For almost a century, motorists on Geer Highway (Rte. 276) have pulled off to admire Bald Rock’s sweeping views. Locals know the crumbling asphalt lot and recall the fixture of the man selling jam, honey, and ammunition from his truck. However, this spring, that lot closed permanently, and a short half-mile walk now leads to the beloved overlook perched above the Upstate.
Most locals can picture Bald Rock: a broad expanse of sun-warmed granite stretching out towards the horizon, dotted with spray-painted manifestations of love and rebellion. Thousands have paused to picnic, watch the sunset, or hike up and down these slopes. Beneath their feet, though, lies a story far deeper than the layers of graffiti.
Historically, Bald Rock was undesirable land. Long ago, it belonged to Native Americans. In more recent centuries, its steep, rocky face could not be farmed, so early landholders showed little interest. Most deed records listed it as “vacant” or having no owner at all. In 1869, though, Joseph McJunkin, who had been emancipated during the Civil War years earlier, purchased land below the rock and built a life for his family there. His descendants continued to live and own property in the area for generations, part of the often-overlooked history of Black land ownership in the hills of the Upstate…