Col. James Chesnut Sr., the builder of Blooomsbury, was born on February 19, 1773. He acquired land from his father which included the estates of Belmont, Town Creek and Mulberry. Even today, Mulberry is 7.5 square miles in size. He built Mulberry in 1820 and resided there most of the year moving to his Sandy Hill estate in the summer. In The Diary of Miss Emma Holmes, Miss Holmes comments that James and Mary Cox Chesnut had moved into Bloomsbury in the Spring of 1862. This was so they could be closer to the "telegraph and news." I would also speculate that it was also to be closer to Sally their daughter who could look after them. In 1864, Mary Cox Chesnut passed away at Bloomsbury. At the age of 93 in 1866, Col Chesnut also died at Bloomsbury. The conclusion of the civil war and Col. Chesnut's death marked an end to the era of the great plantation owners.

Economic Challenges -- Creative Solutions

Enjoy a staycation! That is correct...staycation. Stay right in your own front yard and enjoy a great vacation in Historic Camden, South Carolina:

Day 1

2:00 pm Visit two Antique Musts:

Andries Van Dam Arts & Antiques

Camden Antiques Market

3:30 pm Arrive at Bloomsbury Inn for check-in

4:30 pm The light is perfect to have professional photography by L. Hoke

5:30 pm Bloomsbury Social: great iced tea and light hors d'ouvres

7:00 pm Dinner Reservations: Camden is rich with great places to dine

Boykin Millpond - fine dining in Boykin

Indigo Jones - tapas and full entrees

Sam Kendalls - upscale bar and grill

Set your dinner reservation in order to take in a great performance: Kershaw County Fine Arts Center or schedule a Historic Carriage Tour

10:30 pm Rest/relax and enjoy the beauty of luxury accommodations

Day 2

8:30 am Begin the day with privately roasted coffee, sparkling juice and a 2-3 course gourmet breakfast in the formal dining room of Bloomsbury

9:15 am "Walking Through History"...a complete historical walking tour of Bloomsbury and rock on the South Carolina Rain Porch

11:00 am Check-out or stay a second night

11:15 am Visit the TACK ROOM, the largest in the SE

Be inspired to drop by the Steeplechase Museum, don't miss the movie

12:30 pm Finally to downtown

In the Ten-Eleven Galleria, don't miss Victoria Susan's and all the other fun shops, enjoy lunch at Carolina Cafe or stop in Pearl's for Southern Fare or Blackmon's Little Midget for a real hamburger or grilled cheese. Stroll around as there are several hidden gems to see while downtown.

1:30 pm Skipped lunch, ride South to Boykin and enjoy lunch in the old General Store, Boykin Grill, and step across the street to the Broom Factory

3:00 pm Just before you visit Historic Camden, stop in the Kershaw County Chamber to sign the guest registry and to learn what you missed on this staycation

If you follow this agenda, you have only scratched the surface. Don't miss: the Bloomsbury Drive through Horse County, Pearl Fryer's Topiary, local Parks, Camden Archives, near 20 other antique shops, Quaker Cemetery, the local artists, The Bloomsbury Protocol Institute, Camden Military Academy, The Price House, The Farmers' Market, Lake Wateree...

Yes, you can easily turn your staycation into a multi-day vacation. Happy travels.

Outdoor Wash Sink

We have all been there. Pulling weeds or working on the car, we really need to wash our hands before we go into the house! A true friend of mine from Walnut Lane Inn in Spartenburg, SC, gave me this perfect tip. Place a piece of or a whole soap bar in the toe of an old pantie hose, tie the leg of the pantie hose to the exterior water faucet. Now, is that not clever? You just created an instant outdoor wash sink. Rumor has it that the scent of the soap may also keep those nibbling deer away.
In a previous period, I had the opportunity to gather some of the best home hints from great innkeepers from around the Southeastern United States. Periodically, in the next few months, I will be posted some of my favorites. Keep watching for the best of the best, and until then: Happy Outdoor Hand Washing.

How did Bloomsbury receive its name?

Bloomsbury was built in 1849 by James Chesnut Sr. Originally the entire city block was part of the estate. Mary Cox Chesnut, James Chesnut's wife, named the property Bloomsbury after her childhood home Bloomsbury Court. Bloomsbury Court was located in Trenton, N. J. and can be visited by the public. Mary's childhood home was built by William Trent and is literally a "George Washington slept here" locatiion.

The Kitchen Garden

A timeless form of art...an American tribute for WWII...your Grandmother's passion...

The kitchen garden is far more than meets the casual eye...

... a symbol of America the free,

... an exercise patch,

... a fresh meal,

... the splendid colors of nature,

... a butterfly haven,

... a classroom for small hands,

... and, peace for the stressed.

Plant a garden, pick a garden, shop at the local farmers' market to add both pleasure and taste to your next meal. Happy gardening.

Keeping The Journal

If you have ever questioned the keeping of a journal, you have but to look at the diaries of Mary Boykin Chesnut, Mary Chesnut's Civil War. Throughout her life, especially of interest during the Civil War, Mary, like many Southern women, wrote in a diary/journal almost daily (a more private form of the BLOG). Her proximity, via her husband General James Chesnut, to the Civil War allowed her to witness and write of the actual state of affairs. Her writings also capture the essence of daily life during the mid-1800s. During and after the war, you will note in her writings many entries that begin, "Bloomsbury"...yes, the famed Civil War diarist did a significant amount of her writing right here at Bloomsbury in Camden, South Carolina. Today, her work is one of the finest and most often referenced sources of the Civil War. So, you question the keeping of a journal. What you find to be the routine of your day can be very insightful to your future family members, future local historians, local archivist, and many others. In addition, it allows you the opportunity to free yourself of issues that you wish to push away. It allows you to express your opinions and positions without publicly espousing them. You might be amazed at the lack of inhibition when you set pen to paper. It need not be another burden in your series of responsibilities, but a stressless outlet which you can enjoy everyday or once a week or every several weeks. There are very few rules, and only you may set them. So, go ahead, pickup a tablet and begin. You will be pleased with your creativity, and even more amazed as you read your entries just one year later, or even ten years later. Happy journaling.

