Remembering Kingstree, South Carolina: (The Collected Writings of Bessie Swann Britton)

Kingstree at the turn of the twentieth century was very different from the town we know today. From wild horses galloping down Academy Street to throngs of residents rushing out half dressed in the middle of the night to join a bucket brigade extinguishing a neighbor’s house fire, life in Kingstree was full of color and excitement.

The stories and spirit of old Kingstree live on in the writings of “Miss” Bessie Britton, who grew up in the town nearly one hundred years ago. Her vivid memories provide a window into the past. Her witty and nostalgic columns from decades ago tell of Kingstree’s characters, its homes and businesses, and its families. From childhood days of buying bright red all-day suckers at Reddick’s Red Hot Racket Emporium to the troubling times of the World Wars, Miss Bessie’s writings recall the bygone days of Kingstree and are collected here for a new generation to enjoy.