A visitor to Camden once remarked, in a rather pithy manner, that Camden's reverence for its past does nothing to preclude its enjoyment of the present. And the aptness of this observation is evident throughout South Carolina's oldest inland town.
All cities grow somewhat haphazardly, and Camden is no exception.
But fortunately in the latter half of the eighteenth century, men of vision made careful plans for a large part of the city. The streets were well laid out and provision was made for public parks both numerous and accessible. It is in these parks that church picnics, band concerts and an annual dog show are held. And on any given day, young people can be seen batting tennis balls, and children playing on the slides and swings or running happily around and around the monument to the six Confederate generals. This blending the old and the new can be seen again in Camden's homes and public buildings from the many magnificent Greek Revival houses, lovely small cottages, Bethesda Church and the Old Courthouse, to the excellent library, extensive fine arts complex, and constantly expanding hospital.