New Series of Quick Posts

Inspiration

I love this quote from James Clear:

“To experience time travel, read. To achieve immortality, write.” 

He publishes The 3-2-1 Newsletter, one of the world’s most popular newsletters. The line above is from his 15 August 2024 edition. His model is — three ideas, two quotes, and one question.

He inspired me to morph this model into something relevant to my never-ending quest to write about the history of Dataw/Datha Island and the Lowcountry of South Carolina for our Dataw Historic Foundation.


History 3-2-1

Starting today, I plan to write some short posts using a 3-2-1 format. They’ll be much shorter than my usual posts, which will continue occasionally. History 3-2-1 posts will come out about every other week. There will be no rigid schedule, as was done in 2020 for 53 Sams in 53 Weeks. The content will focus on the Lowcountry around us. However, I may include something a bit more far afield.

History 3-2-1 posts will include:

Three images of history in plain sight.

Two moments in history.

One memory preserved.

Let’s get started …


Three Images of History in Plain Sight.

JINKS Triangulation Marker installed 1933. Northwest side of Little Pine Island looking east to Datha Island. Photo by Mark P.
Entry Oaks on Longfield Dr, Datha Island. Photo by Rosemary P.
“The Tractor’s Last Stand” – Suspected to be left behind when Datha was purchased in 1983. Photo by Bill R.

Two Moments in History

At 1:00 a.m. on February 3, 1959, a small private plane carrying Buddy Holly and four others (including the pilot) crashed outside Clear Lake, Iowa, killing all onboard. Two years earlier, Buddy Holly had formed The Crickets with three friends. They soon struck gold with the hit “That’ll Be the Day.”


Moment 1—Buddy Holly’s legacy initially soared and then became legendary when he died. Across the Atlantic, an English band that idolized The Crickets chose a new name in tribute: The Beetles. (That’s not a typo!)


Moment 2—Stuart Sutcliffe had suggested the name. John Lennon wanted a twist on it. So rather than spell it like an insect, he chose the Beatles. It was an insider’s nod to the musical term “beat” and the musical style “beat group.”

One Memory Preserved

When I was a very little girl, my brother and sister called me a “Sweet Little Thing.” In baby talk, it changed to “Sweet Little Ting” and stuck with me for all of my life.

Therese “Ting” Sams Colquhoun, age 94, Beaufort, SC

Sources

JINKS Triangulation Marker

The Beatles

Growing Up in Paradise – Beaufort. Reflections from Living on The Point for 94 Years, by Therese “Ting” Sams Colquhoun, 2024