First Day Adventure 2017

Like so many on the first of the new year, my thoughts were a fusion of adventures from 2016 and the promise of even more joyful moments of discovery and delight in 2017. Just as certain as the new year delivers promises of new hope, yearly traditions aid to the excitement experienced throughout the year. It is with that notion, Mark and I continued one of our favorite traditions as a couple, a first day adventure, to celebrate the new year. We saw it fitting this year, to hunt down a few hidden gems of Columbia's, as well as our country's, past.

First stop was the Friendship train, or the Merci train, located behind the American Legion in Columbia. Just a hop, skip, and a jump from USC! This unique piece of history is sadly not taught in school, yet it's story is incredible and had our eye! Friendship trains first started as a preventative measure against the spread of Communism in post-war Europe. The removal of the Nazi party, left a villainous void which was quickly replaced by communisms.

On October 11, 1947, Americans were asked to donate food from their homes, kitchens, gardens, and fields to aid recovery efforts in France. This train was such an exciting and popular idea that, over a period of five weeks, communities, counties, and states actually had competitions to see who could send the largest contribution.

On November 7, 1947, the Friendship Train began its journey across the country. Beginning in Los Angeles, with a grand send-off, the train traveled across 11 states before ending in New York City with another extraordinary celebration. By the time of its departure, the Friendship Train consisted of three trains totally 270 boxcars. The estimated worth was forty million dollars! What's really incredible about this project was that it was sponsored by the American people, not the government. What a demonstration of what WE, the American people, are capable of when we work together! 

Each boxcar could hold 50 men or 8 horses.

The train is adorned with crests from French provinces that participated in the program.

 

Upon their arrival in France, the trains traveled through the cities of Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Brest, and Lorient to deliver food. In response to America's generosity, France returned the favor by stuffing their own boxcars to send to the United States. A boxcar was sent to each state that participated. Interestingly enough, the boxcars sent from France were used to transports soldiers and horses across France during WWI and WWII. Some even wonder, if these were the same boxcars to transport French Jews to concentration camps...

Afterwards, we headed across the river to another hidden Columbia spot.  Unlike the Friendship Train, this hidden spot had no plaque or sign describing the significance of this location. In fact, it was deserted. Just an empty lot surrounded by neighborhoods. I couldn't help but feel the sadness reach out across the top layer of my skin, coating it in sorrow. A vacant field, I had no desire to trudge through the overgrown grass, to see what I might find. Perhaps it was the light rain or the cloud stricken sky, but this location was not meant to encourage visitors to linger. Just an empty field to those passing by...but to those who know and remember, this was the sight of a prison camp for Yankee soldiers during the Civil War.

Known as Camp Sorghum, this hastily built camp was "constructed" in response to Sherman's march to the sea and his recent successes in Georgia. In preparation for his expected arrival in Charleston, 1,400-1,700 Yankee soldiers were transported to Columbia. A prison in name only, Camp Sorghum was actually just an open field without walls, fences, buildings, and other facilities. Boarders were only marked by wood planks.

Similar to most POW camps, conditions at Camp Sorghum were not good. Rations consisted of cornmeal and sorghum molasses, which influenced the name of the camp. I guess you could say, it "stuck!" lol! Interestingly enough, there are no records proving Confederate guards lived any better than prisoners. They were seldom paid and thievery was a necessity in order to survive.

Located at North Lucas St and Comachee Trail, the camp is not far from where Sherman's army made camp. Theory is, they came across the prison camp and were so appalled by its' conditions, they declared brutal revenge on the city of Columbia.

I encourage you to visit and learn more about the Camp Sorgham and the Friendship Train!