Quaker Cemetery: Joseph Brevard

In addition to all the things to see and do in Camden while staying at Bloomsbury Inn, we continue to highlight some interesting sites in the Quaker Cemetery.

Joseph Brevard has been described as upright, unostentatious and industrious. Born July 19, 1766, Joseph entered the revolutionary service in 1782 at the age of sixteen. He was commissioned a Lieutenant in the North Caroline line, filling this position until the end of the war. His brother Alexander described him as delicate and small of statue, and felt sorry for him when it came time to mount the guard. Joseph became a secretary to General Arnold who was in command of Philadelphia. It seems that young Joseph had a fine hand at writing. Joseph Brevard had seven brothers, besides himself, who fought in the Revolutionary War. His family performed distinctively or patriotically.

At the end of the war, Joseph settled in Camden, South Carolina. In 1789, he was elected by the Legislature to the position of Sheriff of Camden District. He was only twenty-three and served well in this arduous post in those unsettled times. In 1792, he was admitted to the bar, and on March 17, 1793 he married Rebecca Kershaw.
A successful lawyer, he began in 1793 the compilation of the law reports which bore his name and continued to do so until 1815. In 1801, he was elected a Judge. In 1802, his wife Rebecca passed away. Judge Brevard continued on the bench until 1815 until ill-health caused him to resign.

In the next few years his health improved, and in 1818 he won election to Congress and served one term. In 1821, at the age of fifty-five, Judge Brevard passed away at Camden.

Judge O'Neall made the following statement concerning Congressman Brevard: "In every situation and office of life he did his duty. What more can or ought to be said, unless it be to say that he feared God and kept his commandments, which is declared in the inspired volume to be 'holy duty of man.'"

History-rich is an understatement concerning Camden, South Carolina. As you visit, you will quickly learn from Dr Bruce A. Brown of Bloomsbury that you must visit often and visit soon if you want to learn more.

Quaker Cemetery - Captain Benjamin Carter

Captain Carter lived from 1758 until 1830. A revolutionary war veteran, he lived in Camden for fifty years. He enlisted in 1776 and was considered a gallant soldier of the Revolution. He participated in the Battle of Camden, Brandywine and Germantown. He also spent the winter at Valley Forge.

A great story is told of him concerning the Battle of Camden. According to Judge O'Neall "This old soldier (Captain Carter) said that he commanded a company on the extreme left of Gates line, at the Battle of Gum Swamp (Battle of Camden) and at the first fire all of his men fled. Left alone he went to the Captain next to him, whose men had also abandoned him, and asked what was to be done. He received no satisfactory answer. Whereupon he said to his neighbor: 'I'll be d---d if I am here to be shot down.' He jumped on his pony, which he had fastened in the bushes, left the field, and said: "I suppose I was the first man out of reach of danger.'"
Despite this tongue-in-cheek story told by him of the disaster at the Battle of Camden, Captain Carter was a popular man in Camden. He kept an open hospitable parlor and dining-room for his neighbors where wist and loo (card games) parties were sometimes conducted. While some gambling may have occurred, there was never excess characterized in these meetings nor evil attributed.

Captain Carter was an old bachelor. He was a kind man, with a warmth of heart and yet could be rough and brusque at times as a bachelor could be. Captain Carter passed away on January 20, 1830. His best friend was Benjamin Bynum who died six years after him on July 9, 1836. They are buried side by side with headstones that are duplicates of each other.

Sunday afternoons during the fall season are a great time to visit the cemetery. It is located about 3 miles from Bloomsbury...a very easy drive...some prefer to walk!

