On Tuesday we visited Parris for the first time. This is not Hilton or the city in France, but rather the island near Beaufort with the Marines turn young men and women into the Devil Dogs that seem to be the first on the scene whenever there is some sort of fight. We were somewhat amazed at the access our pass granted us to the base itself. Our main objective was the museum, but we were able to roam freely around the base. Watching these young people being mentored by the kind drill instructors made me realize it is safe for us to sleep while they are on watch.
We finally did reach the museum and got a chance to view the history of the corps, as well as the Beaufort area. I have to admit we are museum junkies, and maybe a little nerdy about them, but we love to see the history of our country and the organizations that have helped make them great. The WWII section of the display read like the whereabouts of Ron’s father during the war. More about that in a later post.
After leaving Parris we paid one more visit to the town of Beaufort. On our return trip it was much warmer, but to our disappointment, the Arsenal Museum was closed,
so we just toured the town looking at the many antebellum houses.
On our way back to Round O we took a side trip on Old Sheldon Church Road. Two miles off state highway 17 sits the Old Sheldon Church. Here is an excerpt from Discover South Carolina.com about the church:
Sheldon Church has lain in ruin for more than 120 years. Its gable roof, pediment, windows, and interior have disappeared, but the classic simplicity of its design still remains. One of the first Greek Revival structures built in the United States, Prince William's Parish Church, erected 1745-55, was once one of the most impressive churches in the Province. During the Revolution, the Patriots are believed to have stored gun powder in it. In 1779, when the British General Augustine Prevost invaded the Lowcountry, the church was burned by a detachment which according to tradition, was commanded by the flamboyant local Tory, Andrew Deveaux. Rebuilt in 1826, the church was again burned by Sherman's men in 1865. The ruins are nevertheless a picturesque site from which the visitor can visualize the grandeur of the pre-Revolutionary church.
We finally did reach the museum and got a chance to view the history of the corps, as well as the Beaufort area. I have to admit we are museum junkies, and maybe a little nerdy about them, but we love to see the history of our country and the organizations that have helped make them great. The WWII section of the display read like the whereabouts of Ron’s father during the war. More about that in a later post.
After leaving Parris we paid one more visit to the town of Beaufort. On our return trip it was much warmer, but to our disappointment, the Arsenal Museum was closed,
so we just toured the town looking at the many antebellum houses.On our way back to Round O we took a side trip on Old Sheldon Church Road. Two miles off state highway 17 sits the Old Sheldon Church. Here is an excerpt from Discover South Carolina.com about the church:
Sheldon Church has lain in ruin for more than 120 years. Its gable roof, pediment, windows, and interior have disappeared, but the classic simplicity of its design still remains. One of the first Greek Revival structures built in the United States, Prince William's Parish Church, erected 1745-55, was once one of the most impressive churches in the Province. During the Revolution, the Patriots are believed to have stored gun powder in it. In 1779, when the British General Augustine Prevost invaded the Lowcountry, the church was burned by a detachment which according to tradition, was commanded by the flamboyant local Tory, Andrew Deveaux. Rebuilt in 1826, the church was again burned by Sherman's men in 1865. The ruins are nevertheless a picturesque site from which the visitor can visualize the grandeur of the pre-Revolutionary church.
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