These few men who remembered the quiet voices, those voices of giants, those voices that today whisper through the ages, made a gigantic leap of faith less than a decade ago. They set out to establish a museum to hold and cherish the blood shed by their ancestors and the voices of those who would have otherwise been forgotten. Located today, on a quiet street in the provincial town of Greenville you will find their dream realized. It is the museum of the 16th S.C.V. Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. It costs nothing to enter, but you will find much, should you take the time to pass that way.

There is a wonderful reading room and Confederate library open to all, these fine men host a proud heritage. An extensive collection of weapons including some of the rarest to be found line the walls and cabinets. Multiple examples of the weapons of Wm. Glaze of the Palmetto Arsenal are to seen. In addition, the rarest of the rare, two of Greenville's own, the Morse Carbine, grace the walls. Photos and letters of the men who fought, uniforms, items from the home front, and newspapers are artfully shared for all to enjoy. However, rare these offerings are, they are not the most treasured exhibit to be seen. That honor belongs to the tattered and bloody banner of Greenville's Own, The Sixteenth South Carolina. (Please note, the Sixteenth South Carolina Flag has returned to the Confederate Relic Room in Columbia.)

Graciously on loan from the Confederate Relic Room, it still shrouds itself in a mystery. Which flag is it? For history through accident or intent records at least two fates. Most believe it is without a doubt, the B.B. Smith flag, I certainly do... and most believe no Union hand that touched it lived to see the light of day. Should it prove otherwise, it would not matter one iota, for the blood and gunpowder burned in its folds are still the same. It is the symbol of our fathers dreams and lifes and those lifes were all to often given in this an honorable attempt to maintain individual liberty.

The museum is located on Boyce Street in the Pettigrew Historic District just off Washington St. between the Law Enforcement Center and Cleveland Park. It is open on Friday evenings from five to nine, all day on Saturday and on Sunday afternoon. Take the time to touch the past and leave a substantial donation in time or money... it is our past and we can most certainly lose it should you care so little as to pass quietly by.