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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAVER COUNTY.
I AM SO EXCITED THAT YOU'RE JOINING US TODAY BECAUSE WE HAVE A SPECTACULAR PROGRAM IN JUST A MINUTE.
WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT TO FORT FREMONT OUT ON ST.
AND, UH, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING TO FIRST, UH, STEPHANIE NAGID, WHO IS THE PASSIVE PARK MANAGER FOR BUFORD COUNTY.
SCOTT GROOMS IS GOING TO BE TALKING TO HER, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK HERE AND WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING TO RAY RAWLINGS, WHO IS ON THE BOARD OF THE FRIENDS OF FORT FREMONT TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE OUT THERE AND THE INTERPRETIVE HISTORICAL CENTER THAT'S GOING TO BE OPENING.
SO I AM JUST SO GLAD TAKE IT AWAY, SCOTT THANKS, RICK.
AND WE ARE HERE AT FORT FREMONT, A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE RAINS, AND FINALLY STOPPED.
AND I'M HERE WITH STEPHANIE MAGIC AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE FORT FREMONT PROJECT AND WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PROJECT YOU HAVE OUT HERE.
SO TELL US A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE HISTORY OF THE PROJECT AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO WHAT'S BEING DONE.
UM, SO THE PROPERTY ITSELF WAS PURCHASED IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT, UM, ACQUISITIONS BETWEEN 2010 AND 2014.
AND, UH, THE COUNTY WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE ALL OF WHAT IS CALLED BATTERY FOR NANCE AND BATTERY JESSUP, WHICH YOU SEE HERE BEHIND ME, UM, IN AROUND 2015 PLANS WERE CREATED TO CONSTRUCT THE INTERPRETIVE CENTER, UM, THAT IS BEHIND YOU.
AND WE ACTUALLY WERE JUST ABLE TO FINISH THAT THIS YEAR.
SO WHAT, UM, WHAT, WHAT WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE USE OF THE INTERPRETERS, THE INTERPRETIVE CENTER, WHICH WE'RE, UM, HOPING, UH, WILL SOON BE NAMED THE FORT FREMONT HISTORY CENTER, UM, DOES HAVE THE DIRE RAMA OF THE FORT THAT THE FRIENDS OF FORT FREMONT BUILT AND, UH, THAT'S IN THE INSIDE IN THE MAIN LOBBY.
AND THEN THERE'S A SMALL CONFERENCE ROOM.
THAT'S GOING TO BE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE AT CRYSTAL LAKE PARK ON LADY'S ISLAND, PROBABLY HOLD ABOUT 20 PEOPLE THAT IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE FOR RENTAL.
AND THEN WE'LL ALSO HAVE, UM, MALE AND FEMALE RESTROOMS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THOSE WILL BE OPEN FROM 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM EVERY DAY.
UM, ALTHOUGH THE HISTORY CENTER, THE, THE LOBBY OF THE HISTORY CENTER ITSELF IS ONLY GOING TO BE OPEN, UM, A COUPLE OF DAYS A WEEK WHEN THE FRIENDS ARE HERE TO MAN IT AND PROVIDE DOCENT TOURS AND, UM, SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE SITE.
WHAT, WHAT REALLY IS A PASSIVE PART FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW? SO A PASSIVE PARK IS A PARK THAT IS, UM, DEDICATED TO PASSIVE RECREATION, WHICH INCLUDES THE ENJOYMENT OF ONE'S NATURAL RESOURCES.
SO IT'S USUALLY VERY LOW IMPACT, UM, UH, MAINLY INTERPRETATION OF THE CULTURE OR THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SITE.
UM, HIKING TRAILS, BIKING TRAILS, THEY CAN BE PAVED LIKE WE HAVE HERE, UM, THAT MAKE IT ADA ACCESSIBLE TO GET AROUND THE FORT, OR THEY COULD BE UNPAVED.
UM, SOME OF THE OTHER PROPERTIES THAT I MANAGE HAVE, UM, Y JUST FLAT EARTH AND TRAILS, UM, BUT MULTIPURPOSE TRAILS FOR, FOR HIKING AND BIKING, UM, THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO GET OUT AND JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE NATURAL BEAUTY IN THE AREA.
SO IF HE CAME OUT TO FORT FREMONT, THE HOURS, OR DAYTIME HOURS, ONLY 24 HOURS, SO THEY W WHAT ARE THE HOURS FOR, FOR FREMONT? ALL THE PASSIVE PARKS ACTUALLY ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, UM, EVERY DAY DAWN TO DUSK.