Agnes of Glasgow

The oldest grave of fame associated with the Quaker Cemetery is really not in the cemetery proper, but a few hundred yards prior to the entrance. The grave site is that of Agnes of Glasgow. Agnes of Glasgow lived from 1760 to 1780. She was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and followed her lover Lt Angus McPherson, a British Army Officer, about the world. Agnes knew he had been sent to America. She stowed away on a ship in order to reach Charleston, South Carolina, and believed that he was in Camden. Hearing that he was wounded, she searched from town to town and finally arrived in the Camden area. Agnes then became ill and died. Folklore lends that she was buried, under the cover of darkness, in Camden by King Haigler of the Wateree Indian tribe. This story is suspect as King Haigler was slain on 30 August 1763 by the Shawnee tribe, while he was traveling between the Waxhaws Settlement on Cane Creek to a Catawba town on Twelve Mile Creek. His death was 17 years before Agnes arrived in Camden. Nevertheless, it is known that she came here looking for Lt McPherson, died, and l was buried here in Camden. Many believe she walks the Quaker Cemetery at night looking for her lost love. Who knows, when you visit Bloomsbury, you might spend an evening by her grave watching for the truth. Come to Camden, enjoy her history and enjoy a lovely evening at Bloomsbury Inn!!

Quaker Cemetery was established by Quaker settlers around 1750. Samuel Wyly, conveyed four acres of land to the Quakers in 1759. It was conveyed for the rental of "One Pepper Corn Per Year" for 999 years. The purpose of the land was to build their house of worship and to provide a cemetery for the Quaker community. The Cemetery is located about three miles from Bloomsbury. The cemetery has grown from four acres and to approximately 50 acres today. Growth was through deeded property, purchases, and of course, gifts from the community. The cemetery is now maintained by the Quaker Cemetery Association and other citizens who visit local grave sites regularly. Our local cemetery is rich with history from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWI, and WWII. Several Quakers are buried there. The cemetery includes seven veterans of the American Revolution, 210 Confederate graves, three medal of honor winners , and three brothers killed in WWII. Many Bloomsbury guests visit the cemetery. In the next series of blogs, I'll be writing about different persons who rest in this wonderful, old cemetery. Come join me!

Quaker Cemetery

Camden, South Carolina and Bloomsbury hosts interesting Civil War history. The Civil War is full of curious facts of how families split over the issues. One example is from the White House itself. Four of President Lincoln's brothers-in-law wore Confederate uniforms. They were Mary's brother George Rogers Clark Todd and her half-brothers Alexander Todd, David Todd, and Samuel Todd. Her brother, Dr. George Rogers Clark Todd (Colonel, CSA) was a surgeon who lived here in Camden, SC. He is quoted as saying that Lincoln was "one of the greatest scoundrels unhung." Dr. Todd is buried in the circle at the end of Quaker Avenue North, Quaker Cemetery, Camden, SC Alexander Todd was killed at Baton Rouge. Samuel Todd was killed in the Battle of Shiloh. David Todd was wounded at Vicksburg and later charged with brutality to Union prisoners in Richmond, VA. One of Mary Todd Lincoln's sisters was married to Ben Hardin Helm, a Confederate General, who was killed at Chickamauga. He had spurned a personal offer of a commission from President Lincoln. Mary's other two sisters were married to Confederate officers. Come visit Bloomsbury, visit Quaker Cemetery, and explore Civil War history!

Who Names Nail Polish

The amazing questions of life never end...who names nail polish? Have you noticed that "red" is now "Friar, friar, pants on fire"? "Pink" is "Hot Tub Toner". "Midnight in Moscow" is not blue. Polish comes in so many colors and by even more names! Do you know the name of the color you are currently wearing?

2011 Loyal E. Horton Award

The Bloomsbury Cold Fruit Soup recipe was recognized in the 2011 Loyal E. Horton Awards. The University of Georgia, featuring this soup, won the "best in the business" Bronze Award with their Sunset Breakfast. This special breakfast served at dinner, offered the Bloomsbury Cold Fruit Soup during the first course.

Bloomsbury Cold Fruit Soup
Total preparation time: 15 minutes, plus chilling time
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
• 2 cups fruit (peach, cantaloupe, honeydew, mango…any one of these work well…fresh is better, but canned or frozen will work if well drained)
• 1/2 cup sugar (sugar to taste depending upon natural sweetness of fruit)
• 1 individual-sized vanilla bean yogurt
• 1 tsp extract (extract flavor based upon fruit: vanilla, cinnamon, rum)
• 1/4 cup half & half or heavy cream (add cream to determine consistency desired)
• 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Steps:
Carefully clean fruit. Place in the blender, add all remaining ingredients. Blend on liquefy until smooth. Chill for at least 8 hours. Garish with whipping cream, candied/sweet-flavored nuts, fresh mint or whole fruit pieces). Serve very cold.

