Saving the past matters a great deal to the people of Camden, South Carolina. That fact is clear. To be fair, they were possessed with an abundance of historic architectural riches at the starting gate, but the subject of this post, and of many future posts about other noteworthy historic towns to come, is not where they started, but where they stand today.
This is the first in a series on small towns that reflect a strong commitment to historic preservation. I am calling the series True Towns in honor of the effort in each of these places to remain true to their own stories, especially as told through the historic built environment that remains.
I am excited, therefore, to feature Camden as the first in the series. Whether I am in town for an afternoon or simply passing through on a road trip, the place never fails to impress me. The town isn’t large, which makes the per capita inventory of historic structures all the more impressive.
Those not only include the multiple dozens of significant residences that lie along streets shaded by ancient trees, but also public buildings - several of which were designed by South Carolina’s most notable architect, Robert Mills.