SO, UM, NO, THE PROPERTIES AREN'T, UM, CLOSED FOR ANY HOLIDAYS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, WE DO HAVE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS, UM, PARTICULARLY AT THIS SITE, THERE'S A PEDESTRIAN GATE.
UM, THERE WAS A PARKING LOT, SO MOST OF THE PROPERTIES WILL HAVE PARKING AREAS, UM, WITH A GATE THAT DOES, OR DOESN'T CLOSE SOMETIMES AT, UM, CLOSING OPEN AT DAWN AND DUSK.
UM, BUT THE HISTORY CENTER ITSELF IS GOING TO HAVE SPECIFIC HOURS THAT THE FRIENDS AND I ARE WORKING ON, UM, WHEN THOSE WILL BE NOW, IT'S BEEN QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN OUT HERE.
SO WHAT WERE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE ACTUALLY DONE? I NOTICED A LOT OF CHANGES COMING IN.
SO WE, UM, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, SINCE, UH, I'VE BEEN HIRED ON 20, IN 2018, BEEN ABLE TO IMPROVE THE PARKING LOT SO THAT THE DRIVE IN AND THE PARKING ACCESS IS, UM, MUCH NICER, MUCH EASIER, ADA ACCESSIBLE AS WELL.
UH, WE HAVE THE, UM, CONCRETE SIDEWALKS TO, UM, GET PEOPLE AROUND THE FORT SO THAT THEY CAN, UM, SEE THE FORT AND READ THE INTERPRETIVE SIGNS THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT UP SOON.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A PICNIC PAVILION THAT IS QUITE LARGE AND, UM, PRETTY,
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PRETTY WELL SIZED FOR A LARGE FAMILY GATHERING, UM, TO HAVE SOME FAMILY REUNIONS OR SOCIAL GATHERINGS.UH, WE WILL ALSO BE, UM, INSTALLING PICNIC TABLES IN, IN THAT AS WELL.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE HISTORY CENTER BEHIND YOU.
UM, AND THEN WE JUST IMPROVED JUST SOME OTHER SMALL ASPECTS OF THE PARK WITH SIGNAGE, TRASH CANS, UM, THAT, SO WHEN YOU COME OUT TO FORT FREMONT, YOU, DO YOU SEE THAT THE TWO SECTIONS OF THE FORT THERE'S A BEACH AREA THAT IS SIM, UH, THAT HAS A GREAT VIEW? I THINK A PARASAIL AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, AND THEN, UM, THE HISTORY CENTER IN, AND OF COURSE THE SIDEWALKS, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS, UM, THERE, THERE IS IN THE FUTURE, NOT SPECIFICALLY FOR FORT FREMONT, BUT IN THE, IN THE PASSIVE PARKS IN YOUR WORLD.
SO SOME OF THE PROJECTS WE HAVE COMING UP IN, IN, UM, CONCEPTUAL PLAN RIGHT NOW ARE, UM, A NATURE PRESERVE IN, UM, ON LADY'S ISLAND PINE VIEW.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A PARK DOWN IN THE ELDERLY COMMUNITY OF BLUFFTON CALLED BAILEY MEMORIAL PARK.
UM, SO WE'RE HOPING TO CONTINUE PLANNING AND THEN, UM, CONSTRUCTING SOME PASSIVE RECREATION AND, AND HIKING AND BIKING TRAILS THERE.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A PIECE OF PROPERTY ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND CALLED FORD SHELL RING.
AND I'M WORKING WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD STAFF RIGHT NOW AND DEVELOPING THAT A CONCEPTUAL PLAN FOR THAT AS WELL.
SO HOW CAN FOLKS FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FORT FREMONT ABOUT ANY OF THE PASSIVE PARKS? I HAVE A WEBSITE ON OUR BUFORD COUNTY, UM, WEBSITE IT'S CALLED, UH, IF YOU GO TO, UM, WAS IT BUFORD COUNTY, SC.GOV, THEN, UH, YOU CAN SEARCH IN THE SEARCH BOX, PASSIVE PARKS PROGRAM, AND IT'LL PULL YOU RIGHT UP TO MY P MY WEBPAGE ON OUR, OUR MAIN, SPEAKING OF INQUIRING ABOUT THE PARKS.