The History:
Fruit soup is a wonderful, eloquent first course for breakfast or lunch or dinner. Katherine presents a breakfast soup at least two times a week at Bloomsbury Inn. She and Bruce first encountered a similar fruit soup at a bed and breakfast in her home state of Arkansas.

Bloomsbury Summer Chutney

Chutney is a fruit/vegetable combination, spices and vinegar cooked slowly for a long period of time to create a divine flavor and texture. Chutney is highly spiced and develops into a sweet-sour blending of flavors that are perfect when served with meat or cheese.

4 quarts finely chopped fruit (peeled peaches, peeled pears, figs or pitted plums)
1 large chopped sweet onion
1 cup of raisins or dried cranberries
1 small seeded and chopped hot pepper or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 - 3 cups of brown sugar (the sweeter the fruit the less sugar)
1/4 cup mustard seed
2 Tbs ginger
2 tsp salt
1/3 tsp ground nutmeg
4 - 5 cups vinegar (white or cider)

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepot. Simmer until very thick. Stir often -- be careful as you do not want to wear HOT fruit! Ladle hot chutney into hot jars, leaving 1/4=inch headspace. If air bubbles are visible, run a knife inside the jar to release the air. Add the jar seal/lid and tighten. Turn the jar upside down on a clean cloth for five minutes so the heat of the chutney can seal the lid. Invert and listen for each jar to "pop" which signifies a good seal.

At Bloomsbury, we have many uses for summer chutney. Serve room temperature chutney in a side dish as a condiment for meats. Serve hot chutney over pork tenderloin or roasted turkey. Top brie with chutney, encase in puff pastry and bake. It is so good, that you might be tempted to just eat with a spoon! Enjoy!

Taking Tea

Now that you know the Charleston Tea Plantation is the only tea grower/producer in America, you should also know a perfect way to brew tea. At Bloomsbury we follow the same basic guidelines regardless of making loose leaf tea or when using tea bags.

Bring fresh/filtered room temperature water to a boil. When making black tea, herbal tea and some oolongs, it is best to pour boiling water over the leaves. If you are making white, green and tender oolongs, allow the boil to die before pouring the water over the leaves. It just could not be much more simple than that. Use one teaspoon of tea leaves for making each eight-ounce of tea.

Steeping time is primarily driven by your preference, but most black teas should steep about five minutes. Oolongs and green teas steep between one and five minutes. White teas require three to eight minutes. This guide will assist in brewing the best teas....remember we want to brew...not stew...tea.

For those interested in tea types: All teas are from the same plant,Camelia sinensis. Black Tea and Green Tea can come from the exact same plant; it is the curing and production process that makes the tea either black or green. Green tea is picked and dried almost immediately. Black tea is picked and alowed to wilt before being dried. 'This oxidation process produces either green or black tea. Oolong tea is produced about half way between green tea and black tea. Decaffeinated tea is green or black tea which is produced via a decaffeinating process. Remember, decaffeinated tea is not caffeine free. Herbal tea is caffeine tea, but it isn't actually tea. It is a mixture of herbs, spices or fruit that has been dehydrated and is brewed in the manner of good tea.

We would love to share a cup of tea with you...tea is always available to guests of Bloomsbury Inn.

The only tea grown in America!

The Charleston Tea Plantation is the home of American Classic Tea, tea grown in America. It is located on picturesque Wadmalaw Island in the heart of South Carolina's Lowcountry. Its grounds include 127 acres of Camellia Sinensis tea plants and a working Tea Factory and a charming Plantation Gift Shoppe.

Bloomsbury proudly serves iced and hot tea from this plantation at the afternoon social and at breakfast. These teas are also available in the Bloomsbury gift case. Although there is no tea harvested at Bloomsbury, you can see a very old Camellia Sinensis tea plant.

