COLUMN: A taste of Old No. 3

Several years ago, in an attempt to stave off boredom, I took back roads home from North Carolina, branching off at McColl toward Clio. Approaching S.C. 38 on S.C. 381 in Blenheim, I caught sight of a sign on the left pointing toward a local spring.

Making the turn, the road descended towards a swampy forest, and a small parking area came into sight. A handmade sign read: “The mineral springs were discovered in 1781 by James Spears, a Whig, who was trying to escape Tory troops, according to local Legend. Mr. Spears Lost a shoe in a water hole. When he returned to retrieve his shoe, he tasted the water and noticed its strong mineral content. Word of the Spring spread and soon people were coming to taste the cool refreshing water. Several wealthy Plantation owners built summer homes in the vicinity of the Springs.”

The word “legend” was the only motivation I needed to get out and look around. Never one to turn down a free souvenir, a quick search revealed several empty water bottles on the floorboard. They almost shouted, “We dare you to fill us up with genuine spring water!” As the cool clear water filled the bottles, I took a quick sip and noticed a vacant brick building across the grass silently standing guard. Being so close, surely its history had to be connected to the springs. Taking several snapshots, I made a mental note to research the area when back home.

Steering back to the main road, it suddenly dawned on me where I was. Feeling sentimental and admittedly wanting the mineral taste gone from my mouth, I pulled into the local gas station for my first Blenheim Ginger Ale. The locals sized me up as I headed to the cooler and grabbed a bottle from the shelf. The cashier gave me a quick knowing glance, said, “Enjoy” and returned to her conversation.
Rolling down S.C. 38, the sun began to set as I tipped the bottle up and took a huge refreshing gulp. Then it hit me. The fire didn’t creep up my throat, it almost knocked me out of my seat! Yes, I’d grabbed a bottle of Old No. 3 because the red cap was pretty. As I phoned my dad to check in, I almost began to cry, thinking someone had tampered with my drink. Laughing, he asked what number I’d bought. After assuring me that I’d survive, the panic subsided and I reached for my souvenir bottle of Blenheim mineral springs water for relief.

Once home, a quick visit to the Blenheim Bottling Co. Web site www.blenheimgingerale.com/about-us/blenheim-history/ revealed that during “the 1800’s, Dr. C. R. May counseled his patients with stomach troubles to drink in the water from the mineral springs. When his patients complained about the ... iron-like taste of the mineral water, Dr. May supplemented it with Jamaican Ginger to help make its flavor more appealing. In 1903, Dr. May and A.J. Matheson started the Blenheim Bottling Company next to the Blenheim Artesian Mineral Springs and began making Original Extra Pale. The structure which housed the original bottling plant was constructed in 1920 and operated as a working Bottler’s Museum for a number of years before tragically burning to the ground in December of 2008.”
Perhaps locating the original bottling plant right next to the spring was done both for convenience and medical necessity, at least for those who accidentally grabbed an Old No. 3 like me!

— Gretchen Huggins is a Francis Marion University history graduate. Her column, “Where We Stand,” appears weekly in the Morning News and on scnow.com. Contact her at the Morning News or peedeehistorygirl@
yahoo.com.