I KNOW, LIKE, I THINK IT'S WITHIN POINT HAS A, UM, A WEDDING PAVILION OR A BARN THERE NOW, AS FAR AS RENTING THESE IS, DO THEY CONTACT YOU OR HOW, HOW DOES SOMEBODY GO ABOUT SIGNING UP TO RENT ONE OF THESE FACILITIES OR USE ONE OF THESE FACILITIES? YES, ON MY WEBSITE, THERE IS A PASSIVE PARKS RENTAL FACILITY, A APPLICATION FORM, AND THAT ENDS UP COMING DIRECTLY TO ME, UM, FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
AND THEN, UM, I CAN ALSO ARRANGE TO SCHEDULE TOURS WITH SOMEBODY SO THAT THEY CAN GO AND SEE THE BARN OR LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE ROOMS AND TRY AND SEE IF IT'S GOING TO SUIT THAT PERSON'S NEEDS.
UM, I CAN ALSO BE REACHED DIRECTLY, UM, AT, UH, MY MAIN OFFICE LINE 8 4 3 2 5 5 2 1 5 2.
WELL, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? HAVE WE COVERED EVERYTHING? YES, I THINK THAT'S IT.
WELL, STEPHANIE NAGID WITH PASSIVE PARKS, BUFORD COUNTY.
WELL, WE'RE BACK ON COASTLINE AND I'M EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT OUR NEXT SUBJECT, WHICH IS FORT FREMONT.
I'M JOINED BY, UH, RAY RAY OR ROY RAY, RAY RAWLINGS.
AND, UH, RAY RAWLINGS IS A, UH, CIVIL ENGINEER.
HE HAS HIS DOCTORATE AND IS NOW RETIRED AND ENJOYING BEING ON THE BOARD OF THE FRIENDS OF FORT FREMONT.
AND IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU IN THE STUDIO AND ON THE SET TODAY.
AND, UH, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH A VIDEO THIS MORNING, UH, THAT INCLUDED YOU AND YOUR WIFE, UH, TALKING ABOUT, UH, ALL OF THE, UH, HISTORY OF FORT FREMONT.
AND I JUST WAS PARTICULARLY ENRAPTURED BY WHAT YOU GUYS HAD TO SAY.
AND SECONDLY, UH, BEFORE WE GET INTO SOME OF THAT HISTORY, TELL US, UH, HOW YOU AND YOUR WIFE GOT INTERESTED IN, UH, FORT FREMONT AND SOME OF THE OTHER PASSIVE PARKS AROUND HERE.
WELL, MY WIFE AND I SHE'S ORIGINALLY FROM GEORGIA, I'M ORIGINALLY FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, WE RETIRED, WE MOVED BACK HERE CLOSER TO HOME, AND WE'RE BOTH CIVIL ENGINEERS, UH, DEALING WITH MILITARY AIRFIELDS, A LOT OF CONCRETE AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
WHEN WE CAME BACK HERE, WE WENT AND TOOK THE MASTER NATURALIST COURSE.
AND AS PART OF OUR PROJECT AT THE END OF THE MASTER NATURALS CO UH, CLASS, WE GOT TAGGED TO GO HELP, SEE WHAT WE COULD DO WITH FORT FREMONT WITH, UH, LIGHT PETE RICHARDS.
HE WAS ORGANIZED ABOUT A HALF DOZEN OF US TO WORK ON IT.
SO WE STARTED OFF LOOKING AT US FOR NATURE TRAILS, AND THAT TYPE OF THING IS A NICE LITTLE PIECE OF MARITIME FOREST OUT THERE, AND SOME NICE BEACH.
THERE WAS SO MUCH HISTORY THERE THAT KIND OF EVOLVED INTO, UM, MAKING THE FRIENDS OF FORT TREEMONT THAT COULD THEN DO SOMETHING
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ABOUT MAYBE HELPING WITH THE INTERPRETATION.THERE WASN'T A LOT KNOWN ABOUT IT.
A LOT OF THE HISTORY WAS KIND OF LOST.
SO ONE OF THE TASKS THAT MARIN AND I BOTH GOT TASKED ON WAS TO DIG UP THE HISTORY AND PUT IT TOGETHER.
AND I WOULD DO A BIG EXHIBIT FOR DEER HOUSE TRYING TO PUBLICIZE SOME OF THIS.
AND IT GOT A REAL NICE, REAL RESPONSE OUT OF THE PUBLIC.
SO IT'S KIND OF BUILT FROM THERE.
UM, WE BOTH WORKED FOR THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, SO WE HAVE A MILITARY ENGINEERING BACKGROUND.
OF COURSE OUR CORE ORIGINALLY BUILT THIS PARTICULAR, RIGHT.
SO IT SEEMED LIKE THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON THAT YOU ARE TAGGED TO BE INVOLVED WITH.