The plantation is 2+ hours from Bloomsbury, it is a great place to visit. Both the factory and the plantation tour are very interesting. Did you know that caffeine-free tea contains no tea?

Rainbows

It has been so hot and dry in historic Camden SC...today's rain was a blessing. And, the blessing brought a rainbow! A traditional rainbow is sunlight spread in a spectrum of colors and diverted to the eye by water droplets. Have you ever noticed that the sun is always behind you when you see a rainbow? The sun always points directly to the top of the arc of the rainbow. Did I mention that it has been rather hot here!

Where Did April Go?

Isn't it amazing how the beautiful days of Spring race by? It has been a record month at Bloomsbury for many reasons:
1) major storm damaged the old kitchen house
2) largest number of visitors per month since 2005 opening
3) great Hobkirk's Hill Society social
4) Miss Kitty videos introduced
5) beautiful Easter with family
6) Azalea pruning in progress
7) two Buckley School debates
8) Camden Military Academy hosted Special Olympics
9) opening of the new Town Green
10) tax returns arrived
11) etc.
So, which pix would you like to see?

What is that beautiful flowering plant?

Mother Nature is working her magic at Bloomsbury...working overtime! Over 400 azaleas are showing their colors; pink and white dogwoods are making an amazing display. As our guests come and go, we inquire as to which color is their favorite. We hear: purple, pink, white, red, flame, this color right here in my shirt, orange, soft pink, and cream. We are certain that you can find a color to admire.

Azaleas are perennial members of the Rhododendron genus, commonly grown for their showy, spring blooming flowers. Bloomsbury hosts both evergreen and deciduous Azaleas on the grounds. This very shallow rooted plant prefers some shade and acidic soil. Annual pruning should be completed after the showy spring performance. This woody plant when pruned from the tops and sides only or not pruned will develop long, leggy stems with only surface exposed leaves. The preferred method of pruning is to remove 1/3 of each plant each year. Prune from the inside to the outside and cut 1/3 of the plant back to the parent stem. Thus, on a three year rotation you have full, leafy bushes that show exceptionally well. You can "clone" your favorite Azaleas by rooting the stems you remove while pruning. Set your cuttings in water for three days, then dip each stem in a root-growth enhancer before planting it in a well drained sandy soil.

The best-known azalea reference book is Azaleas, by Fred Galle, published by Timber Press. It covers all aspects of azaleas, and describes around 6000 varieties. There are a large number of other books about azaleas

A Sunset Breakfast - Dawn Inspired Dishes Served at Dusk

The University of Georgia recently hosted a meal plan special event which featured a fruit dish from Bloomsbury Inn. The presentation, A Sunset Breakfast, featured menu items from select bed and breakfasts from across the United States. The Bloomsbury Cold Fruit Soup was one of three fruit selections presented. Of the hundreds of recipes tested, this recipe was one of thirty-four menu items featured. The selected recipes were served to over 8,300 industry participants.

The Bloomsbury Cold Fruit Soup recipe will again be featured in the Sunset Breakfast event when it competes for national recognition in the Loyal E. Horton Menu Awards in mid April. Bloomsbury Inn and owners, Bruce and Katherine Brown, were presented a commemorative plate in appreciation of their participation. Katherine Brown noted, "It is an honor to be the only bed in breakfast in the State of South Carolina to have a recipe selected for another state's event which will now compete for national recognition. We often receive compliments on the soup when we offer it as our first course at breakfast, but it had not occurred to me that it was special enough to be one of the top three in the Nation." The soup is offered three or four times a month to the guests of Bloomsbury Inn. Bruce Brown thinks that, "Katherine is too modest about the breakfast meals that she serves. I was not surprised when we learned that one of her recipes had been selected with recipes presented by such renown chefs as Matthew Minor, The Swag near Ashville NC, vegan Chef Kyle Evans of Stanford Inn by the Sea in CA, or Four Seasons Farm Chef Pierre Wolfe."

