As I wandered through this Blue Ridge Mountain paradise, I uncovered the poignant legend of Issaquena, a brave Choctaw maiden who risked everything for love, leaving her name on what is now a magnificent 200-foot waterfall – just one of over 300 cascades dotting the county’s landscape.
Summary
Tucked away in the northwest corner of South Carolina, Oconee County reveals itself as an undiscovered treasure where natural beauty intertwines with captivating history. As I wandered through this Blue Ridge Mountain paradise, I uncovered the poignant legend of Issaquena, a brave Choctaw maiden who risked everything for love, leaving her name on what is now a magnificent 200-foot waterfall – just one of over 300 cascades dotting the county’s landscape.
My journey took me to Patriots Hall in Walhalla, where the sobering story of Staff Sergeant Lewis “Slim” Watkins unfolded. This local hero posthumously received the Congressional Medal of Honor after sacrificing his life to shield fellow Marines from a grenade during the Korean War. His medal rests there today, a testament to extraordinary courage in the face of certain death.
Perhaps nothing captures Oconee’s quirky character better than Stumphouse Tunnel – an ambitious 1850s railroad project abandoned after consuming over a million dollars, only to find new purpose a century later as Clemson University’s unexpected blue cheese aging facility. This “tunnel to nowhere” now welcomes visitors curious about its unusual history.
The county’s spirit runs deep – quite literally – at Chattooga Bell Farm Distillery, where passionate master distiller Ben Wesley crafts exceptional rums and whiskeys from fruit grown steps away from the stills. Similarly, Two Horse Distillery, founded by former rodeo champions, honors their western legacy through carefully crafted spirits using mountain spring water.
With four stunning lakes spanning thousands of acres, miles of hiking trails through ancient forests, and Class 3 and 4 rapids on the Chattooga River (yes, from the movie “Deliverance”), outdoor enthusiasts find endless adventure possibilities. Yet what struck me most was how every corner of Oconee County tells a story – Cherokee names etched on roadways, German churches standing since the 1850s, and prohibition-era moonshine caves hidden among the hills.
Experience this remarkable destination where, as I discovered, “the US has stories everywhere – you just have to look where the tour buses don’t bother going.” Share your own Oconee adventures or discoveries from your travels by visiting thetravelingfool.com.
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