A Little History

This weekend we will be going to Bamberg for our workshop with the community. My job to prepare for the workshop was to research and educate my group members on the history and context of Bamberg. I was actually really surprised at the number of websites that offered history on Bamberg, particularly the Historic Society’s website. It turns out that many buildings in Bamberg, especially residences, are listed on the South Carolina Historical Register as well as on the National Register of Historical Sites. The website lets you go on a virtual tour of all of these sites. I collected all of my research from the internet and created a written timeline as well as an abbreviated graphical one.
Some interesting facts about Bamberg:
It was originally known as Simmons Turnout. A wealthy landowner by the name of Simmons had given the property to the town that would later become Bamberg. It was called Simmons Turnout because many people would gather around the train stop to socialize and observe all that was coming in and out of town. Most of the commerce in Bamberg formed around this train stop, which is today known as the Berm.
Later, Simmons Turnout would become known as Bamberg for General Bamberg, who was a very influential player in the growth and the development of the area after the Civil War.
Another fact about Bamberg is that most of the economic boom and growth of the town was due to cotton, the town’s staple product. Several large mills were set up close to downtown that attributed to the success of Bamberg through around the 1920s. The 1920s seem to be the peak time for the growth of Bamberg. Today the old mill buildings have been destroyed and all that remains is the smoke stack from the original cotton mill.
There are a several other historical sites around Bamberg, but as I mentioned earlier, most of the registered sites are older residences. Some of the residences were once occupied by prominent citizens of the area like the Simmons family or the Bamberg family. Many are just listed purely for their age, and most are in need of restoration. I enjoyed investigating the context of this town. I really think its important and valuable to take into account the historical significance of the area when choosing a site for construction. This is especially important when the key client is the community itself.