Bloomsbury recipes are shared in a variety of ways. You can now dine at the University of Georgia to enjoy the soup; you can book an evening at Bloomsbury Inn and request the soup for breakfast; or, you can make it for yourself. The recipe can be found online: www.bloomsburyinn.com or in the Camden Junior Welfare League cookbook, Dining by Candlelight.

The Bloomsbury "Smoak" House

Having cooked in the old kitchen house of Bloomsbury a few times, my interest in the old "smoak" house is growing. Most early references to the Smokehouse is "smoak" house or meat house. Over the course of many years, the large acreage of Bloomsbury was divided, sub-divided and sold. The current Bloomsbury property is about two acres. The "smoak" house is actually on the property of our neighbors. But, that has not withered my interest as I continue to experiment in the old kitchen house.

The "smoak" house is normally positioned far enough from the manor house to ensure the smoke did not disturb the household and to ensure a fire was not left unattended in close proximity to the house. Historically, it is a small, windowless building where meats and fish could be smoked and stored. Smoking is the process of flavoring, cooking or preserving food by exposing it to the smoke from burning or smoldering wood and plant materials. Cheese, vegetables and whisky can also be smoked. Hot smoking occurs within the range of 165-185 degrees; higher temperatures will remove far too much moisture from the food and will cause excessive shrinkage. Hickory, mesquite, oak, pecan, alder, maple and fruit-tree woods are the preferred woods for smoking. Most meats were smoked for at least two weeks, and could be stored for upwards of two years.

Meats and fish were not removed from the "smoak" house until they were to be used. The meats would age without mold as long as the walls were not made of stone or greenwood. The keeper of the meats had to be very careful of mold, especially bright molds. Bright green and purple mold can be very nasty; however, duller molds and the creosote were just washed or cut off the mean with no harm done.

With the introduction of electricity and refrigeration, the labor-intensive process of smoking meat and fish gave way to storing and cooking in more controlled environments. But, the thought of experimenting with the old "smoak" of Bloomsbury is rather intriguing.

Sassafras: The root beer tree

As the blooms of the Bradford Pear begin to fall to the ground, the yellow blooms of the Sassafras are shining bright. Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) is one of the easier trees to identify by its leaves. Sassafras leaves can have a mitten shape, with either a left thumb or a right thumb, or the sassafras leaf can be three-lobed. It can also have an oval, unlobed leaf. Usually, you'll see all three shapes on the same tree. Yes, all three shapes on a single limb...amazing.

Bloomsbury hosts one Sassafras Tree. It took us several investigating attempts to identify the tree until the very distinctive leaves appeared.

Yesterday, one of our visitors recalled that her Grandfather cut himself a toothbrush from a Sassafras Tree each year. She said he would carve/cut it and use it each year until it was all worn out. He professed that it voided all tooth decay.

Until the FDA outlawed the Sassafras oil use, it was the primary ingredient in Root Beer. Many home micro brewers continue to use Sassafras oil today!

Camden: A SWAMP

From the history of Camden, you know that in 1799 the streets of Camden were laid out in the north/south and east/west grid we know today. But, did you know from York Street to DeKalb Street and Campbell to Lyttleton was swamp? A large ditch ran from Lyttleton beyond Campbell in an east/west direction. In 1816 the city authorized the building of brick or stone sidewalks from the lower end of the town to the "Big Ditch" bridge which is now the heart of the city.

As time went by, larger ditches were dug to drain more water off of the swamp so firm land could be cultivated for the building of what we know as downtown Camden. According to Ken and Boo Dubose, by the early 1900s, the ditches were three to four foot wide and five to six feet deep. Foot and wagon bridges were used to gain access to and from the streets. These ditches were on both sides of Market Street and most of the other streets in downtown Camden. A large ditch started from the east side of Broad Street ran under the buildings, headed west. When it rained, these ditches often overflowed as they kept downtown from becoming a swamp once again.

Behind Bloomsbury, another large ditch ran north/south from Pine Street to what is now becoming the Town Green. In the 1950's the Bloomsbury ditch was filled with culverts and covered with dirt. Many of these culverts intersect in the Rutledge/DeKalb/Lyttleton/Broad block. The Bloomsbury culvert and the associated culverts are essential infrastructure for the city. These culverts (modern ditches) keep downtown Camden from becoming a swamp once again.