UH, SO VERY WISE, MAN, HE GRABBED US REAL QUICK AND STUCK US IN THERE.
AND, UH, YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT WE ACTUALLY COASTLINE DID A PROGRAM OUT AT FORT FREMONT BACK IN 2013 OR 2014.
AND BACK THEN, ALL IT WAS, WAS THE, UM, BEGINNING OF A WALKING TRAIL, UH, PARKING LOT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD BARELY RECOGNIZE IT AS A PARKING LOT AND THE OLD, UM, GARRISON WHERE THE GUNS, UH, STOOD, UH, VERY LITTLE ELSE.
BUT NOW, UM, YOU CLOSED DOWN FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND YOU'VE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REOPENING AND YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS THERE.
TELL US WHAT YOU'VE GOT THE COUNTY HAS INVESTED BACK INTO, NOT JUST CLEANING IT UP, KEEPING IT WELL, WE DON'T HAVE SIDEWALKS OUT THERE.
AND SOME LANDSCAPING, THE PARKING IS NOW MUCH IMPROVED.
THEY ALSO BUILT A HISTORY CENTER THAT WE'LL BE OPENING HERE SHORTLY.
AND IN THAT WE HAVE A DIAL RAMA WE PUT TOGETHER.
SO IT'S A SCALE MODEL OF THE WHOLE FORT WHAT'S IN THE PAST OF PARK IS JUST THE, UH, THE OLD GUN BATTERIES.
UM, BUT THERE WAS MUCH LARGER HAD BARRACKS.
THEY HAD MESS HALLS, THEY HAD OFFICERS QUARTERS, IT WAS 110 MEN GARRISON THERE, ALL OF IT BUILT FROM WOOD.
AND SO OVER TIME IT JUST DECLINED.
THE THING LEFT IS, OH, A LOT OF WAS, WAS DISASSEMBLE AND TAKEN DOWN TO FORT SCRUBBING AND REUSED.
A FOUNDATIONS ARE STILL OUT THERE.
PIPES ARE THERE, THAT TYPE OF THING, BUT ONLY THE CONCRETE REMAINS.
UM, AND THE DIAL RAMA, WE, UH, HAD TWO PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE, UH, THE FORT.
SO THE, UH, UH, FROM THAT ERA, AND THEN WE HAD THE ENGINEERING RECORDS, WE HAD ALL THE DRAWINGS OF ALL THE BUILDINGS, AND WE ALSO HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF EVERY BUILDING.
SO IT'S, UH, UH, TO SCALE EXCRUTIATINGLY ACCURATE RECREATION OF THE FORT.
AND I DON'T KNOW OF ANYTHING ELSE FOR FORD OF THIS ERA.
THIS IS WHAT THE FORT LOOKED LIKE IN 1905.
I MEAN, YOU'VE MANAGED TO FIND A MINIATURIST TO BUILD THIS, AND YOU'VE GOT A BAKERY, A RESTAURANT, A HOSPITAL, A THE WATER TOWER, NAVAL FIRE CONTROL, THE BATTERIES, THE GUNS, EVERYTHING AMAZING.
DENNIS KENNEDY IS A MUSEUM QUALITY CRAFTSMAN.
AND HE DID THAT ESSENTIALLY FOR COST.
UH, WE RAISED MONEY FROM THE PUBLIC, UM, BY HAVING A AUCTION TO AUCTION OFF ALL THE DIFFERENT BUILDINGS ON THERE.
AND YOU HAD ONE NIGHT, WE GOT EVERYBODY TOGETHER AROUND TOWN AT ONE OR TWO, AND YOU GOT TO BE A REAL BIDDING MAYHEM.
AND THERE WE SOLD EVERYTHING AND RAISED ALL THE MONEY WE NEEDED.
I LOOKED ON THERE AND I THOUGHT, I WOULDN'T MIND PAYING $150 FOR THAT BAKERY.
AND THEY TELL ME IT'S ALL DONE TWO HOURS.
WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY OUT THERE AS YOU'VE COME TO FIND OUT.
AND, UM, DO YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH OUR VIEWERS, UH, OR, OR DO YOU WANT ME TO COUNT? I'D BE GLAD TO, UM, THERE'S KIND OF SEVERAL THEMES WE TRY TO BRING OUT ABOUT THE FORT.
