A longtime, dedicated reader sent in this photo of a monument of three members of the military that is located somewhere in South Carolina. What is it and, if you can, tell us something about it? Send your guess to feedback@statehousereport.com — and remember to include your name, home city and contact information.
Last week’s mystery, “Another white building,” shows the Barnwell County Courthouse, a photo sent in by reader Bill Segars of Hartsville.
The building was recognized by astute readers Penny Forrester of Tallahassee, Fla.; Kevin Mertens of Greenville; Jacie Godfrey and Barry Wingard, both of Florence; George Graf of Palmyra, Va.; Jay Altman and Elizabeth Jones, both of Columbia; Fairey Mock of Chapin; Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas; David Taylor of Darlington; and Tray Hunter of Bluffton.
Graf shared a little on Barnwell County history:
“The so-called “Barnwell Ring” was a grouping of influential Democratic South Carolina political leaders from Barnwell County. The group included state Sen. Edgar A. Brown, state Rep. Solomon Blatt Sr., Gov. Joseph Emile Harley and state Rep. Winchester Smith Jr. Together, the four occupied the most powerful positions of South Carolina government in 1941.
“Strom Thurmond coined the term ‘Barnwell Ring’ during his bid for governor in 1946. He campaigned on a progressive platform which put him squarely at odds with the conservative legislators of the Barnwell Ring. The ring arose in the late 1930s and lasted into the 1970s. Brown and Blatt were the chief principals of the ring. Brown was the president pro tempore and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee from 1942 to 1972. Blatt was the speaker of the house from 1937 to 1946, and 1951 to 1973. Both men denied the existence of the ring until 1963 when Brown exclaimed, ‘Long live the Barnwell Ring’ at a dinner to honor Blatt.”
- 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.
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