Friends of Congaree Swamp News www.friendsofcongaree.org Summer 2013 Save the date Watkins purchases Big bird hike Join us Sunday, Sept. 22, two riverfront parcels for a fall hike to look for Friends member Richard At the time of the neotropical migratory birds Watkins has just purchased Revolutionary War, Rebecca moving through Congaree two adjoining Congaree Motte’s Mount Joseph National Park on their way riverfront parcels near Fort plantation included parts of back to the Caribbean, Motte in Calhoun County these parcels. It was Mount Central America and South from Johnny McMahan. The America. Joseph plantation where the tracts total approximately It will be a good British occupied and fortified 125 acres, but Congaree opportunity to say good- Rebecca Motte’s plantation River flooding continues to bye to some of our summer house. Patriots, led by Francis delay a boundary survey to resident bird species. Marion and Henry Lee, determine actual acreage. During the hike, we will captured this British “post at One of the newly acquired have the opportunity to Motte’s” on May 12, 1781, parcels (red on the map, page practice audio identification by setting the plantation 7) is bounded westward by the skills (mostly of resident house roof ablaze. Rebecca Peterkin-Goodwyn tract (green and summer species), and Motte gave permission for on the map), which Watkins should be able to observe fire to be set to her house purchased in 2012. Most of the several species up close. to smoke out the British. other newly acquired parcel The hike will be part In 1870, the green, red, of the North American (yellow on the map) is bounded and yellow parcels were part Migration Count for eastward by land owned of 1,000 acres conveyed to Congaree National Park, and by conservationist Luther Sarah Ciples Goodwyn by See Save the date, page 6 Wannamaker of St. Matthews. Dr. Thomas J. Goodwyn, In addition to floodplain, the mayor of Columbia Inside both parcels have bluffs who surrendered the city to President’s Corner...... 2 overlooking Congaree National the Union Army in 1865. Butterfly count...... 3 Park between Devil’s Elbow and In 1914, William G. Peterkin Butterfly events...... 3 the Norfolk Southern railroad. of Lang Syne plantation Sampson Island hike...... 4 (The railroad from Branchville purchased 500 acres of the Boundary expansion map...... 4 to Columbia was constructed 1,000-acre tract from Elizabeth Park volunteer training...... 5 1838–1842 by the Louisville, G. Legare, daughter of Sarah Fort Motte Festival...... 5 Cincinnati & Charleston Trash collection...... 6 Rail Road Company.) See Parcels, page 7

Advocating for Congaree National Park and its unique environment. gravel road there is in reasonable shape, but needs to be cleared and graded in parts. In addition, President’s interpretive signs will be added along the trail, and directional signs will be placed on U.S. 601. Corner Further improvements could include a picnic shelter at the landing and development of other existing trails branching from the causeway. As you may recollect from our numerous Dr. John Grego articles on the U.S. 601 bridges construction, we often cited the interpretive opportunities along Community Conservation grant the causeway. It does look as though parking At the request of the park service, Friends will be limited, and the entrance will not be applied for a Richland County Community designed for safe entry and exit from U.S. 601. Conservation Grant last winter to identify Nevertheless, this is an exciting step down a path additional funds for improvement of the that I never thought could come to fruition. park’s canoe/kayak launches at South River gages Cedar Creek and Bannister Bridge. As the project developed, the park As you may have read recently in “The State,” recognized that it only had sufficient funds the park is unable to pay maintenance costs to to improve the South Cedar Creek canoe U.S. Geological Survey for two gages that it landing parking lot and needed assistance to has funded for 20 years—one on the Congaree complete the landing itself. Improvements River at the western boundary (USGS Gage at Bannister Bridge had to be deferred. #02169625) and another on Cedar Creek near Friends received a $10,000 grant from the Wise Lake (USGS Gage #02169672). The Conservation Commission and contributed park funds the gages for research projects, $16,000 to make up the remainder of a $20,000 resource management, recreational canoeing commitment made to the project years ago. and kayaking, and fundamental issues of The project took an unanticipated turn for public information and public safety. reasons not worth rehashing here. Suffice it to say The park’s resource manager, Frank that work on the South Cedar Creek canoe landing Henning, contacted Friends and the Congaree has started, but neither our grant funds nor our Riverkeeper to help identify possible sources pledge of $16,000 can be used to support it. of replacement funding for the gages. USGS Richland County staff allowed the park to is concerned about continuation of the gages, identify another project, and park staff quickly too, but finds itself in the same situation as the developed a plan for improvement of the causeway park—it is unable to actively request funds. that starts at U.S. 601 and follows the footprint Friends has assisted by contacting Rep. of historic McCords Ferry Road to the site of James Clyburn, Sen. Lindsey Graham and McCords Ferry landing on the . Rep. Joe Wilson about the discontinuation Park visitors will have a completely new of the gages, citing public safety issues. Such opportunity—a short one-mile trail leading to an effort may seem futile against the bigger an attractive low bluff overlooking the river. The backdrop of the budget sequester, but it is nonetheless important to share instances of Friends of Congaree Swamp News is published quarterly by Friends of the sequester’s effect on important resources. Congaree Swamp, P.O. Box 7746. Columbia, SC 29202-7746. It is distributed We have also contacted public utilities and free by mail to Friends members and other interested parties. All content is copyrighted and may not be reproduced except by express industries along the river for assistance. Public permission of Friends of Congaree Swamp. utilities in , in particular, fund Subscription requests or changes of address may be sent to the above address or emailed to [email protected]. Please visit our Web site at www. several gages throughout the state. Santee Cooper, friendsofcongaree.org. for instance, funds two other gages important Friends of Congaree Swamp advocates for Congaree National Park and its unique environment. Dr. John Grego, President Sharon H. Kelly, Editor See Grego, page 6

