Invitation to Wander

Main Street, Kingstree's Design Committee received training recently from architect Randy Wilson, owner of Community Design Solutions and consulting architect to Main Street, South Carolina. The presentation introduced the committee to a number of relatively low-cost ways to enhance downtown while simultaneously educating more members of the community on the importance of preserving the downtown business district as Kingstree's unique calling card.

Flowers in front of an Academy Street business earlier this summer.

Wilson urged the committee to find ways to infuse the downtown with color and activity, layering bright, inviting colors with places to sit and differing textures to give residents and visitors alike a place where they can feel welcome and safe.

As homework, he encouraged committee members to explore their own town as if seeing it for the first time. I echo this in encouraging all of you who live in Kingstree, or if you can visit, to take the time to wander the downtown. Do it not just once, but several times at different times of day. Take photos with your camera or your phone of things you've never noticed before, unexpected spots of beauty, architectural details you find attractive. If you want to share them on the Royal Town Rambles Facebook page, please do so. I've done this for a number of years now. Here's a random sampling of things that caught my eye over the last few months.

Arch on W. Main Street at the site of Kingstree's first bank, the Bank of Kingstree.

If you have a photo-editing program, feel free to add some interesting filters to your photos.

Play with your images. Have fun.

Jarrito's in early morning light.

A "Shop Local" window display on Academy Street.

Architectural details on a W. Main Street building.

Lamp on recently renovated DSS Building, Hampton Avenue.

In front of Polly Ann's Florist on Main Street.

Kingstree Live at the Depot draws a crowd of all ages to spend

a Friday evening with friends listening to live music.

Lighted windows of the Kingstree Depot at dusk.

Randy Wilson noted that all too often we either forget about or overlook the simple things because we tend to focus on the bigger, splashier projects. But a number of small projects can have just as big an impact in the end as a large, expensive undertaking.

Randy Wilson, Sulondia Hammond, and Mary Jean Holt 

at the Design Committee training session.

Again, I encourage you to, over the next few months, take some time to take a closer look at downtown Kingstree. Find things you like; note things you think could work better. Get involved. All of us working (and playing) together can have a huge impact on our town's future.