♪ There are over 41,000 miles of road in South Carolina.

Like veins in a body's circulatory system, they connect the busy cities and small towns to each other, each serving a vital role throughout our state.

It's these vessels of transportation where you find some of the most delightful sights.

Now it's time to strap in as we hit the road and explore scenic Highway 81.

From the Sky!

♪ [JINGLE] ♪ The journey begins at a small bridge that crosses Long Cane Creek within the Sumter National Forest.

The first stop is the charming town of Mt.

Carmel.

During the late 19th century the Savannah Valley Railroad made this area a bustling community.

One of the oldest buildings in town is the picturesque ARP Church built in 1836.

It's a firm reminder that small things can still stand strong over time.

The next stop is the quaint town of Calhoun Falls.

The town was named after the Calhoun family, a prominent political family in the United States that settled the area in the early 1700's.

Calhoun Falls sits on the doorstep of Lake Russell, a 26,000-acre reservoir that serves as a natural border between South Carolina and Georgia.

The lake was created by the Richard B. Russell Dam, a hydro-electric facility built in 1985 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The structure spans almost 2,000 feet across and is made with over a million cubic yards of concrete.

The damming of the Savannah river required over 52,000 acres of land to be flooded, covering several significant archeological sites.

The Millwood Plantation, Fort Independence, and a Native American village were all excavated before the lake began to fill in order to preserve the historical remains.

The lake also engulfed the historic Georgia-Carolina Memorial Bridge.

Constructed as a tribute to World War 1 veterans that connected Georgeia and South Carolina.

Today, the bridge remains completely intact under sixty feet of water.

Getting back on the road, 81 runs through a few more small towns.

At Lownndesville, the highway makes a ninety degree turn towards the town of Iva.

Iva, another small railroad town, was settled in the late 18th century by Dr. Augustus Cook.

It was originally named after him as "Cook's Station".

However, the doctor found out there was another community called Cook's Station, so he decided to rename the town after his daughter Iva Cook Bryson.

In 1905, Iva saw a surge of growth after the construction of its textile mill in the center of town.

Unfortunately, the mill closed in the 1990's causing economic hardships.

While some towns suffered from the highway's development, others prospered.

The first city on the highway is Anderson.

Named after Robert Anderson, a decorated militia-man who fought during the American Revolution, the city became one of the first areas in the southeast to have electricity.

Long distance cables from nearby hydro-electric plants lit streetlamps, automated electric streetcars and even powered the world's first electric cotton gin.

This gave Anderson it's nickname.

"The Electric City".

The last leg of Highway 81 leads directly into downtown Greenville, the largest city in the upstate.

Its initial growth was largely due to its textile manufacturing.

For this reason, it was long known as "The Textile Capital of the World".

In roughly 80 miles this highway captures a mixed bag of what South Carolina has to offer.

From open countryside to flourishing cities, it's a drive worth seeing.

From the Sky!

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