Fences run for miles enclosing manicured fields, where empty bleachers and outbuildings dot the landscape. The flat green fields stretch across large expanses as far as the eye can see. Church steeples framed against a blue autumn sky attest to a small-town feel. Antebellum mansions line shady streets where paths rather than sidewalks pass in front of wrought iron gates, stone and brick pillars, and ornate white wooden pickets. Open front porches, comfortably furnished, provide occupants a quiet place to enjoy a cool evening.

Narrow streets running through hidden neighborhoods present visual surprises twisting and turning for a person on foot, not in a hurry. Large grassy squares with benches under Live Oaks offer respite for a weary walker. Streets named for generals from long ago battles mostly forgotten — historic markers attempting to recapture their story of time and place. An old Polo Field silently awaits the return of teams mounted on horses and the excitement of competition. History abounds everywhere you look, and one wonders about a staircase ascending into an empty lot, or a meticulously built perimeter wall, that now only surrounds scrub bushes and weeds.

Ivy climbing to the furthest reaches of ancient trees also wraps itself around light poles and globes giving stately entryways the look of an old English Inn. Luxurious hotels once catering to wealthy northerners who adopted the area as a winter playground are but a memory now. One can still hear the passenger train whistle in the early morning hours, and imagine a time in the early 1900s when stylishly dressed passengers disembarked with their trunks and belongings for extended stays.

Elegant streetlamps line the main road leading into town passing historical sites along the way. Reaching the center of town, an iconic statue of an Indian, his bow drawn, can be seen atop an old clocktower. A former historic library now houses an archive of books, documents, and materials that tell the history of the place.

Tours each holiday season give people a glimpse of the beauty and craftsmanship of historic homes. The homes bridging a connection to the past, are a testimony to a time and lifestyle from another era.

Each spring the town’s population swells tenfold for the world-famous Carolina Cup Steeplechase. Powerful thoroughbred horses run the course as ladies in fanciful hats, and gentlemen in their finest enjoy the party atmosphere and excitement of the races.

And each day as I drive down a tree-lined street where branches form an arch reminiscent of a cathedral, I sense the history and passage of time around me. And I always look forward to returning to my Camden home.