Southern Voice

Southern Voice On this page, artist and writer Beth Yarbrough celebrates life in the South.

Another pretty scene from the historic district in Brunswick, Georgia - a town that doesn't get the same visibility as S...
06/11/2026

Another pretty scene from the historic district in Brunswick, Georgia - a town that doesn't get the same visibility as Savannah just up the way, but whose streets and parks are laid out in a very similar fashion, and whose historic houses are rich with architectural detail.

The Dubignon-McCullough house is a Second Empire beauty, built in 1869 for Henry Dubignon, and a great example of what Brunswick's tree-shaded streets have to offer.

Photo by Beth Yarbrough.

06/11/2026

The Naming of Windy Hill ☀💨

Windy Hill has 22 recorded historic sites, including 21 residences and one commercial structure. The Windy Hill section of North Myrtle Beach is known to have one of the area’s earliest residents of record. William Gause received a land grant from the British crown in 1737.

Gause’s 250 acres included a swash near modern-day 48th Avenue South, which is now known as White Pointe Swash. This area was originally called Gause Swash.

William Gause built an inn that served travelers along Kings Highway, reportedly known for its good food and hospitality.

Local history claims that President George Washington stopped at this beach on a hill to rest during his travels here in 1791.

The name “Windy Hill” was created when a strong gust of wind led Washington to comment, “My! What a windy hill!”

Thirty Days In Key West: Day ElevenThe mission yesterday afternoon was simple - drive down to Moondog Cafe and pick up ...
06/11/2026

Thirty Days In Key West: Day Eleven

The mission yesterday afternoon was simple - drive down to Moondog Cafe and pick up a piece of Chocolate Cake with Brown Butter Frosting from curbside and then drive back home. The drive down was normal late-day nonsense, and the curbside pick-up was quick.

And then Whitehead Street happened. It is a two-lane main drag that runs cross-island in Old Town, connecting just about everyone to everything, and right as I pulled back out into the flow of traffic, everyone did indeed show up, trying to get to - everything.

There was nothing to do but sit there and laugh at the chaos. Because the car in front of me had inexplicably decided to stop in the middle of the street with flashers on while one of the passengers got out and just stood there, I had a momentary ringside seat for the show.

In addition to the stopped car, it included the following:
A Delta jet coming in for a landing just above the treetops right over my head

18 cars coming toward me with no break in the line

Right behind them, The Conch Train full of people

Two roosters fighting in the street over a downed mango

A man and his wife desperately trying to get up to Ernest Hemingway's house on bicycles that they clearly hadn't been on in the past quarter century

A very large woman in a pink tutu on a motor scooter behind me

And a man in a big GMC Yukon behind her, honking his horn at us all.

But, much like the weather here, which tracks closely with the notion that if you don't like it, just wait five minutes - the calamity suddenly vanished and I was rolling back home with the cake.

It was good, by the way - good enough that I would go through the whole thing again, except for the woman in the pink tutu on the scooter. Some things you just can't un-see.

Photo by Beth Yarbrough.

Wessington, circa 1850-1851 in Edenton, NC, was built for a man who married well - twice - and then lost it all in the C...
06/10/2026

Wessington, circa 1850-1851 in Edenton, NC, was built for a man who married well - twice - and then lost it all in the Civil War.

That being said, Dr. Thomas Warren's legacy stands today as a beautiful example of mid-nineteenth opulence. Indeed, at one point just prior to the Civil War, his assets in personal property and real estate were valued at just under a million dollars.

For his residence, Warren chose a plan - "A Villa in the French Style" - from William Ranlett's 1847 book, "The Architect", and then modified it to his own tastes with a double "pizer" and elaborate ironwork.

Following Warren's exit, the Cameron family took ownership and gave the house its name, and these days it is still a stunning showstopper. As many times as I had photographed the place, it still took my breath at sunset on an evening this past March.

Photo by Beth Yarbrough.

06/10/2026

Which house style is your favorite?

From Cape Cod cottages to Craftsman bungalows and Ranch homes, American residential architecture has taken many forms over the centuries.

Each style reflects the era that shaped it — from classical symmetry to handcrafted details and open, low-profile living.

I'm so excited. Pebble Hill Plantation in Thomasville, Ga. has invited me to come in as guest speaker on September 12 o...
06/10/2026

I'm so excited. Pebble Hill Plantation in Thomasville, Ga. has invited me to come in as guest speaker on September 12 of this year. What an honor. Pebble Hill has long been on my bucket list, and I cannot wait to meet this wonderful place and the people who help share it with the world.

Mark your calendars now and come join me in September. Link to the event is in the comments below.

