Harpers Ferry Drowning Memorial, Lowndesville, South Carolina
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
This memorial within Lowndesville's Presbyterian Cemetery shares the grief of a community following the sinking of Harpers Ferry. A simple mechanical error led to the drowning of ten young people who perished on Easter Sunday in 1920. Of these ten, all but one were recovered and their bodies are buried next to the memorial. The victims were between fifteen and twenty-two years of age and were in two cars aboard the ferry when the ferry hit a rock and capsized.
Images
This memorial includes the names of each of the ten victims and is the site where the nine recovered bodies were buried.
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
The tragedy occurred when a cable holding guiding the ferry broke. After becoming untethered, the ferry drifted until it hit a rock and capsized. A small memorial ceremony is held each Easter at Providence Presbyterian Church and attended by descendants of the families who lost loved ones.
Sources
The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.), 05 April 1920. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026853/1920-04-05/ed-1/seq-1/>
Charmaine Smith-Miles, “Pastor to recognize tragedy in Easter service.” http://archive.independentmail.com/features/faith/harpers-ferry-victims-to-be-remembered-sunday-ep-415349552-350321691.html
Brian Scott, June 06 2016, Accessed September 21, 2018, https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=57903.