Features, Mystery Photo

MYSTERY PHOTO: Something different

This week, the mystery isn’t something for you to identify, but something to explain.  Marijuana, as you know, is illegal in South Carolina.  In fact, it’s one of only five states where the evil weed is fully illegal, according to this site.  Just this week, conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said federal marijuana laws may not be necessary.  

While pot is illegal in South Carolina, a huge bus (above) speeds around Charleston’s streets advertising for people to participate in a marijuana study at the Medical University of South Carolina.  What do you think about that?  Send your guess to feedback@statehousereport.com — and remember to include your name, home city and contact information. 

Last week’s mystery, “A bonafide contraption,” showed a cotton bale press located in Latta in Dillon County.  Elizabeth Jones of Columbia easily identified the press: “I worked there as a kid, until my parents moved Upstate and I started picking peaches.”

Congratulations to others who identified the photo: Tom E. Stickler of Pawleys Island; Bill Segars of Hartsville; David Lupo of Mount Pleasant; Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas; Jay Altman and Vicki Ringer, both of Columbia; George Graf of Palmyra, Va.; Will Bradley of Las Vegas, Nevada; Frank Bouknight of Summerville; Jacie Godfrey of Florence; and David M. Taylor of Darlington.  Thanks to Barry Wingard for sending along the photo.

Segars added: “This is a 1789 cotton press located at 1251 Highway 38 outside of Latta in Dillon County.  It was originally used and located at Berry’s Crossroads.  In 1948, it was moved about 1/2 mile to this location and restored.  Ginned cotton was placed in the top of the square box and mulles would then walk around in a circle, turning a screw, compacting the cotton into a square bale for shipment.  The two diagonally braces hold the structure up straight.”

  • Send us a mystery. If you have a photo that you believe will stump readers, send it along (but make sure to tell us what it is because it may stump us too!)  Send to:  feedback@statehousereport.com and mark it as a photo submission.  Thanks.

350 FACTS

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