Published by the South Carolina State Highway Department in conjunction with the state’s 300th anniversary, this is an info-rich sightseeing brochure + a detailed map of the Palmetto State’s roadway system, c. 1970. Heavy on colonial and Revolutionary War history, it begins: “This year, 1970, marks the 300th anniversary of the first English settlement in South Carolina. In April, 1670, a group of about 150 people landed at Albermarle Point on the Ashley River at Charleston.” Given the celebratory nature of the map and the boosterism animating much of the brochure side, it is no surprise that there is no real mention of the slave trade that would make South Carolina’s Charles Towne (Charleston) one of the wealthiest cities of the colonies and fledgling America, with only hints at slavery itself via mentions of stately plantations. In turn, the state’s tie to the Confederacy includes brief lines about the Civil War on a sidebar timeline: the state having been the first to secede, and the shelling of Fort Sumter in April 1861; other Civil War references framed within the stale mythologized, if then still celebrated, “Lost Cause” mindset. But aside from the historical blind spots typical of 20th century America, the thorough attention paid to the state’s history is impressive and made this a very interesting find (any centennial collectibles, esp those bi- and tri-, sure to grab our attention). Inset maps include not only the many South Carolina Revolutionary War sites—an aspect of the war few Americans know about, it having been integral to the Colonial forces’ eventual victory—but also an earlier map of Native American trails through what would become South Carolina makes it all very interesting, indeed. The mentioned intro ends with this: “Come to South Carolina. Your visit may well be the most rewarding of your life.”
Condition: Used Very Good. Travel Related. Dimensions: 3.75” wide x 8.5” high (folded) / 37” wide x 25” high (unfolded)