ONE IS A VERY LOCAL THEME IS WE HAVE THIS WONDERFUL HARBOR HERE AND IT HAS ATTRACTED INTEREST FROM MARITIME POWER SINCE 1562, WHEN THE FRENCH FIRST GAME CHARLES FORD AND THEN THE SPANISH, AND THEN THE ENGLISH BUILT FOR US HERE.
THEN WE HAD A FORD HERE FOR, OR OF 18, 12 COURSE OF CIVIL WAR.
THEN AT THE CLOSE OF THE 19TH CENTURY, ROBERT SMALLS HAD GOT A COAL YARD HERE, WHICH WAS CRUCIAL FOR THE NEW MODERN NAVY AND PUT IN A, UM, A DRY DOCK.
AND THIS WAS THE ONLY DRY DOCK SOUTH OF NORFOLK.
THAT WAS BIG ENOUGH TO TAKE THE NEW BATTLESHIPS IN ARMORED CRUISERS THAT THE US NAVY WAS JUST STARTING TO BUILD.
AND, AND THE PORT HERE WAS SO UNIQUE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IT'S THE DEEPEST PORT SOUTH OF NEW YORK CITY, 30 FEET DEEP AND BLURRY ROLAND.
WHO'S A LOCALIST HISTORIAN, UH, SAYS THAT THE, UM, GEOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHY OF THIS PORT IS UNIQUE IN THAT, UM, OVER 500 YEARS HAVE PASSED AND IT HAS NOT CHANGED ONE IO, RIGHT, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE WAR AND SILK COMES IN AND THE WAY THE TIDES ARE, IT STAYS FLESHED OUT.
AND WE DON'T COLLECT A LOT OF SILT IN HERE, SO WE DON'T HAVE IT.
DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DREDGED LIKE YOU DO AT CHARLESTON OR SAVANNAH AND PLACES LIKE THAT.
UH, SO IN THAT SENSE, IT'S A MAGNIFICENT HARBOR AND IT'S VERY LARGE.
UH, THE US NAVY USED TO DO THEIR SOUTHERN FLEET MANEUVERS.
THEY WOULD ALL GATHER HERE AND THEN IT WOULD BE FULL OF SHIPS ON DURING THAT PERIOD DURING THE CIVIL WAR, IT'S FULL OF SHIPS.
I MEAN, IT CAN HOLD A LOT OF SHIPS.
SO THAT FORT FREMONT KIND OF MET AS THE END OF 350 YEARS OF FORT BUILDING HERE IN THIS AREA.
AND IT'S ALL AROUND THAT PORT ROYAL AND THE GUNNERY STATIONS THAT WERE PUT, THERE WERE ACTUALLY PART OF A $50 MILLION ENDICOTT PLAN.
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IN WEAPON, TECHNOLOGY CHANGED SO MUCH AT THE LAST PART OF THE 19TH CENTURY, UH, BECAUSE OF STEEL AND THE AVAILABILITY TO MACHINE STEEL AND ABILITY TO IMPROVE THE CHEMISTRY OF, OF, OF THE POWDERS THAT WERE USED.THE WEAPONS NOW COULD FIRE VERY ACCURATELY, MUCH, MUCH FURTHER USE BIGGER SHELLS.
ONE MILITARY HISTORIAN SAYS THAT DURING THIS PERIOD WAS THE GREATEST CHANGE IN MILITARY TECHNOLOGY OF ARTILLERY BETWEEN THE INVENTION OF GUNPOWDER AND THE INVENTION OF THE AUTOMATIC WEAPON WAS OCCURRING IN THIS LATE 18 HUNDREDS.
AND WITH THAT CAME THE THREAT NOW OF BATTLESHIPS ARMORED BATTLESHIPS MADE OUT OF STEEL.
THESE REALLY BIG GUNS, AND ALL OF OUR DEFENSES HAVE PRETTY MUCH BEEN ALLOWED TO DETERIORATE AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, NOTHING MUCH OF.
SO THERE WAS A LITTLE PROGRAM IN THE 1870S.
UH, THE TECHNOLOGY WAS CHANGING AND WE WERE ESSENTIALLY ON, ON PREPARED.
SO THERE WAS A BIG, UH, BOARD, UH, UNDER SECRETARY OF WAR ENDICOTT.
AND THEY HAD CAME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO BUILD FORTS ALL DOWN THE EAST COAST, THE WEST COAST AND THE GULF TO PROTECT CRITICAL FACILITIES.
AND THEY WOULD END UP PUTTING IN ABOUT 300 HEAVY GUNS OR MINES AND 500 RAPID-FIRE GUNS ALL AROUND THE COAST.
