Fire destroys 5 Cypress Campground cabinsBy Bo Petersen (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
RIDGEVILLE — Tradition is at the heart of the Cypress Campground, and tradition just might have kept it from burning to the ground Tuesday morning. A "tent" owner, on his way to work in the late night, did what the campground families have done for generations when they go by. He drove the circle of 53 wooden-cabin tents checking on the remote, two-century-old site they call holy ground — the cabins, the open-air tabernacle in the field at the center, the church whose heritage dates to the Colonial days of Methodist circuit rider Francis Asbury. Photo GalleryCypress Campground Five wooden buildings at Cypress Campground burned early this Tuesday morning, in a suspicious blaze.
He did it because another tradition at Cypress and the other four Lowcountry campgrounds — fire and vandalism — is darker and more sinister. That campground member's emergency call roused 11 rural fire departments quickly enough that the fire, hot enough to melt the plastic hooks holding welcoming branches on the church door across the way and soaring high enough to scorch pine trees taller than the steeple, was confined to six cabins, five of which were ruined and one damaged. By daylight the destroyed cabins were no more than embers and chars, "a sickening mess" in the words of one member. But the campground as a whole kept its unshakable sense of peace, its field full of yellow wildflowers. That presence has drawn the faithful to Cypress Campground for Camp Meeting since at least 1794, the earliest known record of the Lowcountry gatherings. Camp Meeting is the rural region's distinctive heritage, weeklong retreats among rural congregation families who have known each other since the first churches opened their doors as log cabins. The meetings began as an autumn religious revival for farm families coming in their wagons after the harvest, to "camp" for the week in the primitive, dirt floored, wood- stove cabins. Preaching remains its centerpiece, morning and night in the open-air tabernacle in the field. Even in the seasons between meetings, when the grounds are quiet, "people like to come out to the tabernacle, sit and pray and meditate. Because it is holy ground. It's a place you can really feel the presence of God," said Cypress trustee Lynn Hoover. Today, as in old times, the week is also a festive indulgence of homespun cooking, amid a reunion of kith and kin separated by the miles. It says a lot of what you need to know about Camp Meeting that it's always been and still is a place of courtship. 
Grace Beahm Marie Hill came to see for herself the ruins of five tents that burned down early Tuesday at the 200-year-old Cypress Campground in Dorchester County. Hill's tent was not damaged, but was next to the ones that burned. "It's an opportunity for a religious revival. It's also an opportunity to visit friends and family on an occasion other than a funeral. People come from far off to see everybody at once," said Hoover, who met her husband at Camp Meeting. The wooden cabins are little more than tinder, lined up stick to stick, and so susceptible to fire that families at Cypress and the other four campgrounds — Indian Field, St. Paul, Shady Grove and Cattle Creek — can't get insurance. They're so isolated in the countryside that help comes from volunteer firefighters who must be called out. "Fire is always in the back of our minds," Hoover said. Tents burned at Cypress in 1988, 1989 and at least two other times in her lifetime. In 1962 a fire destroyed tents a week before Camp Meeting. The revival was put off a week until they could hastily be replaced, and held during Halloween with families dressing in period costumes and trick-or-treating from tent to tent. The other trouble is vandalism — shattered windows, spray-painted walls, broken locks and broken-into cabins. Ironically, at Cypress a lot of that damage is done to the cabins that face the church sanctuary door, because they are farthest from the road and partially hidden by the church. Those are the cabins that burned Tuesday. Firefighters said they suspect arson. An arson fire at Indian Field in St. George in 1995 destroyed a row of tents. A fire at St. Paul in Harleyville the next year destroyed two tents and damaged a third. SHARE YOUR PHOTOSIf you have photos of the campground you would like to share with The Post and Courier and Charleston.net, e-mail them here. On Tuesday, Bill Welch toed the ruins of his family tent at Cypress, where only the wood stove and a few blackened shards of dishes and cups remained. "It's the second time in my life it's been burned. It's been vandalized a couple of times," he said, hands in his pockets, staring down at the ground. He told his elderly grandmother about the damage but wouldn't let her come look. She was too upset. "It's been in the family so long. She remembers granddad rebuilt it (after the last fire). She's done a lot of work out here." In the ruin of the next cabin over, Edna Hill pulled an iron griddle and cooking pots from the cinders. Her family owns a cabin not damaged by the fire. "It's not so much the cabins (burning). It's the memories. It's like a death," she said. "You've got old people coming out here you don't know if they'll make it the next time." She pointed out the curious pan-like lid of a cooking pot. Her grandmother showed her how to put hot coals on it, to cook cornbread so it's browned on both sides. Just like in old times. "I'd hate to go to the Pearly Gates behind him," said church neighbor Charles Bragg, about the idea that someone might have set the fire. "I've got enough explaining to do on my own." He offered Welch his hand and his phone number, told him to call if he needed help rebuilding. "If Camp Meeting don't touch your heart, nothing will," Bragg told him. "Grace of God, you've got to rebuild." Reach Bo Petersen at 745-5852 or bpetersen@postandcourier.com. |
Article toolsSponsored Links |
|
Notice about comments: Charleston.net is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. Charleston.net does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not charleston.net. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "suggest removal" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website. Full terms and conditions can be read here. |
Comments
This article has 13 comment(s)
Posted by moonpie on April 30, 2008 at 6:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Suspected arson? I have never understood why someone would burn a church. I would hate to have that one on me when I met the savior.
