Cultural Resource Survey of the Meyers Mill Tract

Summary

"In January 2005, Brockington and Associates, Inc., conducted a cultural resources survey of a portion of the Myers Mill Farm and a cultural resources reconnaissance of the Myers Mill Speedway Tract in Dorchester County, South Carolina. The Myers Mill Farm and Speedway Tracts are located west-southwest of Summerville on Central Avenue, south of Hurricane Branch and north of Embassy Road. The Myers Mill Speedway Tract extends west of Central Avenue; The Myers Mill Farm Tract is located east of Central Avenue. Archaeological reconnaissance of the Speedway Tract shows the area is heavily disturbed by construction and maintenance activities associated with the continual operation of the Summerville Speedway from 1965 to 2004. We identified no historic cultural materials or features at the Speedway Tract. The survey of the Myers Mill Farm resulted in the identification of four historic architectural resources (429 1132.00-1132.03), none of which are eligible for the NRHP. During the reconnaissance of the Speedway Tract, the Architectural Historian documented three former tenant house (429 1137-1139), one vernacular home (429 1140), and the Summerville Speedway (429 1141). Only the Summerville Speedway is recommended eligible for the NRHP under Criterion A for its association with local sports history, and under Criterion C as an example of a 1960s “outlaw” speedway. Because of the rareness of small speedways in the Lowcountry, the Speedway meets the requirement of Criterion Consideration G for resources under 50 years of age. After review, the South Carolina State Historic Preservation Office did not concur with our recommendation; therefore, the Summerville Speedway (429 1141) is not eligible for the NRHP (See Appendix B). No further management of this resource is necessary."

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Dorchester County

Keywords

Temporal Coverage

Calendar Date: 1880 to 1939 (Myers Timber Company ran off of the 4,000 acre tract)

Calendar Date: 1880 to 2012 (Land tract owned by the Myers Family since the late 1800's)

Calendar Date: 2004 to 2004 (The Summerville Speedway was sold to a land developer)

Calendar Date: 1984 to 1984 (The Summerville Speedway officially a part of the Nascar Winston circuit)

Calendar Date: 1975 to 2004 (Summerville Speedway owned by Charlie Powell)

Calendar Date: 1965 to 1965 (The Summerville Speedway was constructed by Dewey Brewer and Buckshot Cagle)

Calendar Date: 1939 to 2012 (The Berlin G. Myers Lumber Company working off of the land tract)

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Jack Wilson; Carol Poplin; Jonathan Leader

Contributor(s): Ed Salo; David Dellenbach; Inna Burns

Field Director(s): David S. Baluha

Principal Investigator(s): Eric C. Poplin

Sponsor(s): General Engineering Laboratories, Inc.

Prepared By(s): Brockington and Associates, Inc.

Notes

General Note: "In January 2005, Brockington and Associates, Inc., conducted a cultural resources survey of a portion of the Myers Mill Farm and a cultural resources reconnaissance of the Myers Mill Speedway Tract in Dorchester County, South Carolina. The Myers Mill Farm and Speedway Tracts are located west-southwest of Summerville on Central Avenue, south of Hurricane Branch and north of Embassy Road. The Myers Mill Speedway Tract extends west of Central Avenue; the Myers Mill Farm is located east of Central Avenue. Archaeological reconnaissance of the Speedway Tract shows the area is heavily disturbed by construction and maintenance activities associated with the continual operation of the Summerville Speedway from 1965 to 2004. We identified no cultural materials or features at the Speedway Tract. The survey of the Myers Mill Farm resulted in the identification of four historic architectural resources (429 1132.00-1132.03), none of which are eligible for the NRHP. During the reconnaissance of the Speedway Tract, the Architectural Historian documented three former tenant house (429 1137-1139), one vernacular home (429 1140), and the Summerville Speedway (429 1141). Only the Summerville Speedway is recommended eligible for the NRHP under Criterion A for its association with local sports history, and under Criterion C as an example of a 1960s “outlaw” speedway. Because of the rareness of small speedways in the Lowcountry, the Speedway meets the requirement of Criteria Consideration G for resources under 50 years of age. After review, the South Carolina State Historic Preservation Office did not concur with our recommendation; therefore, the Summerville Speedway (429 1141) is not eligible for the NRHP (See Appendix B). Therefore, the undertaking will effect no historic properties, and no further management of these resources is necessary."

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