Greenville, South Carolina

August 1, 2008

Vol. 10 No. 31

Dateline South Carolina

Bright spots in the dark corner
RIDING HIGH: Morris, the 22-hands-high horse and mascot for the Tryon Riding and Hunt Club, welcomes visitors downtown.

Michelle Mogavero/Staff

BY S. KIM HENSON contributing writer
Drive around Lake Lanier, a private lake with a mountain backdrop, and cross over from North Carolina to South Carolina and back again. Children splash in the lakes shallower waters, jet skis make waves and boats pull into boathouses that have upper decks for relaxing. Or sit under the shady sweet gum and Japanese cedar trees on the porch at Lake Lanier Tea House (called the Tea House by locals). Not to be confused with Georgias 38,000-acre Lake Lanier, the Carolinas manmade 90-acre lake was built in 1924 and the restaurant was established around that same time to provide meals for workers. It is speculated that it was rebuilt a couple of years later to offer dining for locals. The Tea House was operated by the Kerhulas family from 1940 until September 2005 after the death of second-generation owner and operator Theo Kerhulas. Patty Otto, the owner of the Hare & Hound Pub in Landrum, purchased the

Tryon Country Club

restaurant from the family last spring and re-opened it shortly thereafter. The building has gone through extensive renovations, including replacing termitedamaged logs and leaky copper water lines under the oor. The kitchen was gutted and redone. A dock has been completed so customers can come to dinner by boat. Kerhulas tried to talk Otto into buying the restaurant many times. I was scared, she said. Its a lot of work to own two restaurants. But I go over there and look out over the lake. That makes it all worthwhile. To preserve the building, its history and the memories, Otto is gathering information to receive a historic designation so that no one will be able to tear it down. There have been a lot of marriage proposals, anniversary celebrations and birthday parties around its tables. Otto moved to Landrum 12 years ago and bought the Hare & Hound building on her birthday, Dec. 2, 2002, during an ice storm. She looked through the buildings iced-covered windows and wondered, What have I done? Landrum also offers antique and gift

Lake Lanier

North Carolina

South Carolina

17 176

Greenville

Area of detail

Landrum

Kalyn Palmer/Staff
shops. A stroll down Rutherford Street offers Red Clover Gallery for arts, One Scrappy Chick for scrapbooking supplies, and Landrums Antique Mall for antiques and gifts. A short drive away, Architectural Warehouse and Old Mill Market Square have such treasures as drinking glasses with ries painted on them and a gold 1974 Fiat 600R from Argentina. Landrum, which is known as the gateway to the Piedmont, is just west of Interstate 26 between Spartanburg and Asheville. The Blue Wall Passage, part of the Palmetto Trails recreational mountainsto-sea trail, runs for 14 miles around and through Landrums forests, Lake Lanier, horse farms, the Foothills Equestrian Nature Center (FENCE) property and downtown. Though Landrum is in Spartanburg County, it is often identied with the Tryon area since the two towns blend across the state line and are recognized as the heart of Carolina horse country. Landrums population in 2004 was 2,509. History dates Landrum back as early as the 1700s, but it wasnt until the railroad was extended from Spartanburg in 1880 that the Town of Landrum was ofcially founded, named for John Landrum who gave the land for the railroad depot. Campbells Covered Bridge, located nearby, is the only covered bridge remaining in South Carolina. The story is told in the book, The Dark Corner. The area was named that because it includes the farthest-reaching corners of Polk, Spartanburg and Greenville counties where moonshiners plied their trade and others settled who did not want the government in their business. Less than a mile from Lake Lanier Tea House is Lake Lanier Country Cottage in Tryon. The old building is full of antiques and an owner who will treat customers to Girl Scout cookies when in season and send them to Tryons popular Sidestreet Pizza for a full meal. Tryon, known as the Friendliest Town in The South, welcomes visitors with Morris, the 22-hands-high horse and mascot for the Tryon Riding and Hunt Club. He rst appeared in 1928 and is the

WHAT TO DO: Downtown Landrum offers plenty of options for eating and shopping.
billboard for the clubs events. In 2004, the towns population was 1,775. They have a single-feature movie theater, pharmacy and barbershop on their main street North Trade Street. Elmos Pub and Grill has been open since 1934. Simple Simons scoops up homemade gourmet ice cream avors for breaks in between shopping at Vines and Stuff Gifts and a manicure at The Purple Zebra. Bill and Wendy Ingham, owners of The Trade Street Gallery Coffeehouse, offer a place for local artists to display their work and musicians to jam on the rst Friday evening of the month from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Ingham said hes seen as many as 22 musicians all the way around the room, but theres usually about a dozen. There are two pianos in the coffeehouse. The third Friday is open mic. Tryon is on the southern slope of the Blue Ridge above the Pacolet River Valley and hosts local festivals such as the Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival in June, Green Creek Heritage Festival in September and the Storytelling Festival in November. Tryons Rogers Park is in a wooded spot behind Town Hall and features a 200-seat amphitheater with a stream running by the stone stage. Both Landrum and Tryon have parks with shade trees, picnic areas and walking trails.