What Would It Be Like?
By Bill Shepard
The old courthouse building, located on the town square in Darlington, seems to be back in the minds of the powers that be! I’ve been reading of the concerns that are on the minds of those who sit in responsible positions. What to do with the old building seems to be the question. No matter what is decided there will be those that are pleased and those who are not pleased! Is that not what happens inmost every similar situation? If this writer was casting a vote it would be to repair the old building, or to replace the old building, but please do not remove the old courthouse from its present location! The courthouse is where it has always been and is a part of the historical old town.
There are varying stories as to how the courthouse came to be located at the spot where it stands. Whe1her true or not, 1hey are interesting! The first courthouse was designed to fit in with the business part of town situated around it. The stores surrounding the courthouse were also designed so as to compliment the courthouse, and did so! In my traveling about I have never seen another town so designed as the town of Darlington. It could be imagined that all the store buildings are anchored to the courthouse! It is a beautiful and rather unique plan!
The courthouse of my youthful years was more complimentary to the buildings that surrounded it than the present one, (my own thinking) and I have heard others make the same statement. Whatever the design for the future building, it would be an injustice to the town of Darlington to remove the courthouse to a different location! (My opinion!)
Yes, I am prejudiced! Darlington is my hometown, my childhood memories are buried deeply in the Darlington dirt! There is hardly a street in the old town that I have not left tracks along, some barefoot! I have memories of a small boy shivering in the cold while standing in front of the old courthouse building awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus! I would see more apples and oranges and candy than I had seen since the previous years!
I have memories of walking from St. Johns School, clutching a bouquet of wild flowers, gathered from roadsides, to be placed at the tomb of the unknown soldier on the courthouse lawn! Yes, I am prejudiced!
Yes, I am prejudiced! I have memories of standing on the courthouse steps and awaiting the arrival of a nearby farmer who would meet his cotton pickers there to pay them for a week of labor! I was glad to get my “cotton-picking money!” No pun intended!
Often at night when sleep won’t come, I like to step out of bed and take an imaginary journey back to my old town and walk around the square, name the stores from memory and be a child again. I can still name them all! I love going back to Metropols and purchasing a cone of homemade ice cream! Three dips for a nickel? One each of vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate! How good! There is doubtful a store on the square that I have not left tracks inside! Why wouldn’t I be prejudice?
And I can never forget my first visit home after joining the military in 1942 I hitched a ride from Tampa, Florida where I was stationed at Drew Field Air Base. The driver that stopped just outside of Jacksonville, Florida and offered me a ride was on the way home to some place in North Carolina. The driver drove miles out of her way in order to put me off in Darlington. It was Saturday afternoon when I stepped from the car that had stopped near the steps of the old courthouse. As the car moved slowly onward, I stood and gazed about the square. As usual there were groups of farmers standing on the street swapping yams about happenings back on the farm. There were shoppers moving in and out of stores. It was just as I had always remembered. I stood for a moment, so proud to be back home, so proud to be a soldier and wearing the uniform of my country. So proud of my town! Yes, I am prejudiced! With so many beautiful memories, shouldn’t I be? I crossed the street, turned down Pearl and started off toward west end and my home on the village.
Repair the courthouse! Replace the courthouse! Please do not remove the courthouse from the town square!
What would the old town be without it?
Next time, Bill Shepard
Mr. Shepard is a native of Darlington, S.C., and a current resident of Piedmont, S.C. He is the author of “Mill Town Boy” and “Bruised”. He has been sharing his tales of growing up in Darlington for decades, and we are delighted to share them each week. His mailing address for cards and letters is: Bill Shepard 324 Sunny Lane, Piedmont, S.C. 29673.