2 Summer 2013

Flooding makes butterfly count a challenge Participants in the June 2013 NABA Count faced much more challenging conditions than Butterfly events usual. Some of the Butterfly identification most productive areas in the eastern training will be held Saturday, end of the park Sept. 7. were under water The program will involve a and heavy flooding short, PowerPoint introduction prior to the count to butterflies of Congaree meant that nectar Hackberry Emporer National Park and basic sources were few and far between American Lady 14 butterfly identification skills on the floodplain. American Snout 107 before a short hike to practice Thirty participants met Black Swallowtail 2 new skills. at the Visitor Center where Cabbage White 4 Meet at 9 a.m. at the Harry park staff assigned four Carolina Satyr 2 different parties to the Western Checkered White 5 Hampton Visitor Center. The Cloudless Sulphur 9 Boundary Road, Sims Trail, program will last until 11:30 a.m. Common Buckeye 73 Garrick Road and trails along Common Sootywing 1 U.S. 601. Dennis Forsythe, Creole Pearly-Eye 1 The seasonal NABA a stalwart of both the park’s Delaware Skipper 1 Butterfly Countis scheduled NABA counts and Christmas Dun Skipper 1 for Saturday, Sept. 14. Bird Counts, came up from Eastern Comma 1 Participants will conduct Charleston to cover portions Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 16 Eastern-tailed Blue 5 a day of field observations of Calhoun County within the 15-mile diameter count circle. Fiery Skipper 8 counting butterflies along the Butterflies were identified Gemmed Satyr 1 trail system and within various using both binoculars and Gray Hairstreak 3 Gulf Fritillary 2 habitats of the park. cameras. Any really tough Hackberry Emperor 1 Meet at 9 a.m. at the Visitor calls were photographed and Horace’s Duskywing 30 Center. The count will last reviewed by Marty Kastner of Little Wood Satyr 2 until about 4:30 p.m., weather the Carolina Butterfly Society. Northern Cloudywing 2 In the end, we found Orange Sulphur 1 permitting. Please come for all 34 different species and Pearl Crescent 1 or just part of the day. 429 individual butterflies, Question Mark 1 well below the typical Red-spotted Purple 5 species count and total Sachem 2 count for the June event. Sleepy Orange 17 Thanks to the park’s resource Summer Azure 1 Tawny Emperor 1 manager Terri Hogan for Variegated Fritillary 42 organizing this event, and we White Checkered-Skipper 28 hope to see you in September. Zebra Swallowtail 29

Summer 2013 3 Sampson Island hike slated for October

By John Cely Native Americans had What was the island’s role camps and small villages during the Revolution? It seems It has been several years there for many hundreds, if that it would have made a great since Friends last visited not thousands, of years. camp for who Sampson Island, an unusual Crack historian and FOCS actually made a stop nearby sand ridge located in the heart board member Richard to meet General Nathanael of Bates Fork Swamp in the Watkins some years ago Greene at McCord’s Ferry in eastern portion of Congaree located a 1756 royal land grant May, 1781, after his successful National Park. The “island” plat issued to Herman Rich assault on Fort Motte. is an impressive sight when for 150 acres which included What was the island’s first approached from the a portion of Sampson history during and after floodplain, rising well above Island (spelled Samson at the Civil War and into the surrounding terrain. the time) on the plat. This the 20th century? We The island covers about may be the earliest reference hope that more in-depth twelve to fifteen acres, and we have to the island. archaeological investigations has probably been cleared by Who was Sampson will shed additional light humans for agriculture and (Samson) and his island? on this interesting site. shelter in one form or another Probably an African- The hike will be Saturday, for much of its history. American, but after that the Oct. 19. We’ll meet at the Some preliminary imagination can create many Visitor’s Center parking archaeological investigations scenarios. Was Sampson an lot at 9 a.m. and car by the escaped slave? Could the pool from there. Bring a several years ago revealed island have been a temporary beverage and lunch. We regular human occupation refuge for the escaped should be back by 2 p.m. at the site for the past three slave Joe and his Maroon Contact John Cely at centuries and no doubt (runaway slave) associates? [email protected] or 782-7450.

Boundary expansion map

John Cely, left, is back in the map business. His new map of Congaree National Park’s 2003 boundary expansion is dedicated to former park Ranger Fran Rametta and FOCS board member Dick Watkins, right. The map was presented during the FOCS board retreat in July.

