The Italianate-style Murchison School and the quirky Confederate monument are two of Bennettsville’s notable landmarks.
D.D. McColl House/ Historic downtown walking tour
More than 30 historic homes, churches and businesses—plus 98 restored downtown storefronts—display the city’s culturally diverse architecture. The self-guided walking tour begins when you pick up a free map at the D.D. McColl House, the striking 19th century, Queen Anne-style brick structure that houses the Bennettsville Visitor Center. Notable stops on the tour include the Murchison School, a fine example of Italianate style, complete with a three-story bell tower, and Shiness, a restored Georgian Revival mansion that’s now home to the Marlboro Herald- Advocate and a gift shop.
The D.D. McColl House is located at 304 West Main St.; (843) 479-3941.
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County museum complex
Marlboro County’s favorite eccentric was Mason Lee, a wealthy 18th-century landowner who was struck by lightning at age 30 and became known for his peculiar behavior. See the hollowed-out gum log he used as a bed and the pistol he slept with—to ward off witches—on display at Marlboro County Historical Museum. The complex also features a Medical Museum, Printing Museum, the Bennettsville Female Academy (furnished as a 19th-century schoolroom), and the lovingly restored Jennings-Brown House, one of the oldest in town.
123 South Marlboro St.; (843) 479-5624.
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A Random quirk
Pay a visit to the Confederate monument on the courthouse square, and check the headgear. Notice anything wrong? The soldier sports a Union army cap, earning it mention in “Ripley’s Believe It or Not.” Local history buff Bill Kinney says its mixed-up partner stands in a Vermont town, where the Yankee soldier wears a Confederate cap. Bennettsville’s statue, Kinney says, was named “Random” after a gun-toting vagrant was arrested on the square and told police he was “shooting at random.”
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Vintage accommodations
Finish a busy day of sightseeing with a relaxing stay at a local bed and breakfast. Breeden Inn, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, offers 13 guest rooms in four 19th-century houses, all with antique furnishings and some with modern whirlpool tubs. The property also features a swimming pool, winding garden walks and its own rich history.
Breeden Inn Bed & Breakfast is at 400 East Main St., Bennettsville.