SO BY 1910, WE WERE AS WELL PROTECTED AS ANY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
AND THIS IS JUST A ONE LITTLE PIECE OF THAT BIG ENDICOTT.
UM, IT GOT TRIGGERED BECAUSE OF THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR.
WE WERE NOT ON THE ORIGINAL LIST.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A BIG COMMERCIAL HARBOR.
WE HAD A SHIP YARD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, WHEN THE MAN GOT SUNK, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THIS WAS WHERE ANY DAMAGED SHIPS WERE GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK TO BE REPAIRED.
SO WITHIN JUST A FEW WEEKS, ORDERS CAME OUT TO BUILD AN ENDOCARDIAL FORT HERE TO DEFEND IT DURING THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR.
ALL WE HAD HERE, WHERE THE MINES WAS ACTUALLY PUT IN, IN THE RIVER, WE HAD SOME TEMPORARY BATTERIES AT FORT FREMONT ON HILTON HEAD AND AT PARIS ISLAND, THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY GET BATTERY JESSUP READY TO GO, BUT IT WOULD BE 1899 BEFORE THE BIG GUNS GOT IN.
THEN THEY WOULD BE OPERATIONAL TO 1911.
WHEN IT GOT CLOSED, YOU HAD THREE, 10 INCH, UH, BIG GUNS.
THESE WERE, UH, USUAL IN THE FACT THAT THE SECOND THEY WOULD FIRE, THEY WOULD THEN COME DOWN AND GET HIDDEN.
THEY, UH, THEY ARE CLEVER, VERY CLEVER USE OF PHYSICS.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE GUN, STARTING UPON A PIPE, WHEN IT FIRES, IT'S GOT ALL THAT RECALL THAT IT HAS TO DO.
NOW IT GOES DOWN BEHIND THE PARROT, BUT IT'S PULLED DOWN BEHIND THE PARA, BUT IT'S GOT 20 FEET OF CONCRETE AND SAND IN FRONT OF THAT TO PROTECT IT.
YOU CAN CHANGE THE BEARING IN ELEVATION, ANYTHING YOU HAVE TO DO.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN IT WAS COMING DOWN, IT WAS LIFTING UP A HUGE LEAD WEIGHT.
SO WHEN IT GETS TO ITS READY POSITION, THEY LOCK THAT WEIGHT.
WHEN THEY'RE READY, THEY RELEASE THE WEIGHT, IT POPS UP FIRES.
SO IT'S ONLY EXPOSED FOR A VERY SHORT TIME THAT GUN CAN FIRE AN ARMOR PIERCING SHELL WEIGHING SIX, 10 POUNDS, EIGHT MILES.
IT TAKES IT UP HALFWAY ACROSS THE HILTON HEAD.
YOU ACTUALLY HAVE SOME FILM FOOTAGE ON YOUR VIDEO AT THE, UH, AT THE WEBSITE, THE, UH, FORT FREMONT.ORG, UM, WEBSITE.
AND IT, I, IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WERE FOUR GUYS THAT WERE BEING USED TO ACTUALLY PUT THAT SHELL AND THE BREACH OF THAT CANNON, AT LEAST IT'S, IT DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE, OF THE SHELL, BUT IT'S A FIRE THAT WAS A 17 MAN CREW WORKING AROUND THE GUN.
THERE WERE PEOPLE ALL OVER, THEY ALL, AND THEY ALL HAVE A JOB.
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC ASSIGNED POSITION INTO A TASK THEY HAVE.
AND ASIDE FROM THE THREE, 10 INCH GUNS, UH, YOU ALSO HAD TO 4.77, UH, RAPID FIRE.
UH, UM, THERE, THERE ARE THREE PARTS TO OUR DEFENSE FOR FREMONT AND DOES ENDICOTT ARROW.
ONE IS THE BIG GUN AND IT WAS TO FIGHT THE SHIP.
IT WAS A FIRE AT THE BATTLESHIPS ARMAND CRUISE AREA WAS GOING TO TAKE ON THE SHIFTS DIRECTLY.
THEY STRONG MINDS ACROSS THE RIVER.
THEY WERE ELECTORALLY DETONATED.
SO THEY'RE CONTROLLED FROM THE SHORE, UH, TO PREVENT ANYBODY FROM CROSSING IT.
WELL, IF YOU PUT OUT A MINEFIELD, SOMEBODY IS GOING TO TRY TO CLEAR IT.
SO THERE ARE 4.7, TWO INCH GUNS.
UM, THEY WOULD FIRE ON THE ORDER OF SIX ROUNDS A MINUTE.
