GARDEN OF THE ARCHIVES AND HISTORY CENTER COLUMBIA, SC

Fifteen Cast Stone Benches, three Engraved Glass Markers and trees marking the three regions of South Carolina.

Text running from one bench to the next:

and … when poetry soars, ascends between us and
the sun, a wild play of light and shadow, then
time and place collide into multiple destinies,
stripping history of its predictability.

The child sees the book; family album, memorabilia.
The child opens the book. Letters. Names. So many
pictures. Visions of individual lives – together.
The pulse of private time. Isn’t this what archives do
best: deliberately decoding the ecology of history?

Action               The time is yesterday – focus – when
four-dimensional storyboard         a place … where …
flashback – panning right to left over the crowd
zoom forward – was it you there – cut sequences –
mix shots – splice scripts. Music – oh! more music
So enters history into the realm of possibilities …

Texts on Dogwoods’ marker

ORAL MEMORIES
MAY LAST 800 YEARS.
WRITTEN MEMORIES,
TEY WILL LAST
AS LONG AS STONE
OR PARCHMENT,
OR BARK, OR GLASS,
MEDIA MEMORIES ARE
RULED BY OFFER
AND DEMAND.
DIGITIZED MEMORIES…
IMAGINE, FANCY,
GUESS, PROPOSE,
MANY HISTORIES
OF OUR STORIES.

A brew made from dogwood bark was used in
the treatment of fever in colonial times,
as well as toothpaste and a scarlet dye.

Texts on Oak’ marker

HISTORY AS
HONEY. QUICKSAND, WHERE
SOME LIVES, SOME STORIES,
GOT DROWN ?    AND BACK ?

HISTORY OF A FEW BECOMES
MEMORY OF ALL. And AGAIN
HISTORY IS NOT A VIRGIN.

Oaks in their eternity have witnessed
justice, rendered by kings or mobs.
How can you keep so many secrets?

Texts on Palmettos’ marker

CATAWBAS. CHEROKEES. YAMASSEES. CUSSOS.CANGAREES.
SANTEES. WANDOS. WATEREES. PEDEES. WAXHAWS.
WACCAMAWS. CHERAWS. SAMPITS. CHICORAS. WINYAS.
SUGAREES. ASHEPOOS. ETIWANS. KIAWAHS. COMBAHEES.
STONOS. EDISTOS. WESTOS. UCHEES. HOGOLOGIS. SHAWNEES.
HUGUENOTS. BARBADIANS. ENGLISH. SCOTS. WELSH.
SPANIARDS. PORTUGUESE. HOLLANDERS. DANES. SWEDES.
BRANDENBURG GERMANS. IRISH. JEWS. FRENCH.
CHARLESTOWNE. CAROLANA. FORT ST FELIPE. SAN MIGUEL.
PORT ROYAL. BULLS BAY. CHARLESFORT. JAMESTOWN.
ANGOLA. RIVER  GAMBIA. WINDWARD COAST. SENEGAMBIA.
GHANA. CALABAR. GOLD COAST. BENIN. KONGO. TOGO.
MINE COAST. GUINEA. NDONGO. CAPE VERDE. SENEGAL
RIVER. SIERRA LEONE. GRAIN COAST. NIGER DELTA.
CABINDA. LOANGO COAST. MALIMBA. SLAVE COAST.
“DEM GONE ‘BOUT DEM BIDNESS…”

Palmetto trees were used
as outer walls for coastal forts.

Palmetto trees are important
feeders and shelters for birds:
Dove, Black bird, Mocking bird,
Blue Jay, Grackle, Sparrow …

The Carolina wren and the
Palmetto tree have been chosen as
State Symbols of South Carolina.