Last summer, my mom’s brother, my Uncle Lee, visited the Upstate after many, many years to celebrate a milestone birthday for yours truly - which is a story for another day. Growing up, Uncle Lee was always the loud, crazy, cool Uncle that I, my siblings, and cousins always looked forward to seeing at family gatherings, especially if he was driving his '65 GTO convertible.
He brought some old pictures of what may have been his last visit to the area before the lake was a lake. Some photos were of one of my mom’s family visits from Virginia to see the new shiny thing, which happened to be “me”!
I love history, and browsing the old but new-to-me photos was priceless. While my mom's family originates from Northern Virginia, my father’s family is deeply rooted in the Blue Ridge region of North and South Carolina and Georgia. These pictures are from that trip to see baby Sandy, taken in Mountain Rest, SC, at Chattooga Lake, a private lake just outside Walhalla that was developed in the '60s.
Today, I am fortunate to have my dream job, sharing my knowledge of the area, our history, and our future with my clients. Yet, it’s profound to look at these images and reflect on my history but not remember being so young.
For example, the picture of my Grandparents and crazy Uncle Lee (can you guess which one is him?) was taken at an overlook in the area, but I wish I could make out which one (if you know, please share). And look at that car; I'll need to ask my mom what the make and model are. I think some clothing and eyeglass styles have also returned to fashion.
I'm grateful that my uncle got to revisit the Upstate and that we had the opportunity to reminisce about the area before the lakes were built. It was interesting to compare his memories during those visits to see "baby Sandy" and today, noting how much has changed over the decades.
In life and real estate, it's a gift to have this history of an area I love and to be able to share it with others. My slogan, "Home at the lake," was derived from this love of the Upstate and our lakes, that feeling of being at home whether residing on or near the water, in the city, or the mountains.
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