Probate Lawyer in White Stone, SC

Deep in the woods of Croft State Natural Area, there are relics left there nearly a hundred years ago after fire roared through the White Stone Lithia Springs Hotel.

Traces of the resort still are visible in the decorative rock walls near the spring, in the old roadbeds that carriage drivers took to reach the resort and in an occasional find of artifacts on the ridge top where the hotel stood.

Before the flames, hundreds of visitors each year came to vacation in the hotel to lift their spirits by drinking and soaking in the water they believed cured a long list of physical ailments.

Jeanette "Jennie" Moore, 67, a life-long resident of the White Stone area whose grandfather drove the trolley that took people from the village train depot to the resort, says the history of the spring and the resort should not be allowed to die.

"In the early 1900s, this was the place to be," Moore said one afternoon this week as she watched spring water rising from deep in the Piedmont soil spew out onto the ground and drain into Black Branch. "You wouldn't believe

how many people love this place, like me."

For decades after the resort closed, local residents used the area around the spring as a park. It's been the location for a lifetime of visits by Moore.

A highlight of her springtime trips to the area was the yellow jonquil blooms scattered around the spring.

"Somebody planted those bulbs, probably a hundred years ago," said Moore, pointing to the area.

People first came to enjoy the benefits of White Stone Spring around 1850. Before J. T. Harris had the hotel built in 1901, guests stayed in small cabins.

Harris' hotel, with its electric lighting, steam heat and accommodations for 350 guests, was something of a marvel to Spartanburg County residents. Two hundred people could be seated in the dining room at one time.

The spring is on land the U. S. Army purchased from private landowners to build Camp Croft Military Training Center during World War II. At the close of the war, the government sold 7,000 of the 19,000 acres to the South Carolina Forestry Commission for use as a park.

Moore started an effort this year to get park officials to remove a cable roadblock put up in the 1970s to prevent visitors from driving on a narrow dirt road that descends a slight ½-mile grade to the spring.

The only other way to reach the resort site is by a cross-country hike several miles long through thick hardwood forests.

Moore wrote letters in January to Gov. Mark Sanford, Rep. Lanny Littlejohn and Sen. Jim Richie asking for help.

Littlejohn said Friday he'd been working to get the state park service to open the access road for "about four years."

"I can't get the park service to do anything," Littlejohn said. "What it boils down to, they don't want to supervise that other entrance (off White Stone Road) over there."

Littlejohn said he has someone who's agreed to do the grading work on the road without charge.

"That's part of our history and people need to see it," Littlejohn said. "And all the people of White Stone want it."

Littlejohn might have made more progress than he realizes.

This morning, park naturalist Bill Marrell will lead a small group of people who've supported making the springs more accessible to the public on an interpretive tour of the area.

Marion Edmond, state parks spokesman, said late Friday Marrell's walk is just a small step in the process of making the area more accessible.

"We have a nice opportunity here to develop a trail that goes to a significant historical site and a beautiful natural area," Edmond said.

While Edmond said he could not provide a timeline for the work, he said studies to protect the historical and natural aspects of the area would begin soon.

At mid-afternoon on Thursday, Moore parked her burgundy Buick on the shoulder of White Stone Road and set out with her husband, Buddy, and other visitors on a walk to the spring.

The warm temperature at roadside began to drop noticeably, and the humidity sharply increased, as the group drew closer to the spring. Woodland ferns and ground cedar began showing up at the edge of the roadbed, first as scattered plants, then in larger communities.

High ridges covered in trees -- some at least 200 years old -- could be seen off both sides of the roadbed.

Along the way, Moore spoke about how throughout her childhood and as an adult she's visited the spring for picnics. It's been harder, she said, since the cable on the road went up.

"It is always cool down here, even in the summer," Moore said as the water in Black Branch made a noisy pass between two pieces of granite.

"The sound of that water is soothing," Moore said. "I love to be down here. It's just beautiful."