THEY WERE TO PROTECT THE MINEFIELD AND KEEP IT FROM BEING CLEAR.
SO IT WAS AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM.
AND, UH, THE AREA THAT THEY WERE PROTECTING WAS ACROSS THE PORT ROYAL SOUND.
UH, IT WAS THE, UM, UH, THE, THE PORT ROYAL PORT THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, THE DRY DOCK AND THE, UH, THE COAL, UH, REFILLING FACILITY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I READ, WHICH WAS JUST KIND OF SAD.
YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW THE USS MAINE WAS THE CATALYST FOR STARTING THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR, BUT THE MAIN HAD BEEN UP HERE SEVERAL TIMES, UH, GETTING OUTFITTED AND GETTING COLD AND WHATNOT.
AND SO THE CREW OVER 350 MEN, UH, HAD COME ON SHORE AND HAD MADE FRIENDS WITH A LOT OF LOCAL BUFORD PR FOLKS.
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GOT OUT THAT THE U S MAINE HAD SUNK, UM, AND THERE IS STILL SOME DEBATE AS TO WHETHER IT WAS INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL, WHETHER IT WAS AN ACCIDENT OR WHETHER IT WAS THE, UH, THE SPANIARDS THAT DID IT.UM, UH, W WE WERE JUST BESIDE OURSELVES BECAUSE SO MANY FRIENDS HAD BEEN LOST IN THAT, UH, IN THAT INCIDENT, RIGHT.
THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN THIS TOWN, ALWAYS HAD IT CLOSE TO THE MILITARY, JUST AS WE DO NOW, THE FIRST COMMANDER OF FORT FREMONT KNOWLTON, UH, HE WAS A CAPTAIN AT THE TIME.
HE ACTUALLY MARRIED A LOCAL GIRL, WENT ON TO A VERY SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN THE PHILIPPINES WORLD WAR ONE, AND RETIRED AS A GENERAL.
SO LIKE, JUST LIKE TODAY, THE MILITARY AND THE LOCALS INTERACT IN, UM, SOCIALLY, NOT JUST PROFESSIONALLY.
SO WHEN HE, WHEN ANYBODY COMES OUT TO A LAND'S END AND, UM, TAKES IN, UH, THE FORT FREMONT EXHIBIT, UM, ARE YOU GOING TO BE THERE TO, UH, KIND OF GIVE, BE A DOCENT TO GIVE TOURS? WE WILL HAVE GREETERS THERE AND PERIODICALLY WE'LL HAVE DOCENTS.
WE'VE BEEN DOING TOURS OUT THERE WITH DOCENTS.
UM, AND WE WILL BE NEEDING A LOT MORE PEOPLE ON WHERE IT KEEP THE, UM, VISITOR CENTER, THE HISTORY CENTER, OPEN AND STAFFED.
WE HAVE A VERY SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE RIGHT NOW, BUT AS WHEN THAT ACTUALLY OPENS, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS FROM THE LOCAL AREA THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME OUT AND BE GREETERS.
WE WILL DO ALL THE TRAINING THEY NEED, AND ESSENTIALLY TO HELP US KEEP IT OPEN FOR THE PUBLIC.
UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO NEED SOME MANPOWER AND SOME HELP OUT OF THE PUBLIC TO DO THAT, BUT WE'LL HAVE THE HISTORY CENTER THEY'LL HAVE DISPLAYS INSIDE.
THEY'LL HAVE THE VIDEO THAT YOU SAW.
WE'LL HAVE A DIAL RAMA, WHICH WILL BE WHEN THAT'S OPEN, THAT'LL BE AVAILABLE, WHERE YOU'LL HAVE SIGNS THAT ARE GOING UP ALREADY MADE.
THAT WILL BE GOING UP AROUND THE FACILITY TO DIFFERENT PLACES TO SHOW WHAT WAS THERE.
WE HAVE A TOUR BUDDY APP THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD ONTO YOUR PHONE ON.
THEY'LL TAKE YOU AROUND AND THEY'LL HAVE INFORMATION TO GIVE YOU CONNECTIONS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO DEVELOP, UH, AN EASY TO USE MULTI APPROACH, MULTIFACETED APPROACH TO HOW THE VISITOR CAN INTERACT.
IT'S ALSO JUST A BEAUTIFUL AREA.
THEY HAVE A NICE PAVILION OUT THERE.
UM, AND A LINK TO THAT APP IS FOUND ON YOUR WEBSITE, FORT FREMONT, AND THAT'S ONE E F R E M O N T.
