The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-06-19
piemOnt Regions Name...A Curious Fact
in History.

that we live in the great "Pidmont
Region" but exactly what that means,
what it's boundaries are, or why so call
ed, not one Of us can tell. There is
no Piedmont river nor mouu uutain nor
Indian tradition upon which to found
the name. In fact. it is not an Indian
name, but French.
We hear people in Virginia and
North Carolina say they live in the
"Picdmont region" We hear South
Carolinians and Alabamians say the
same thing, and as for Gcorgians, you
would think the whole State ought to
be called Piedmont, since people from
every corner claim to inhabit that
mysterious region whose center is
nowhere and whose boundaries every
where.
1t puzzled ME long time. 1 used
20 ask COMMON inortals, Ike myself,
about it, but they could not tell. Then
l asked those who were authority on
nomenclature, with the same result.
Then | watched for some mention Of
it in all the southern histories that |
read, and only once did 1 find any
thing like clew. That was in Logans
History of South Carolina, book, by
the way, as rare and as valuable as
Governor Gilmans 3 Gcorgians. Here
| saw it stated that upper South Caro-
lina-around Abbevilc- settled
in part by Pcdmontese. This seem
ed a clue, but was not satisfactory,
for the region called Piedmont extends
from the Chesapeake bay to central
Alabama.
In the life of Alexander Stephens,
by Richard Malcolm Johnston, men
ton is made that Mr.. Stephens on one
occasion, away back lin the forties,
went over to Washington Ga, to take
the Piedmont stage linc," and this
sentence coupled with local traditions,
explains the whole thing. The Pied
mont region is simply the region ira
versed by line of stage coaches by a
Frenchman of the name of Piedmont.
The line originally ran from Rich
mond, Va, to Columbus, Ca, but
later was extended to Montgomery,
Ala. Possibly it changed horses at
Marthasville, and fer this reason At
lanta claims to be the head center Of
the Piedmont region.
Whether the Frenchman's name
was Piedmont or whether he was a re-
fugee from the province Of that name in
Italy, cannot say, but he and his stage
coaches gave the name to the region
through which they passed. The line
followed the Indian trails and the In
dian trails followed the natural wealth
of the country. The Indians selected
those places for building their villages
most favored by nature. They sought
pure water to drink, good streams to
fish in and good forests to hunt in.
The best hunting ground was always
whe1a vegetation was most luxuriant,
for wild animals fed on nuts, fruits,
cane and grass.
It is curious to look. back hundred
years and see how civilization has
marched in the footprints of savagery.
First came the Indians, single 6le,
silently marching one behind the
other. Then came the traders, with
their pack horses, following the paths
of the Indians and selling them rum
and pelfry for skins and furs. Then
came the white settlers, with their
families. When the settlers came the
paths or trails were widened, TO admit
wheels. Then came the stage coach.
Then the steam engine, plunging
plowing and bursting wide open the
hidden treasures Of stream and forest.
It is fact that the railroads are built,
for the most part, along the lines OF
the old stage routes, so that in looking
backward we see that the Indians sur
veyed many Of the lines now covered
by steel rails, telegraph and telephone
wires.
To my mind, the romance all clings
to the days of stages. There is fas
cination about. that mode of trave
that nothing else can touch. Wheth
er it is the painted coach, the pranc
ing horses, the winding horn, the socia
intercourse or what not, it savors Of {
mystery and romance that nothing else
has supplied. What part it play.
in the writings of Dickens and Thack
cray! The tallyho is but yearninl
after the old days Of stage coaoh travel
l am glad Atlanta is going to cal
| her grand uaw hotel Tho D;adroonk