Early writings about White Stone indicate spring water, under natural pressure, shot out 30 feet from the pipe that workers sunk into the spring. Earlier this week, the strong and steady stream of water from the spring still pushed a stream of water six inches from the end of the pipe.

The results of water assays released on Christmas Eve, 1901, listed mostly minerals. The items with the highest concentration were Lithium Bicarbonate and Lithium Sulphate.

"Isn't that some kind of antidepressant drug?" Moore asked. "No wonder these people were so happy when they were here."

Long before today's worldwide market for bottled water, resort owner Harris was shipping it by the carloads to several cities in the eastern half of the United States. He also shipped bottled water to Alaska and the Philippines, according to an early 1900s story that ran in The Columbia State newspaper.

Moore has put together a scrapbook of early 1900s newspaper clippings about the spring from the Spartanburg Daily Herald. Many included accounts of how area farmers and residents came to help fight the blaze.

The fire started in the hotel's kitchen and quickly spread throughout the building. The Daily Herald reported that people several miles away could still see a "great light in the sky" from the fire on Sunday evening.

A few pieces of furniture and a piano were all that was saved from the blaze.

Nearly a hundred years after the last bottles of White Stone Lithia Springs water was packaged and shipped, building foundations, broken bricks and granite stones are the ghosts that continue to connect Jennie Moore to this place.

"We used to come down here and have such a good time," Moore said. "This is part of our history. I want to do this for the old folks, their memories and the stories their parents told them."

Gary Henderson can be reached at 562-7230 or gary.henderson@shj.com.

Seen from the sky, the Gilman family’s rock lobster art project stands out on the grey stones of Jasper Beach in Bucks Harbor, Machiasport. Videos courtesy Henry S. Gilman

The build video can be viewed here https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jKgN-QvYJ_I?feature=share

This month, anyone climbing the stones of Jasper Beach will first catch sight of the wide Atlantic, then, below them, a lobster — a 25-foot lobster framed by white stones, to be exact. The temporary artwork is drawing appreciation from the locals, from across the internet and from the many visitors who travel to Bucks Harbor to see Jasper Beach each year.

As it turns out, some of those visitors created the piece during a family reunion outing. Since 1987, the Gilman family has convened in Mount Vernon each year, and they always try something new together.

“From hiking Katahdin to fishing tournaments, to clamming. This year we came to Jasper Beach,” said Henry Gilman. “Only two of us had ever been here before, although our late father taught at Lubec High School in the 50s and this area still has meaning.”

Gilman’s parents had 10 children, and today their family has grown to 44 including spouses and children who travel to be together from Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, North Carolina, Minnesota, Delaware, West Virginia, and even Albania. Next year their family will grow to 45.

Eighteen Gilman nieces, nephews, aunts, and uncles created the giant stone lobster, and even with that many hands, the process took several hours. Gilman created a time-lapse video of their work.

Even after all that effort, the Gilman family knows this artwork is only temporary.

“We’re happy people are enjoying it for now but fully expect it to be destroyed one way or another,” said Gilman. “Everyone enjoyed it and we’re looking for other ideas for 2023.

Seen from the sky, the Gilman family’s rock lobster art project stands out on the grey stones of Jasper Beach in Bucks Harbor, Machiasport. Videos courtesy Henry S. Gilman

The build video can be viewed here https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jKgN-QvYJ_I?feature=share

This month, anyone climbing the stones of Jasper Beach will first catch sight of the wide Atlantic, then, below them, a lobster — a 25-foot lobster framed by white stones, to be exact. The temporary artwork is drawing appreciation from the locals, from across the internet and from the many visitors who travel to Bucks Harbor to see Jasper Beach each year.

As it turns out, some of those visitors created the piece during a family reunion outing. Since 1987, the Gilman family has convened in Mount Vernon each year, and they always try something new together.

“From hiking Katahdin to fishing tournaments, to clamming. This year we came to Jasper Beach,” said Henry Gilman. “Only two of us had ever been here before, although our late father taught at Lubec High School in the 50s and this area still has meaning.”