I'M NAMED AFTER GENERAL JOHN FREMONT, RIGHT.
YOU CAN PIN POINT YOUR, UH, IPHONE OR ANDROID DEVICE TO IT, AND IT'LL, UH, GET YOU ALL SQUARED AWAY THERE.
AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST IN CLOSING, I MEAN, NOTHING, THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME.
AND I WAS KIND OF READING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS, AND I WAS SHOCKED THAT, UM, THE, THE FACILITY, WHICH HAD BEEN SO VALUABLE AND SUCH AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE LOW COUNTRY, UH, ENDED UP GETTING CLOSED BECAUSE OF A POLITICIAN BY THE NAME OF, UH, SENATOR, UH, BEN PITCHFORK, UH, TILLMAN WHO, UH, HAD ALREADY BEEN GOVERNOR OF SOUTH CAROLINA, I GUESS, BUT HE KNEW THAT THE VOTES TO KEEP HIM IN OFFICE WERE GOING TO BE UP IN THE CHARLESTON COUNTY AREA.
SO HE ENDED UP GETTING THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON UP TO CHARLESTON, DEEPEN THE HARBOR THERE.
I MEAN, WE HAD A NATURAL HARBOR HERE THAT WAS PERFECT FOR IT.
AND, UH, ENDED UP SPENDING ALL SORTS OF MONEY JUST FOR A FEW EXTRA VOTES.
AND, UH, YOUR INTEREST HAD REALLY BEEN, UH, PRIMARILY THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE, OF THE AREA, BUT HAVE YOU COME TO REALLY ENJOY THE, THE HISTORY OF THIS WHOLE, UM, AND ACTUALLY I WENT TO WEST POINT, SO I'VE GOT A, I'VE GOT A STRONG MILITARY BACKGROUND AND, AND THAT KIND OF THING.
AND AS I GOT INTO THE HISTORY OF IT, I ENJOYED IT QUITE A BIT.
UH, UH, LARRY ROLAND AND STEVE WISE, I ATTEND A LOT OF THEIR LECTURES ARE KIND OF REINTRODUCED TO ME INTO MY HOME STATE'S HISTORY SO THAT THEY WERE A BIG INFLUENCE ON I'M PICKING MY INTERESTS RIGHT AFTER WHEN I MOVED BACK HERE.
UM, SO YES, I VERY MUCH ENJOYED GETTING BACK INTO IT FROM THE ENGINEERING SIDE.
IT WAS MADE WITH NATURAL CEMENT.
ROSENDALE SEEN MINUTES, IT'S A TECHNOLOGY THING FOR ENGINEERS THAT'S OF INTEREST.
WE'VE ACTUALLY ENDED UP GOING UP TO THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE UP IN CHARLESTON, TALKING, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH THEM ON SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THEY'RE HAVING WITH THE CONCRETE CAUSE THAT'S A LOT OF WHAT WE DID IN DOD, RIGHT.
SO IT'S BEEN A VERY INTERESTING, UH, UH, EXPERIENCE.
WELL, I'LL TELL YOU IT'S EXCITING AND IT'S SO DELIGHTFUL THAT YOU ARE TAGGED TO BE ON THE, ON THE BOARD OF THE, UH, FORT FREMONT, UH, FRIENDS OF FORT FREMONT AND, UH, ROY RAWLINGS.
I THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THE COASTLINE TODAY AND, UM, GIVING US SOME INSIGHT INTO WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPENING OF THE HISTORICAL CENTER AND PEOPLE CAN FIND OUT MORE BY GOING TO FORT FREMONT.ORG, RIGHT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US AND WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER SERIES OF GREAT GUESTS NEXT MONTH, AND WE HOPE
[00:25:01]
YOU'LL JOIN US AGAIN.GO TO BUFORD COUNTY S C.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS.
CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM THE LIST CALL TO ORDER IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THIS MOVIE.
I HOPE IT'S BETTER THAN THE BOOK.
YEAH, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S FINALLY SHOWING HERE.
PROBABLY WON'T BE AS GOOD AS THE BOOK.
WELL, NO, BUT I HEARD ABOUT IT STILL.
IT PROBABLY WON'T BE AS BAD DOWN IN THE SUN.
I TRIED TO SUE THE THOUGHT OF COOK COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE REASON THAT STOPPED YOU.
YOU THREW OUT BAG OF GARBAGE OUT OF YOUR WINDOW.
YOU HAVE LICENSE, REGISTRATION AND PROOF OF INSURANCE DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN,