) Crwon & Ivy Top, Steven Madden Sunglasses and Michael Kors Watch

JCPENNEY: Worthington Shorts

PERSUNMALL: Pink Heels (Valentino Rock Stud Look-a-like)

****History Courtesy of Sciway.net under Union SC photos & www.libsci.sc.edu & www. merridun.com

Hi Fashion Loves,
The sweltering heat of the South has no signs of letting up and with many people hitting the lakes or staying inside I take off to Union South Carolina.  I decided to wear something comfortable but also stylish.  I have been wanting to wear my new Crown & Ivy Top with its girly pink and bright colors.  The top ties at the neck and is made of a thin soft material and does not show sweat.  The sun was a blaze so I chose my colorful Steve Madden Sunglasses that reflected all the colors in my top.

Off track.........
This day I was sweating so bad I thought this was going to be a Tammy Faye Baker Fashion Blog, half of my Waterproof Eyeliner was off by the time I arrived home.  

The top with its mixtures of pink, orange and green that would go with anything. I paired it with my white Worthington Shorts from JcPenney.  The shorts are comfortable and the fit is perfection.

My cute outfit was perfect with my Persunall Mall Stud Heels in bright pink.  The shoes  just made the outfit.  I got to Union South Carolina late so I wore my heels pretty much the whole time.  They were comfortable but since I work in flat shoes I am not use to heels like I once was and I eventually changed into my flats...

Why Union South Carolina? 

Well Union South Carolina was named for the old Union Church which served Baptist, Presbyterain and Methodist creating a Ecumenical Union.

The town is also well know for the Susan Smith Case.  Susan Smith was a young mother who fell in love with a weathly man who did not want children.  Susan Smith's desparation for a man's love caused her to do the unspeakable act of putting her two beautiful young boys in their car seats and rolling her car into John D Long Lake.  Susan Smith carried her secret for a long time while volunteers searched for the supposedly missing children.  The police and their fine detective work got Susan to confess to the murders and the car was pulled from John D Long Lake with Innocences Lost and a father and family heartbroken.

1.Union County Courthouse

I was intrigued with this case because of my love for architecture.

 As I watched Susan Smith being taken from the Neoclassical Courthouse I was in Awh of the beautiful building.

I admired its majesty and wanted to see it for myself.  The Grand Dame didn't disappoint I stared at its detailed carvings and massive columns which was designed by Architect Robert Mills in 1825.

The location of the massive structure is at 210 West Main St Union SC....

I did a little research and Union SC is a mecca of Architecture for a fanatic like me.  I made my list and keep going.....

2.Union County Jail...

Next was the Union County Jail is an unusal piece of Architecture which was also designed by Architect Robert Mills.

The unique design is a Palladain Style built in 1823 with local quarried ashlar granite.  The building is a two story building located right beside the courthouse....

3.Union Mural....

 Behind the Courthouse is a where I chose to park in front of a breathe taking Mural located behind a building on Sharpe Ave.  The Mural is the greatest example of trompe l'oeil which means fool the eye.  The Mural named the Union Mural was completed in 2008 and represents the booming textiles in Union SC.

The Artist know as Blue Sky whose real name is Warren Edward Johnson and attended the Universtiy of South Carolina.  Mr. Blue Sky's deplication of  textiles being moved to and from Union is a sight to see.  I stood there in amazement at what I was actually seeing.  I thought I could walk or be run over by the train.  The Union Mural is a must see....

4. Union Carnegie Library....

My GPS in hand I followed little Miss Attitude to The Union Carnegie Library on 300 East South St

The Union Carnegie Library was the first Carnegie Library in South Carolina to be given by Andrew Carnegie.

The Small but stately library was completed in 1905 due to the diligence of the local community.

 The rules were inorder to built a Carnegie Library and to receive a $10,000 grant the community must contribute a $1,000 a year and maintain the library.

 The citizens raised $3,500 and got their little library with a big heart.  In 2009 the Union Carnegie Library was named as the Best Small Library in America by Library Journal. The Library is still functional today.

5.The Inn at Merridun

Little Miss Attitude GPS got her coordinates together and we wondered over to the sweetest Grand Dame I have ever seen at 100 Merridun Place Union SC. 

 I arrived to this Georgian Style Mansion that is now a Bed & Breakfast late in the afternoon.  The antebellum majesty was quite and closed but I took it upon myself to wonder around taking photos and feeling a little meloncholy because this beautiful lady is in a remodeling state.

  The Bed & Breakfast is safe and functional but the Grand Lady is hurting.  The Inn at Merridun is surrounded by Shady Oaks and rocking chairs to take in the beauty.

  The Inn is located on 9 acres and their is a circle driveway entrance.  The nice lady saw me taking photos and offered to take me for a tour and I told her because of the late arrival I would come back later.  I did get to peer into to the Foyer and the granduer of the design took my breathe away.  I will definitely revisit this mansion that was built in 1855-1857 by William Keenan a local merchant.  The plantation was know as The Keenan Plantation.

The (Mer)(ri) (dun) was derived from the family names that occupied this grand estate which are Fannie (Mer)riman bride of  TC (Dun)can which renamed the estate.  Mr. Duncan inherited the mansion from his maternal grandparents.  The (Ri) is taken from the Benjamin H. Rice a local lawyer that had a cotton field when he purchased the property in 1876.

In 1885 Thomas Cary Duncan known as TC Duncan and his bride Fannie Merriman got to work to bring Union SC back to a booming town of industry and success. In 1893 Mr. Duncan brought the textile industry to Union and built the first successful cotton mill.  TC Duncan the ambitious gentleman he was served in the House of Representative from 1892-1894, he also was responsible in the construction of Buffalo Mill (Union's B.U.C Railroad and hydro-electric plant.)

The Benjamin Rice decendants remainded the owners of Merridun until the summer of 1990 when it was sold... The owner now of this lovely Bed & Breakfast is Peggy Waller and JD the Inn cat.  Contact Peggy for a nice stay and a step back in history at 1-888-892-6020.

Fashion Loves there is a lot to see in this Quaint City of Union South Carolina the architecture and history is something to behold.

The Union South Carolina Museum was visited by Governor Nikki Haley and is located at 127 West Main Street Union SC it is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9am-4pm and Saturday 1pm-4pm.  The Museum was closed when I was there but I will be back.

Don't let these sweet little towns die.  I just fell in love with Union South Carolina and what it could go back to be.

Let's be history makers and bring these small towns back if the local community fought that hard with limited resources to get Andrew Carnegie to built a library what can we do????

Love,

Dana

 My Ghost Friend...... Fannie at The Inn at Merridun says.... Please save my home....