Traipsing around Bamberg...

A couple of weeks ago Leigh, Meghan and I traveled to Bamberg to meet Harry Chrissy for a day of surveying. After our delicious lunch at The House of Pizza, we took a short tour of the downtown. To my surprise, it was very well preserved. I immediately saw potential but wondered how someone got permission to build the black iron fence that separated the sidewalk and the main street. The sidewalk is already too small and having a fence that makes it difficult to cross the road almost ever really makes the downtown uninviting. There was literally only one or two breaks in the iron fence that allowed pedestrians to cross the 3-4 lanes on main street.

After walking the downtown, Leigh and I split from Harry and Meghan and started walking the neighborhoods directly adjacent to the downtown. I was amazed at the size and beauty of some of the houses along Railroad Ave. Our first experience with a resident was peculiar as she expressed her deep frustration with the past "planners" and current government officials of Bamberg. Leigh and I tried our best to explain our purpose and desired outcome but the resident was adiment in her annoyance. After finally getting her to fill out a survey we combed the rest of the neighborhood with a good deal of success. I only had one resident turn me down and quickly got 7 surveys completed. All of my participants were very nice and interested in what I was doing. I really enjoyed walking through the neighborhood and loved the opportunity to see some beautiful houses. As Leigh and my "survey area" was quite spread out, I did get a little tired of walking, though a small chocolate lab puppy latched on to me and followed me around one street for half an hour. He returned home safely.

All in all my experience surveying in Bamberg was much more successful and enjoyable that I had originally thought. I was glad to see that most residents were interested in the projects and did not hesitate to throw out ideas for new and redevelopment of the city. Having this kind of experience with the residents solidifies our reason for doing this project.

Corridor of Shame and the South

I found "The Mind of the South" reading to be surprisingly educational! I have grown up in the south and have learned history from somewhat of a southern standpoint. I feel that even being educated in the south, there are holes in the history I was taught. I was surprised to read that very little residents of the south during the 19th century were wealthy and educated. Most of the people of the south had come from different parts of the world and settled on land they could o

In this class...

I was very excited when I heard about this Rules of Engagement class/studio. Professor McCubbin informed me of it and I was immediately interested. I have little experience with studio projects and feel that these types of projects are extremely helpful in my education in planning and urban design.

Being an out of state resident, I find it important to learn about the different areas of South Carolina. While much of the material we are taught in our classes can be applied to all areas of the country I think it is very helpful to put this knowledge to work in this region. I am a kinesthetic learner and enjoy seeing a product to my learning and work. I am confident that this course will not only provide me with hands on learning and real world experience but will allow me to see the world of planning at a different level and from a new perspective. Working with a small town in creating a redevelopment plan seems like it may be challenging but I am very excited to see it through. It will be interesting to see Bamberg residents' reaction to our project.