A pictorial display of South Carolina's extravagant beauty

Truly a book that will captivate newcomers and renew the appreciation of longtime residents, this breathtaking photographic exploration showcases the fullness of the state's regional diversity, natural beauty, and human creativity. Two hundred color photographs record South Carolina's people and places, architecture and terrain, flora and fauna, past and progress. With a remarkable ability to capture the splendor and spirit of the land and its inhabitants, Robert C. Clark's photographs and Tom Poland's text craft a work of artistry and magnificence. A foreword by South Carolina historian Walter Edgar complements the photographs.

From the forests and white-water rivers of the mountains to the cypress swamps of the coastal plain, South Carolina's natural wonders shine forth. The state's diverse geography and wealth of rivers, lakes, streams, and marshes are depicted along with such sights as an early Upstate snowfall, vibrantly colored wildflowers, a live oak tunnel near Edisto Island, and cypress needles on a Carolina bay.

South Carolina artisans and performers are featured, as are cityscapes, the technological achievements of the state's industries, and its numerous recreational opportunities. The volume includes historic landmarks such as the State House, Midleton Place, Wilcox Inn, and the slave tenement at the Aiken-Rhett House, and less prominent structures—gristmills, farmhouses, general stores, and the state's last covered bridge. The photographs show people enjoying music and cultural events; re-creating the Revolutionary and Civil War; casting, crabbing, and shrimping along the coast; and hot air ballooning.