My, what a long word and what a long and wonderful life I have been given.
During several nights lately I have found myself lying in bed and wondering why I love Georgetown so much and why we are living in a society that is divided by a digital line unseen. It differentiates up and down, day and night, right and wrong, yes and no, young and old.
Well, I was born a long time ago in the city of Georgetown on Highmarket Street in the early 1930s. My father was a foreman for the late Mr. Archer M. Huntington during the erection and building of Brookgreen Gardens and the beautiful statues at the entrance. My maternal grandfather, who was an author and artist and taxidermist, developed a very close relationship with Mr. Huntington, who gave my grandfather so much help in building the Wesley Museum formerly located in Murrells Inlet on Wesley Road.
Mr. Huntington gave my maternal grandmother a real live jersey milk cow, so her family was well supplied with milk, cream, and butter. My grandmother Hannah came from Moulton, England, when she was 13 years of age on a ship to New York City. She met my grandfather, and they fell in love and were married and left New York City for South Carolina in an ox-drawn cart. The journey took three years to complete.
She contributed much to the Georgetown County society. In fact, she was elected the first woman member of the Georgetown County School Board. Two of her daughters became school teachers in Horry County. My father was a Star Route mail carrier when I was born, and later he was also in law enforcement. I am the oldest of 10 children, two of whom are deceased.
I also was the first person in Georgetown County to receive a high school diploma from the Adult Continuing Education program in 1967.
I was privileged to work at various places in the Georgetown area in the 1970s, which included Winyah Generating Station, the beautiful Georgetown County Court House and the auditor's office. The auditor at the time was Mr. Sonny Siau. I was so honored to have the opportunity of working in that beautiful building and to know the other employees and members of the community. During that period most of the office functions were all manual, no computers.
Whenever my husband and I drive to Georgetown, we always drive up to the corner of Prince and Screven streets and look at the beautiful view of the courthouse and town clock and surrounding area. I still consider it a unique privilege when I recall my work in the center of government in Georgetown County.
Why do I love Georgetown? These are some of the reasons.
I am 80 years old now, and we have enjoyed so much of Georgetown and its history and its contributions to our local society and the wonderful Georgetown Times that keeps us informed. It's a wonderful place to be born in, to live in, to work in, and to grow old in. In God's Standard Operating Procedure (the Bible), we are told that God knows the date of our birth and the number of days we will be allowed to live in His creation. In conclusion, thank you Georgetown for everything.
Peggy Carter Harrell
Pleasant Hill section
of Georgetown Count?
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