People are just sick and mean....
Posted by BravesFan on April 30, 2008 at 6:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Most people these days are either athiest or people like Jeremiah Wright, which is why our America is going to down the tubes.
Posted by jandlmoureau on April 30, 2008 at 7:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
There are a lot of good folk on this planet we call home, the bad folk simply generate more of the news that papers and TV pass on during their course of business. God bless the families of Cypress Campground.
Posted by CountryGirl on April 30, 2008 at 10:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I have fond memories of Cypress and Indian Field (one side of my family owned at Cypress and one side at Indian Field). My prayers go out to the families of Cypress.
I agree with moonpie. Why would anyone want to burn a church?...especially a site which is historic.
Posted by ColdBeer on April 30, 2008 at 10:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Burning a church is inexcusable. i'll even agree with that and I'm agnostic.
BravesFan, just so you know, the overwhelming number of people arrested for committing crimes in this nation claim to be christians. VERY seldom do you hear of an atheist or an agnostic being locked up. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with religious beliefs... it has EVERYTHING to do with the make-up of our society as a whole.
Your facts are incorrect too. Athiest make up a VERY small percentage of our population.
Posted by greyrider on April 30, 2008 at 11:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's amazing how many people "find Jesus" as soon as the cuffs are slapped on (i.e. Michael Vick). One way to tell the real Christians from the phonies is by watching how they react to situations. How "christian" are Jeremiah Wright's rants? As sad as this story is, and as much of an outrage it is, the Christians involved with the campground don't seem to want to scream for vengeance, but just want to rebuild.
Posted by BravesFan on April 30, 2008 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
ColdBeer- I guess I should clarify my statement by saying that it seems like more and more people are abandoning Biblical principles which is why our America is going down the tubes. I believe you when you say atheist make up a very small percentage. I hope and pray that percentage only gets smaller. I'll bet most grandparents of the atheists/agnostics are rolling over in their graves.
If most of the crimes are being committed by Christians, it's only because there must be more of us out there.
Didn't mean for this to turn into a Biblical debate so let me express my condolences to the people affected by the fires.
Posted by ColdBeer on April 30, 2008 at 12:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I understand your point now BravesFan. Don't forget though, that what you call biblical principals I call good morals and values. You don't have to read the bible or go to church to be a good person. My parents and grandparents are very proud of my accomplishments in life. My parents are both devout, church going, southern babtist. They more likely roll their eyes at some of the hypocrisy they see from people sitting with them in church than they would at me. There are a lot of good people that go to church, there are a lot that don’t. There are a lot of bad people that go to church and there are a lot that don’t.
Posted by ColdBeer on April 30, 2008 at 12:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Back on topic now... where is this place? I've never seen it and I think I would like too, after they get the fire mess straightened out.
Posted by ChasCarolinaGirl on April 30, 2008 at 1:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I was saddened to hear about this happening. I grew up attending this camp meeting every single year in October. I have many memories. I was also married at the Cypress Campground. That is how important it is to me and many others ...
That tabernacle is older than the town of Moncks Corner. My Grandfathers name is on that plaque in the pictures .. that is actually a time capsule from 1984. :-(
Why can't people leave others things alone? Why do they have to be so hateful? I hate that people are so mean and thoughtless.
Posted by chucktownexpat on April 30, 2008 at 9:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I was there just two weeks ago today! What a shame, if not a surprise. The neat thing is the tradition of camp meeting seems to be continuing, perhaps against all odds: Scattered extended families, many distractions, the inconvenience of getting there for generations now spread out geographically, only old-fashioned entertainment for kids and teenagers, and on and on. I do hope the tent that was my grandparents' and uncles survived. I showed them to my children for the first time two weeks ago. They were impressed. I was proud to show them something they're connected to that's been going on for several generations. They seemed to get it. Someday I'll take them when camp meeting is going on. It's the kind of place and the kind of religious tradition that does a person good -- to go in and get refreshed and reminded that you are connected to other people far removed in place and time. Lynn Hoover is a distant relative of mine, and she described it well. I think camp meeting will survive -- even if all the tents burn down, they'll be back in some form. Good story, Bo.
Posted by bustin_ur_lies on May 1, 2008 at 12:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
i am a weird one then. i dont follow any religion you guys know, my religion will go unnamed but its beliefes will be stated, i think bad people should rot and the innocent should be protected, the earth comes before man and today is better thought of then tomarrow. i have no church and have no 1 place of prayer, i believe in one god over any man and do not follow the bible, but i agree with cold beer. never burn a church down. because if our lord and savior dwells there, you set fire to his stepping stone and got mud and ash on his feet, have fun in purgatory.
Posted by bustin_ur_lies on May 1, 2008 at 12:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
and btw all of you..if you think about al lthe things that go on with busted up churches in the past few years...it can all be traced to a simple place, a small town called SUMMERVILLE lots of kids player with fire there, ive met a many good portion of them. mainly from the trashy forest circle, south main trailer park area, ever read the fire records of that neighborhood? lol Ridgeville...campgrounds...fire, could have jyst been a Sunday weekend for the wretched satanic b*st*rds for decimate a historical religious prayer zone