Periodically, city infrastructure must be replaced and in some cases expanded. The drain infrastructure in the downtown area had to be torn up in order to replace/repair the culverts, along with other utilities, and to secure the downtown area. With time to replace culverts upon us, the Town Green was born.

You know from exploring town history that there has long been a plan for a central square. A square envisioned to function as town common. It is true, The Camden Town Green was not "our" idea. However, it is incredible that the infrastructure repairs have led to the creation of a beautiful common area as our fathers envisioned and desired.

Our Town Green is a win - win!. Good on you Mayor, Camden City Council and the great citizens of Camden.

Oak, Sumac or Ivy

As the days grow warmer and you head for the gardens, please remember that Poison Oak, Sumac and Ivy will get you long before you see their leaves! Although, we make every effort to combat and control these three friends, we do find them living in the gardens of Bloomsbury.

Poison oak has leaves that look like oak leaves, usually with three leaflets but sometimes up to seven leaflets per leaf group. It grows as a vine or a shrub. Poison oak is more common in the western United States, but it is also found in the eastern United States and, rarely, in the Midwest. Yes, eastern US as in South Carolina!

Poison sumac has 7 to 13 leaflets per leaf stem. The leaves have smooth edges and pointed tips. Poison sumac grows as a shrub or small tree. It is found in wooded, swampy areas, such as Florida and parts of other southeastern states, and in wet, wooded areas in the northern United States. Yes, other southeastern states as in South Carolina.

Poison ivy usually has three broad, spoon-shaped leaves or leaflets ("Leaves of three? Let it be!"), but it can have more. It may grow as a climbing or low, spreading vine that sprawls through grass, Azaleas, ground covers (more common in the eastern United States) or as a shrub (more common in the northern United States, Canada, and the Great Lakes region). Yes, more common in the eastern US as in South Carolina.

Architectural History: Bloomsbury - Part 2.

Thank you Dick Simons for providing us with a copy of the Fall 2009 edition of the magazine, Carologue. From an article by Katherine W. Giles entitled Albert Simons, "The Dean of Charleston Architects," I derived information on Albert Simons.

To understand the Bloomsbury of today you need to know the man who guided its restoration. Albert Simons has been called the Charleston "Dean of Architects." Born in Charleston on July 6, 1890, he earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. There, he studied under the acclaimed French architect Paul Cret. After graduating in 1912, he toured Europe and North Africa for 18 months. Upon his return, he went to work for the prominent Baltimore architect Lawrence Hall Fowler, through whom he was privileged to meet Howard Sill.

With the out-break of World War I, construction came to a stand-still. Simons lost his job in Maryland and returned to Charleston. He occupied himself by studying and drawing the city's old buildings. When the noted artist Alice Ravenel Huger asked for some architectural drawings for her book, Simons obliged. He helped to create what would become the acclaimed, The Dwelling Houses of Charleston. Next, he joined the architectural firm of Todd, Simon, & Todd. His first restoration job was the installation of bathrooms in the William Washington House at 8 South Battery. All were impressed with his ability to modernize without destroying the historic integrity of the home. In 1917, Simons married Harriet Porcher Stoney; they had four children.
After the war, Simons joined forces with Samuel Lapham. In 1920, they formed Simons and Lapham. It was tough times, they found work in unlikely places: local plantations and homes purchased by wealthy northerners (of which Bloomsbury is a perfect example). His pen walked through history and he wrote several seminal works including Plantations of the Carolina Lowcountry and the Octagon Library of Early American Architecture, Volume I: Charleston, South Carolina a definitive work on Charleston architecture.

