Contributing photographer Michael Kaynard of Charleston sent along this photo of a big, old gun that’s located somewhere in South Carolina. But where? Have you seen it? Send your best guess – plus your name and hometown – to mailto:feedback@statheousereport.com. In the subject line, write: “Mystery Photo guess.”
Last week’s mystery, Winter wonderland, was a beautiful snowy image of the Angel Oak on Johns Island in Charleston County. Thanks to Stuart Williams of Charleston for the photo.
Hats off to all who correctly guessed what it was: Dale Rhodes of Richmond, Va.; Don Hottel, Helen Foley, Jay Altman and Tigerron Wells, all of Columbia; Haidee Stith of Lexington; Philip Cromer of Beaufort; Daniel Prohaska of Moncks Corner; Bill Segars of Hartsville; and Steve Willis of Lancaster. Some 18 other people, including veteran sleuths Tom Tindall of Edisto Island and George Graf of Palmyra, Va., identified the same photo is our sister publication, Charleston Currents.
Prohaska shared, “Angel Oak is a breathtaking natural monument and at an estimated 400-500 years old is nearly twice as old as the United States. If you haven’t been, you need to visit this natural wonder.”
Tindall added: “The photo is of Angel Oak, a huge Southern live oak located in Angel Oak Park on Johns Island. The tree is estimated to be 400-500 years old and derives its name from the estate of Justus Angel and his wife, Martha Waight Tucker Angel. Local folklore tells stories of ghosts of former slaves appearing as angels around the tree.
“Despite the claims that the Angel Oak is the oldest tree east of the Mississippi River, bald cypress trees throughout North and South Carolina are significantly older. The old tree was damaged severely during Hurricane Hugo in 1989 but has since recovered and the City of Charleston has owned the tree and surrounding park since 1991.”
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.
We Can Do Better, South Carolina!