Thirty Days In Key West: Day TenThere has been waterfront drama down here recently. I have been hesitant to report it,...
06/10/2026

Thirty Days In Key West: Day Ten

There has been waterfront drama down here recently. I have been hesitant to report it, hoping that the affected parties could work things out, but things came to a head last night, and I guess it's time to tell the tale.

You are actually looking at a photo of the party of the second part - a gorgeous Great White Egret (aka Stephen) that has been known to frequent our little fishing hole from time to time. Hold that thought.

The party of the first part - a Great Blue Heron - (aka George) is also a frequent flyer with us. (Sorry, couldn't resist...) I say this in all seriousness because for the second year in a row, that beautiful bird has visited us at sundown in order to enjoy a free meal.

We aren't sure how he spots us, but within a few minutes of our arrival, he appears, ghostlike, and stands quietly beside my husband while he fishes. "Hi, there. Don't mind me. I'm just here for the sunset."

That line promptly goes out the window, however, the minute a fish is caught. With no persuasion whatsoever, he will feast on whatever is offered, for as long as it suits him, and then off he flies into the gathering darkness.

Things run smoothly unless Stephen, the Great White decides to stop by and "enjoy the sunset" at the same time. We have seen trouble brewing for the past few nights, but last night came the rumble.

We had been there for half an hour or so, with Stephen keeping us company. He likes free fish as much as the next guy, and was just standing there minding his own business. when all of a sudden we saw George on a glide path, coming toward us from out across the water.

"Here comes trouble", we said, and George did not disappoint. He flew inland over our heads in a swooping arc, honking loudly, before coming in for a second low pass and landing right at our feet, daring Stephen to even think about eating another fish.

Poor Stephen, though. He actually DID think about it just long enough. George made his move, and that was all it took. With all sorts of honking and wing-flapping, the two of them worked things out, at the end of which, Stephen decided he didn't want to watch the sunset after all.

Sometimes we get dolphins, other times the manatees come for a visit, or the Navy Seals come out in scuba gear for night training. And tonight someone was shooting a movie a few yards down the pier from us, during which we were treated to twenty-three takes of the same scene: "YOU CAN'T GROUND ME!!!!" "I don't HAVE to GROUND you! You're UNDER ARREST! YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT..."

All well and good, but nothing compares to an honest-to-gosh kerfluffle between two of nature's most handsome creatures under the watchful eye of a setting sun. That's the Key West you won't see from a cruise ship.

Photo by Beth Yarbrough.

While we are on the subject of fine old homes in Scotland Neck, NC, this one was an evolving work-in-progress across 75 ...
06/09/2026

While we are on the subject of fine old homes in Scotland Neck, NC, this one was an evolving work-in-progress across 75 years. Local legend says that the Gilliam-Pritchard-Leggett house may contain portions that date back to 1812, but the earliest documented date is 1863 when it was purchased by a man named Henry Gillam as a one-story structure. After several more owners across the next couple of decades, it then ended up with T.H. Pritchard in 1899, who added a lot of embellishments - including a second floor! Extensive renovations came along again in the 1930's when owners James Wilson and Margaret Leggett put their own touches on the place.

Sometimes, too many architectural cooks can spoil the broth, but in the case of this lovely old girl, it looks to me like they all added just the right seasoning.

Photo by Beth Yarbrough.

One of my first old house photos from way back in 2014 was of the Max Hoffman house in Scotland Neck, NC. It remains a ...
06/09/2026

One of my first old house photos from way back in 2014 was of the Max Hoffman house in Scotland Neck, NC. It remains a favorite not just of mine, but of all the old house photographers who roam this part of the state.

Mr. Hoffman was a very prominent merchant in town, and he commissioned a local contractor named H.G. Jones in 1889 to build this gorgeous Eastlake style beauty. Jones was a likely choice, having gained prominence of his own as an expert craftsman who was responsible for other local homes as well as this one.

Two years after this one was completed, contractor Jones advertised his work, saying in part, "Brackets of all styles, Fancy Scroll work of all descriptions." Judging from this one example alone, I'd say that was the understatement of the year.

Photo by Beth Yarbrough.

On a pretty Saturday morning this past spring, I enjoyed a sunny walk down Bluff Drive in the Isle of Hope community jus...
06/09/2026

On a pretty Saturday morning this past spring, I enjoyed a sunny walk down Bluff Drive in the Isle of Hope community just outside Savannah, Ga. To say that there was magic in the air doesn't even come close.

The entire street is blessed with scenes just like this one, and I was blessed to be there, if only as a visitor.

Photo by Beth Yarbrough.

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