The history of architectural renovation in Charleston has his fingerprints everywhere. In 1931 Simons led the effort to establish Charleston's Board of Architectural Review. For forty years, he was the only architectural member. He was part of the restoration of many of Charleston's most noted architectural gems: the Heyward-Washington House, the Joseph Manigault House, the Dock Street Theatre, the Nathaniel Russell House, and the Historical Society's fireproof building. And thanks to his work, the Robert Mills's Patent Office Building in Washington, D.C. was saved. Today we can all enjoy it as the National Portrait Gallery.
Robert P. Stockton of the Preservation Society of Charleston once observed, "Mr. Simons said he preferred the use of 'friendly persuasion' in preventing the harmful alteration or destruction of historic structures. 'Sometimes I won; sometimes I lost,' he said. But always, was avoided the kind of confrontation which might make an applicant take his case into court, 'where a judge may have keen knowledge of the law, but may have no sense of architectural propriety."

Through many years, Simons continued to practice and served on the National Committee of the Historic American Building Survey, the State Board of Architectural Examiners, president of the Carolina Art Association, associate member of the National Academy of Design, and as a member of the Society of the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Albert Simons died on May 23, 1980. With continued gratitude, we hereby highlight the man who provided the architectural expertise that saved Bloomsbury in the early 1930s.

Architectual History of Bloomsbury Inn - 1930. Part I

In 1930, Mr. John Weeks, of New York, bought Bloomsbury for a winter retreat. If you closely observe a picture of Bloomsbury made in 1915, you can see that the shutters are falling apart and the paint is peeling off the house. Mr. Weeks contacted the most prestigious South Carolina architectural firm in the state, Simons and Lapham, to design the renovation of the home. Bloomsbury would not be here today if it was not for Mr. Simons.
On Tuesday, February 1st, Katherine and I meet with the family of the famed South Carolina architect Albert Simons. The meeting took place at the South Carolina Historical Society building in Charleston. The purpose of the visit was to bring the architectural drawings and the 50+ pages of specifications that we had in our possession, and compare them to what was filed in the archives. The Historical Society did have several drawings that we did not possess. We are in the process of obtaining copies. The Historical Society made a copy of our book of specifications for their records.
It was a great pleasure to meet Harriet Williams, the daughter of Albert Simons. It was most interesting to hear the history of the firm and stories of the famous architect and his work ethic, diligence and dedication to his craft. And, to once again see Dick Simons, his grandson. Dick stayed at Bloomsbury. As we were discussing the wonder of the architecture of the home, Dick asked who was the architect of the renovation; I said "Simons and Lapham". At that instant I put two and two together as Dick said Albert Simons was my grandfather. He invited us to Charleston to meet his aunt and to look over the materials in the achieves. That is why we were in Charleston. It is amazing the people you meet in a Bed and Breakfast.
This photo features Dick Simons and Harriet Williams. My next blog entry will talk about Mr. Simons and his many accomplishments. I think you will find it interesting as we walk through the architectural history of Charleston. Bruce A. Brown

Who Wants in Bloomsbury

Guess who really wants to live inside at Bloomsbury... at least, part of the time. Perhaps that is the "time" she knows we are in the house. Yes, Miss Kitty Stray is trying very hard to wedge her way inside. She is a long-hair, furry tabby with a distinctive coat that features stripes/swirling patterns. She is blessed with an "M" mark on its forehead. This long hair, mixed with lots of fur, is reason enough for her to be the inn cat who lives on the porch. She has a heated bed; she has a timed feeder; she has a brush and treats. The inn cat on the porch of Bloomsbury isn't so bad.

Introducing Miss Kitty Stray to Bloomsbury Inn

In December, this beautiful, fluffy cat started hanging around. Believing that she was lost, we contacted the shelter, local vets and posted her photo on FB...no one claimed her. In January, she was still here. Cold, cold, cold. See the ice on the steps. So, we decided to feed her. She quickly announced that she was going no where...her new home was Bloomsbury Inn. With a clean bill of health from our vet, her shots were updated and a heated cat bed was added to the front verandah of Bloomsbury Inn. She is quickly learning her "porch manners": 1) must be brushed everyday; 2) cannot invite friends over without permission;. 3) cannot walk on the tables; 4) cannot sneak inside the glass door; 5) only gets fed morning and night; and, 6) should not rub on the legs of Bloomsbury Inn guests. So far, so good!