This is how I am told to get to the unincorporated community of Possum Kingdom: “At the second red light in Belton, take River Street five miles. When you cross the river, you’re in downtown Possum Kingdom. But there’s nothing there.”
Ken Holliday tells me this from his collectibles shop in Honea Path. His family has lived in Possum Kingdom for several generations, and he grew up there. “Different people will tell you different things,” he says, “but I heard there was lawyers that come out of Greenville to hunt raccoons, and all they got was possum. But I don’t know. Call my sister. She knows.”
Later, I pass through the community, but I only see a sign for Possum Kingdom Super Speedway (“The Biggest and Fastest Karting Complex in the South”). So, I call up Joan Holliday.
She texts back: “The only thing I have heard about the naming of Possum Kingdom was from a Greenville news article from at least 30 years ago. It used to hang in the Possum Kingdom fire department.”
I track down the article, “Smack in the middle of Possum Kingdom,” by Jim McAllister, from 1981. He quotes an old-timer named Dewey Cothran: “‘My Daddy said they used to have picnics down here at the Saluda River. They’d sit around the fire and talk about how many possums there were through here. Somebody said, “Yeah, it’s a regular possum kingdom.”’”
Ken Holliday tells me this from his collectibles shop in Honea Path. His family has lived in Possum Kingdom for several generations, and he grew up there. “Different people will tell you different things,” he says, “but I heard there was lawyers that come out of Greenville to hunt raccoons, and all they got was possum. But I don’t know. Call my sister. She knows.”
Later, I pass through the community, but I only see a sign for Possum Kingdom Super Speedway (“The Biggest and Fastest Karting Complex in the South”). So, I call up Joan Holliday.
She texts back: “The only thing I have heard about the naming of Possum Kingdom was from a Greenville news article from at least 30 years ago. It used to hang in the Possum Kingdom fire department.”
I track down the article, “Smack in the middle of Possum Kingdom,” by Jim McAllister, from 1981. He quotes an old-timer named Dewey Cothran: “‘My Daddy said they used to have picnics down here at the Saluda River. They’d sit around the fire and talk about how many possums there were through here. Somebody said, “Yeah, it’s a regular possum kingdom.”’”