4 Summer 2013 Fort Motte Festival Friends board member Dick Watkins, left, is pictured with Fort Motte Festival organizer and Calhoun County Councilwoman Pamela Claxton at the July 6 Fort Motte Festival. We are very sorry to report that Pamela’s mother and festival founder Eliza Goodwine Claxton passed away three weeks after the festival. We greatly appreciated the opportunity to talk with Eliza one last time at this year’s festival and share a photo from last year of Eliza and John Grego. Park schedules training for volunteers

Congaree National Park each division within the park. NABA Butterfly Counts, is working to increase its The following topics will be big tree projects, stream volunteer team by providing covered: NPS policies and assessment, groundwater volunteers with training and conduct, volunteer safety, well monitoring, fire opportunities to support radio use, general field skills management and exotic interpretation, research (backcountry work), wading, plant management. management, and scientific canoeing and swimming. The training will be held research and monitoring In addition to the basic at the Harry Hampton efforts throughout the park. VIP training, many programs Visitor Center from 8 As we move forward, we require specialized program- a.m. to 5 p.m. Ranger are planning a volunteer area training. Depending on Corinne Fenner will email training on Wednesday, your volunteer interest, you volunteers with a detailed Sept. 25, that will support may choose to participate agenda for the training. Congaree’s reputation of top- in additional training in If you do not regularly notch service and science. the following areas: visitor receive emails from Corinne, The first training will cover center interpretation, general please email her at Corinne_ the basic skills and knowledge research assistant, Christmas [email protected] to let her for volunteer positions in and Backyard bird counts, know you are interested.

Summer 2013 5 Save the date continued from page 1 our observations will be part of a statewide compilation. We plan to cover other areas of the park following the Big Bird Hike and welcome additional volunteers. The hike will last from 8:30 a.m. until noon. Meet at the Visitor Center. Kathleen Grady will be co-leader. Contact John Grego (803- 331-3366; [email protected]). Please bring water, insect repellent and binoculars. Friends annual meeting Friends of Congaree Swamp will hold its Annual Oyster Roast and Business Meeting on Sunday, Oct. 27, on recently protected private property near Fort Motte in Calhoun County. Share spectacular views of Congaree National Park with our hosts Dick Watkins and Luther Wannamaker. Tours will include a visit to the site Friends of Congaree Swamp, American Rivers and park staff teamed up June 1 to clear of the historic Fort Motte the U.S. 601 boat ramp of trash on National Trails Day. The debris included countless battle site at Mount Joseph bags of flotsam from recent flooding. We are grateful to Trader Joe’s for sponsoring the cleanup and providing snacks, water and trash bags. led by Prof. Steve Smith of South Carolina Institute of Grego outcome to our requests. Archaeology and Anthropology. Of course, we hope this is continued from page 2 Robert Barber of Bowen’s only a short-term issue and that Island Restaurant will roast to the park—the gage on the funding is restored to the park South Carolina oysters and Congaree River at Columbia for an expense it has budgeted Friends of Congaree Swamp (active since at least 1891), for 20 years. In the interim, board members will prepare and the gage on the Santee if a choice between the two our usual feast of chili, roast River at Trezevant’s Landing, gages is necessary, Friends just downstream from the sees the Cedar Creek gage as chicken, vegetarian selections, confluence of the Congaree a critical resource to the park beverages and desserts. and Wateree rivers. This history and has every intention of Look for registration of funding support gives us assisting with funding should materials soon. optimism for a favorable our other efforts fall through.

6 Summer 2013 The U.S. Geological Survey map shows the Peterkin-Goodwyn tract, purchased by Watkins in 2012, in green. The new parcel containing Goodin Cemetery is in red and the second new parcel is in yellow.

Parcels American cemetery, identified a conservation easement to continued from page 1 as “Goodin Cemetery” Congaree Land Trust. Also, on the U.S. Geological actions will be initiated to Goodwyn. Of these 500 acres, Survey topographic map reforest the floodplain, and a 328.7-acre parcel remained in (Wateree Quadrangle). adapt upland habitat for Peterkin ownership until 2012, The newly acquired yellow bird species of interest. when William Peterkin III sold parcel—now approximately If you’re interested in 265.7 acres (green parcel) to 80 acres—was conveyed in seeing these tracts, Friends Richard Watkins. Mr. Peterkin 1922 by William Peterkin of Congaree Swamp will protected the green parcel with to Joseph R. Brown, whose hold its annual membership a conservation easement to heirs sold the property in meeting there on Sunday, Congaree Land Trust before 1983. From 1987–2001, this Oct. 27. See Save the Date. he sold the parcel to Watkins. tract was owned by Cardinal This is an opportunity The newly acquired red Chemical Co. of Columbia. to walk along the crest of parcel—now approximately Fortunately, Cardinal did bluffs overlooking Congaree 45 acres—was conveyed in not construct a chemical River and Congaree National 1927 by William Peterkin to plant on the property. Park and visit the actual James Friday, whose heirs sold As a conservation buyer, site of Revolutionary War the property in 2006. This red Watkins plans to protect both action at Rebecca Motte’s parcel includes an African- newly acquired parcels with Mount Joseph plantation.

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