Special Dietary Needs

Every morning and every breakfast should be special for every guest. At Bloomsbury, we strive to deliver just this special time, special meal to every special guest. This week we have enjoyed a gluten-free and soy-free guest for a few days. In search of making her breakfast special, I experimented this morning. I delivered a winner:

German Pancakes "Dutch Babies"

6 eggs, room temperature

1 cup whole milk, room temperature

1 cup Bob's RedHill Pancake Mix (or if not gluten-free, 1 cup bread flour)

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

5 tablespoons butter

thinly sliced apple

confectioners sugar

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Select a heavy oven-proof skillet (I actually used six 5-inch iron skillets). Place butter in the skillet and place in the oven while you prepare the mix -- watch to see the butter bubbling hot/not browned. In the blender, mix eggs (beat them before adding other ingredients), milk, extract, cinnamon and pancake mix. Mix very well. The batter will be thin, smooth, and creamy. Pour prepared batter into the hot skillet. Do not fill the skillet more than 2/3 full as the pancake puffs. Top with thin apple slices (you could use fresh peaches). Immediately return to the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pancake is puffed and golden brown; be careful to not overcook or the bottom will be dry. Sprinkle with confectioner sugar. Serve immediately as the puff will settle shortly after removing the skillet from the oven. Offer fruit compote or pure maple syrup to accompany. Fresh whipped cream would also be a great compliment! Enjoy and allow your special guests to enjoy a special breakfast!

Pickled Okra

Canning 101. Bed and breakfast guests love to enjoy local items for breakfast, including items you make from scratch. Homemade breads are at the top of list, followed by farm fresh eggs, home canned jellies and jams. At Bloomsbury our guests enjoy local items at both breakfast and afternoon social. A Southern staple is pickled okra. This afternoon we made our first attempt at pickling okra...in about two months we'll know our success rate. As my friend who refreshed my canning abilities noted, he has created a canning monster in Camden, SC. Join us to try a few of our fresh, local items.

Sunday, 14 June 2009

Welcome to one of the top ten B&Bs in the nation, the award winning Bloomsbury Inn of Camden, South Carolina where you will find true Southern hospitality, gourmet breakfasts and complimentary socials which include a walk through history with the innkeepers.
Our home features large well-appointed bed chambers from which to select. The oversized rooms, with 13 foot ceilings and individual central heat/air temperature controls with TRANE CleanEffects™ technology for 99.98% allergen free air, feature queen and king beds, private baths with 1930 Italian tiles, and sitting areas. Located on two acres of manicured grounds, several garden sitting areas and the wrap around veranda offer peace and tranquility from the everyday stresses of life. The quiet serenity is enhanced by a lack of traffic since Bloomsbury is strategically located one block off the busy streets transiting Camden. Two parlors on the main floor of the home are always open. The ladies' parlor, featuring Zuber wallpaper, offers a quiet retreat for reading or for pleasant conversation. The gentlemen's parlor often times attracts those interested in the latest world or sports news.
The lower level offers the engineer/ architectural enthusiast a glimpse at original brick walls milled at Mulberry Plantation and of hand carved pine beams which were numerically identified during the building of the home. The student of military history will find the lower level foyer filled with mementoes which outline United States Air Force history and the careers of the innkeepers. The basic approach on the forth floor sustains the original tin room for storing leather trunks when the families visited the “in town” home, unfinished heart pine floors and historic wallpaper.
The original 1849 detached kitchen house is also available for viewing. The walk-in fireplace and brick oven draw the attentions of many guests. Although Katherine is not prone to cooking there, she has several cast iron pots that are routinely used in the current kitchen.
Walk the grounds of Bloomsbury…over 150 years of fauna to take in. Situated on two acres of manicured grounds, Bloomsbury has something flowering the entire year round. In the spring, over 400 azaleas erupt into a brilliant bloom along with the Bradford Pear and Flowering Dogwood trees. During the summer the rhododendrons display their colors and in the fall the hydrangeas bloom. Winter also has its color with over a dozen camellias on the grounds displaying a brilliant collage. Magnolias add their blossoms to the rich Bloomsbury landscape. Directly in front of the house are three huge Live Oaks towering over 50 feet each to provide much needed shade from the heat of the South Carolina sun. With a rose, hydrangea, and herb garden there is something for everyone at Bloomsbury.
Bloomsbury is situated in the Camden historic district on a street which Mary Chesnut described in her diaries, 12 June 1865, “And yet from my window I look out on many a gallant youth and maiden fair. The street is crowded, and it is a gay sight…They call the walk in front of Bloomsbury, “The Boulevard.” The original brick lined walkways and drives have been unearthed to lead you directly to “The Boulevard”.
Inside their lovingly restored home, with uncompromising attention to detail, the Browns have created a warm and welcoming environment for all who traverse the leaded glass doorway. The innkeepers reside in the residence and are readily available for personal concierge services. With luxurious amenities and thoughtful touches, Bloomsbury will surpass your expectations.
Historic Bloomsbury limits itself to the number of guests it hosts each evening. Few Bed and Breakfasts can match the personal attention, intimate atmosphere, and concierge service guests receive. Attention to detail and quality of culinary arts are placed first for our guests. That is why Bloomsbury was selected as one of the top ten bed and breakfasts in the nation. Arrive at Bloomsbury and experience as Mary Boykin Chesnut said “Bloomsbury…home again.”