Well today was the first time where weather proved to be a major factor. We woke to a deluge and had to wait for a gap to even load the truck. It was a snorkel required day from morning to night with a couple of fortuitously timed moments.
Our first stop was in Rock Hill at what was billed as a taxidermy museum. The info that sent us down this path made us believe we would find some sort of slightly uncomfortable and musty display of everything from chipmunks to eagles to elephants. Well as we pulled into the parking lot, our preconceptions went poof. This place was a relatively standard museum of natural history. To be honest, the taxidermy was exceptional as were all aspects of the dioramas and displays; very high quality presentation in every way. We did enjoy our time there and appreciated that it was not raining inside.
Then it was off to find "The Alphabet Museum" - yes, you're right... what the heck. Well the reviews were good and it certainly falls into the "odd" category. Alas the museum was closed due to the holiday.
Next it was to see Arnold Freeman's "Art Field". An outsider environment near Eagle Springs, North Carolina. After a long drive through the ongoing downpour, it had a few problems. One, it was still raining. Two, there were chains and signs forbidding entrance. Three, Arnold's dog, the devil-eyed Cujo, greeted us. We got a few pics from inside the truck -- kind of like one of those photo safaris with the wild beasts circling the vehicle, pacing, barking and growling. Cujo and his side kick "Rat Dog" were ever-vigilant; we moved on.
Along the road we came upon an old abandoned church. After my 20th u-turn of the day, we put on the rain gear and went to explore. To our surprise the front door had been forced/ripped open. A light was on so we stepped/crawled in. The place was full of antiques, furniture, other curiosities. Given our Bonnie and Clyde experience from yesterday, it seemed prudent to leave far sooner than we would have liked. Actually, we had seen a sheriff's department patrol car just up the hill. We drove up and informed him of the apparent break-in..... no, we did not do it, really it wasn't us, we were nowhere near Philadelphia/Calhoun on the 30th.... we promise.
The day was feeling soggy and not Oddasee fulfilling. Purely based on proximity, we decided to drive just a bit further and check on one last minor sight. Supposedly outside of Cameron, NC there are a couple of "art buildings". The internet photos were not great but at least worth a check since we were in the neighborhood. Well, once again, we stumbled into an unexpected pleasure.
In a field just off the road there were six buildings that contained various murals on exterior walls. One house seemed to have been inhabited for a time but was in complete disarray. The paintings were marvelous and time has enhanced some of their power. The entire place forced us to wonder how the murals came to be there. Our curiosity compelled us to do some research and even the Google Gods came up empty. The artists and story remain a mystery. Got some great photos!
Love and scuba gear,
Rodney and Susan
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