At home with Pearl Fryar
Photo courtesy Dustin Shores/The Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden, Inc.
The S.C. Cotton Museum is only one of Bishopville’s highlights. Within two miles of the museum, just off the main road, are other not-to-be-missed stops:
Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden: If Dr. Seuss had been a gardener, this is what his yard would have looked like. A self-taught topiary artist, Fryar has transformed his three-acre home site into a whimsical landscape that has attracted attention from national media and visitors from around the world. Drive by if you’re short on time; better yet, park the car, stroll through Fryar’s creations and meet the man himself, probably at work in his garden. 145 Broad Acres Road, Bishopville.
Hometown Hero: A corner of the Cotton Museum pays homage to local-boy-made-good Felix “Doc” Blanchard, a Heisman Trophy–winning football star and U.S. Air Force colonel. Triple statues of Blanchard complete the tribute in a flag park at the corner of West Cedar Lane and North Main, across from the museum. For more on Doc Blanchard see the August 2010 issue of South Carolina Living.
Lizard Man Lore: Many folks recall Lee County’s brush with national fame in the late ‘80s following reports of frightening encounters with a half-man/half-lizard, allegedly roaming the nearby swamps and woods. The mystery lives on, and the Cotton Museum—as the keeper of local history—amasses Lizard Man lore and artifacts. Ask Janson Cox for the best behind-the-scenes scoop. The museum gift shop keeps the story alive with t-shirts and paraphernalia.
Local Lunch Spots: Among the unique options for dining along Bishopville’s main drag (Main Street/US 15) are Harry and Harry Too, which bills itself as “Home of the Lizard Man” and serves up burgers, sandwiches and salads; Watford’s Bar-B-Q, featuring barbecue plates, seafood and spaghetti; and Huggy Bear’s, a meat-and-three stop in a red cinder block building at the corner of North Main and Academy Road.