Francis Marion Trail master plan unveiled

Archaeologist Audrey Dawson hands Steve Smith an oyster shell she excavated at the Francis Marion camp site March 14, 2007 in Marion County.

By: SCNow Staff | SCNow
Published: December 11, 2008

FLORENCE — The Francis Marion Trail Commission’s Master Plan was revealed Wednesday at the Drs. Bruce & Lee Foundation Library in Florence.

Bob Barrett, executive director of the commission, said the planning part of the project is complete; now, the commission can move on to the actual development of the Francis Marion Trail.

“This is the first big step you have to do other than the archeology towards building the trail,” he said. “This will give us basically the blueprint for the whole trail in the future.”

Among the suggestions from Keyes Williamson, a spokesman for the Jaeger Co., which reviewed the data collected by the commission, are:

Use the existing facilities and resources wherever available to rein in costs involved with the Interpretive Centers.
Focus on how the Francis Marion Trail relates to the communities to bring the people living in the areas closer to each other and their history.

The plan plan is based on archeological resource and existing and potential infrastructure, recommended trail sites and routes, as well as standards for facilities and interpretation.

The Francis Marion Trail project’s purpose is to identify, locate, interpret and develop sites relating to Gen. Francis Marion. This includes his campaigns in the Pee Dee, Midlands and Lowcountry. These sites will be used as a basis for the development of a heritage tourism trail in those areas.

The project was launched by a private group in 2003, and the concept was developed in 2004. A commission was created by the S.C. General Assembly in June 2005. Archeology work began in February 2006.

Fifteen Marion sites have been identified so far.

Barrett said the group will continue working to excavate sites as they find them, but right now the focus is on setting up the trail for visitors.

“The next major step is a development and interpretation plan,” he said . “We’re hoping to have a grant for that sometime maybe in the spring.”

Francis Marion Trail Commission Chairman Ben Zeigler said he would be stepping down from the position in two weeks to make room for Florence attorney Mark Buyck as the new chairman of the organization.

Zeigler, the first commission chairman and also a Florence attorney, has served since the trail commission was formed in 2003.