Small Town Welcome in South Carolina

By Bonnie Neely

Clinton, South Carolina, is the home of Presbyterian College, founded in 1880. The classic Southern campus is complete with stately brick buildings and decades-old trees. This is perhaps why it was selected as the site for filming some of the thriller movie "Sleeping With the Enemy."

Clinton used to be a mill town and is the location of Thornwell Orphanage, which was founded on Oct. 1, 1875, with a donation of 50 cents from a 10-year-old boy. The devastation of the South following the Civil War made this Presbyterian facility necessary, and it still thrives in helping children and families today.

In recent years, the downtown area has grown and now is being beautified by upstate South Carolina artist Janette Marvin, who paints enormous murals that look so real that I might well have thought to enter what I thought was a lovely park. Instead, "Clinton Canopy" is Marvin's magnificent work, done with the assistance of Anne Lane, a local art teacher.

In 2017, city officials began the upgrades of J.A. Orr Park, and the mural was painted on small, nearly hidden Musgrove Street. While the mural was growing, many Clinton residents stopped to engage the artists and make suggestions for interactive play, which invited and increased participation of anyone studying the painting process.

Since completion of the mural, viewers have continued to marvel at the precise details Marvin included. There's even a scavenger hunt: Visitors can scan a QR code onsite for a list of small things in the scenic mural. Many who live in Clinton helped with some details, such as posing for a correction in shadows or helping at the top of the 20-foot ladder.

I had come to Clinton to revisit the piece because I was so impressed with it, and I was fortunate to discover Marvin painting another enormous mural of a train scene, just across the street from the train track. I loved watching her work and continue to marvel at the enormity of her scenes.

Cotton mills were the main industry of Clinton from 1895 to 1979. Since they were closed, the growth of Clinton now includes small locally owned shops and good restaurants.

The Presbyterian College campus has grown significantly with enhancements to original buildings and additions of many new ones. The college, formerly for men only, became coed in 1965.

Its Division 1 NCAA athletics bring visitors who come into town for games, and campus life is always fun and thriving.

The small town continues to be an excellent location for students and a vibrant community for residents and visitors. Regardless of its size, Clinton retains a homey atmosphere, rare in many locations. The quiet, welcoming atmosphere and friendly manner, typical of the South, are sure to please.

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WHEN YOU GO

Presbyterian College: www.presby.edu

Thornwell Orphanage: www.thornwell.org

Clinton Cotton Mills: www.rootsandrecall.com/laurens/buildings/clinton-cotton-mill

Clinton Canopy Scavenger Hunt: www.clintoncanopy.org/scavenger-hunt

Janette Marvin: www.janettemarvinstudio.com

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Bonnie Neely is the author of "Real Ventures: Did We Really Do That?" which is available at www.amazon.com. She and her husband Bill are freelance writers. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.