Gilman’s parents had 10 children, and today their family has grown to 44 including spouses and children who travel to be together from Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, North Carolina, Minnesota, Delaware, West Virginia, and even Albania. Next year their family will grow to 45.

Eighteen Gilman nieces, nephews, aunts, and uncles created the giant stone lobster, and even with that many hands, the process took several hours. Gilman created a time-lapse video of their work.

Even after all that effort, the Gilman family knows this artwork is only temporary.

“We’re happy people are enjoying it for now but fully expect it to be destroyed one way or another,” said Gilman. “Everyone enjoyed it and we’re looking for other ideas for 2023.

WHITE STONE, SC, October 5, 2021 – BASF is seeking applicants for a new apprenticeship program at its White Stone, South Carolina facility. The program is part of the company’s North American Apprenticeship Development Program (NAADP), which aims to meet future talent needs for a skilled and diverse technician workforce with an emphasis on attracting more females to these roles. With other programs offered at the company’s Seneca and Converse sites, this is the third apprenticeship program BASF has launched in South Carolina.

The twelve-month apprenticeship program at the White Stone site pays apprentices a full-time wage to participate in on-the-job training while earning a certificate in Process Control Technology from Spartanburg Community College. Pay begins at $19.45 per hour and increases to $22 per hour by the end of the year-long program. In addition to paying a competitive wage, BASF offers full medical, dental and vision benefits, paid vacation, and covers the cost of tuition, books and fees associated with the certificate program. At the end of the program, apprentices have the skills and credentials to be placed in permanent positions with salaries starting at $22 per hour, with annual merit increases and bonuses available. The application for the apprenticeship program will be open until October 29. To apply, visit www.basf.us/apprentice.

“BASF offers many opportunities for career progression within the company, and it is a great company to build your career with. As BASF works toward reaching 30 percent female leadership by 2030, the apprenticeship program will be a key piece to bringing in more diverse talent into the pipeline, and we hope to grow our apprentices into future leaders at BASF,” said White Stone Site Director Deborah McKitten.

The Process Control Technology certificate program at Spartanburg Community College (SCC) trains students to meet the needs of advanced manufacturing-focused work that has grown tremendously over the past decade throughout the Upstate. As part of SCC’s Center for Advanced Manufacturing & Industrial Technologies, the program provides students extensive hands-on training in lab environments, allowing them to continuously practice concepts learned in the classroom. PCT labs feature state-of-the-art equipment and simulations built to emulate the highest production standards and best practices found in the workplace. Graduates leave SCC not only with academic credentials, but first-hand, practical experience that is critical to what they will experience on the job. In addition, PCT certificate graduates may continue their SCC education and pursue an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Process Control Technology, opening the doors to even more employment opportunities, career growth and success.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, apprenticeship programs bring about many benefits, including enhanced employee retention, a safer workplace, a stable and reliable pipeline of qualified workers and a systematic approach to training, which ensures that employees are prepared and certified to produce at the highest skill levels required.

“The ideal candidate for our apprenticeship program is one who has a passion to learn and grow, with the motivation, dedication and drive to succeed,” said Dr. Susan Emmerich, BASF’s NAADP Project Implementation Manager. “No manufacturing experience is necessary to be considered for the program, but an innate curiosity to understand the way things work, desire to work collaboratively, and willingness to learn from experienced technicians are the foundation for success.”

BASF’s White Stone site manufactures surfactants for the personal care and cleaning industries. Materials produced at this site have gone into many products used in the fight against COVID-19, including soaps and disinfectants.

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 17,000 employees in North America and had sales of $18.7 billion in 2020. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 110,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2020. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at http://www.basf.com.

GREENVILLE, S.C. —

The city of Greenville has presented a series of recommendations to improve safety along Stone Avenue; it also hopes to reduce congestion.

The meeting began at 5:30 p.m. at St. George Greek Orthodox Church along North Academy Street.

