Page 24 - Classically Carolina 2018

HOSPITALITY

A new

chapter

in history

Camden’s
original

settlement
has a new vibe
I

In 2015, when a friend told Halie Brazier has found her connection
Brazier about a position that had to Camden to be far more than just
come open at Historic Camden, she a matter of employment.
was more than a little interested.
This was a plum job in her field of As a colonial history scholar, she
academic and work experience. is especially interested in all
those elements of life that made
Brazier, who graduated from the us uniquely American which
University of South Carolina developed during the colonial
with an MA in public history period. Camden is not only a
and an MLIS degree in library charming, welcoming city today, but
administration, and had worked it has enjoyed such a reputation for
for museums in the Columbia area, nearly 300 years. And the aspects
cautiously applied, interviewed of those early years resonate as
and landed the job as Executive deeply with Brazier as present-day
Director. amenities.

Now, two years into it, Brazier re- “I’m very interested in how we
discovers Camden every day -- and became culturally American.
she loves what she has found. From Colonial history has so many
restaurants, shopping and outdoor aspects to it,” she says. “You have
activities to simply looking for an people who are English, but who
event to attend, Camden has it all, live an ocean away from the mother
she says. country -- they might as well live
on another planet. Everything they
“I’ve been very welcomed here. I initially need has to be imported --
learn more about Camden every which takes a long time and is too
day,” she says. “I love being here.” expensive for most people -- so they
have to learn to make do with what
Brazier grew up in Lexington, SC, they have. They learn to innovate
so she is familiar with and most and invent. But the colonists were
comfortable with the smaller, still culturally British, and the
hometown vibe. development of how they chose to

38 / CAMDEN~CLASSICALLY CAROLINA