Date: April 16, 2024

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Location: Landrum Library

Speaker: Dennis Chastain, naturalist, historian and outdoor writer

Two ancient Native American Paths, later improved to wagon standards, once intersected very near downtown Landrum. The Tugaloo Path, which originated at the Cherokee town, Tugalloo, on the border between South Carolina and Georgia, ran all the way to Virginia. The route took the path through the Town of Landrum and forded the North Pacolet River just beyond I-26. At this ford on the North Pacolet River (Earle’s Ford), a predawn raid on a Patriot camp by the notorious British commander, James Dunlap, resulted in a Patriot victory, but it was a brutal assault and a story that should be heard by all so that it can be preserved and recalled for generations.

The historic Blackstock Road, which ran all the way to Charleston, SC, intersected with the Tugaloo Path about 1/2 mile south of downtown Landrum, and then on to Tryon, NC, and then to Hendersonville and beyond. Widely recognized as the  oldest road in Spartanburg County, the Blackstock Road was developed in the 1800’s into a drovers road where thousands of cattle, horses, hogs, turkeys and wagon loads of produce trudged through on their way to markets in Charleston. Dennis Chastain says, “The stories of these two ancient Native American paths and the battle of Earle’s Ford are largely untold stories. The way to preserve the legacy of these old stories is for folks to learn them and pass them along to the next generation.”

Dennis is an award-winning outdoor writer, interpretive naturalist, historian, and modern-day explorer. He has been writing feature articles for South Carolina Wildlife magazine and other outdoor publications for more than twenty years. As you’ll soon discover, by using his skills as a naturalist and his love of cultural history, Dennis has a unique way of interpreting what can be seen when exploring the local mountains.

We acknowledge that though we are the current stewards, the land where we live and work is stolen land. Homeland of the Cherokee, the Yuchi, and the Catawba people, acquired through genocide and forced removal. Chastain is not a part of the Cherokee community but will share his knowledge on Cherokee history from his years of research and findings. 

Contact Pam Torlina, [email protected], with questions or for more information.