"It's just super dangerous," neighbor Jodi Hajosy said about Stone Avenue. "I mean, we live downtown because we want to walk."

As part of the project, the city will be focusing on improving Stone Avenue between Pete Hollis Boulevard and Interstate 385 with a $2 million budget.

A total of 37,000 cars each day travel on Stone Avenue, according to the city.

"The people who use the road every day, who walk the road and drive the road, what do y'all see the concerns are?" said Clint Link, the city's director of engineering services. "What are the things that y'all would like the city to address with this project?"

Some recommendations could include installing a pedestrian signal at Stone Avenue and Wilton Street, restricting left turns from Stone Avenue during peak travel times and reducing or modifying travel lanes to improve bicycle lanes that cross Stone Avenue.

“As the city grows, people are going to use our streets in different ways as retail and commercial developments expand along Stone Avenue," Link said. "We have a lot of neighborhoods along that road, and people want to walk and bike and go to some of these establishments without getting into their vehicles.”

As the meeting began, city leaders gave a short presentation before people visited information stations to give their feedback on the recommendations.

Councilor John DeWorken has been pushing for a pedestrian signal at Wilton Street for years.

"We have so many kids that live in Viola and Heritage and those neighborhoods down there that are trying to cross Stone Avenue to get to Stone Academy," DeWorken said. "These are little kids trying to cross Stone Avenue. I'm a big guy, and I'm nervous trying to cross Stone Avenue."

Throughout the night, dozens of neighbors placed, sticky notes, color-coded dots on what they liked or did not like and wrote comment cards to suggest changes.

Some said they want the street to fit better into the neighborhood.

"It's very important as it grows for it to grow the right way and to help protect people that are there because we don't want it to be that there's an accident or, Heaven forbid, a fatality before something gets done," neighbor Mark Godfrey said.

"It doesn't feel walkable, and it doesn't feel connected," Hajosy said. "You've got four lanes of traffic, and even though the speed limit is 35 miles per hour, most people are traveling 55 miles per hour."

Link said the city will hold another meeting early next year to present official recommendations for the project. He added construction is expected to start around the summertime.

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South Carolina linebacker Stone Blanton intends on entering the NCAA transfer portal, he announced via X on Saturday night. After spending two seasons playing under head coach Shane Beamer, Blanton will be looking for somewhere else to continue his college football career.

“It has been an honor to suit up in the Garnett and Black for the past 2 years,” Stone said in his announcement. “I will cherish the memories and relationships I’ve built forever. Thank you to Coach Beamer for giving me the opportunity to play for such a great program and University. Thank you to Coach White for investing in me and believing in me.

“I am forever grateful for the mentorship I received while at Carolina. Thank you to my teammates for a great two seasons. I have decided to enter the portal with 2 years of eligibility left. Thank you to everyone who has helped me get to where I am today.”

Blanton played high school football at Madison (MS) Madison-Ridgeland Academy, where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 278 overall recruit in the 2022 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

Track transfer portal activity

As of December 23rd, 1,886 FBS players have entered the Transfer Portal.

While the NCAA Transfer Portal database is private, the On3 Network has streamlined the reporting process tracking player movement. If you find yourself asking, ‘How can I track transfer portal activity?’ our well-established network of reporters and contacts across college athletics keeps you up to speed in several ways, from articles written about players as they enter and exit the transfer portal or find their new destination, to our social media channels, to the On3 Transfer Portal.

The transfer portal wire provides a real-time feed of player activity, including basic player profile information, transfer portal ranking and original On3 Industry recruiting ranking, as well as NIL valuation (name, image and likeness).

The On3 Transfer Portal Rankings allow for you to filter the On3 Industry Rankings to find the best of the best in the portal, starting with Overall Top Players.

You can dive deeper into the rankings and filter by position whether it is Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver, Tight End, Offensive Tackle, Interior Offensive Line, Edge, Defensive Line, Linebacker, Cornerback, Safety, Athlete, Kicker, Punter, or Long Snapper you’re looking for.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.