Exhibits
Campmeeting
Mt. Carmel AMEZ Church was founded ca 1866 by Isom Caleb Clinton (1830 -1904).
In 1867, the South Carolina Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was organized. Mt. Carmel is one of the earliest sites in South Carolina associated with the AME Zion Church.
Campmeetings have been held annually at Mt. Carmel since the late 1860s, making it one of the oldest sites in South Carolina.
The traditional event is a landmark of Lancaster County. Thousands of visitors from all over the United States attend every year. Often a family is represented with four or five generations present.
Today there are more than 100 'tents' at the campground, rights of ownership passing down through the generations. The old log structures have been replaced with wood and cinderblocks. Refridgerators and microwaves add to the comfort. Porches add to the fellowship.