In 1901, Thousands Of Fish Mysteriously Fell From The Sky Above Tiller's Ferry, South Carolina
By Robin Jarvis
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Published April 11, 2020
Let’s face it, South Carolina has its fair share of bizarre places and happenings. After all, the state is home to the only UFO Welcome Center in America. Aliens aside, an event that occurred in the tiny community of Tiller’s Ferry in 1901 still has folks scratching their head in wonder while contemplating all plausible explanations.
First, let's talk about Tiller's Ferry — which, until 1903 had its own U.S. Post Office that opened in the 1830s.
After the post office closed, the community was absorbed by Bethune, which had recently incorporated (in 1900) and is located only a couple of miles north of Tiller's Ferry in Kershaw County.
Tiller's Ferry was named for the Tiller family that received a land grant in Kershaw County in 1801.
Soon, the family operated a ferry service that provided a much needed crossing at the confluence of the Little Lynches River and Lynches River, located not far from the crossroads in Tiller's Ferry.
In the early summer of 1901, a terrible thunderstorm moved into Kershaw County and swept through Tiller's Ferry.
Anyone who's lived in South Carolina long enough knows summer storms often arrive unannounced, carry a big punch, and then are over before you know it. It's often said that if you don't like the weather in the late afternoons in the Palmetto State during the summer... then just wait five minutes.
But this was no ordinary storm.
During the outburst, live fish are reported to have fallen from the sky and scattered all over the community.
As you can imagine, residents were confounded by the bizarre occurrence. But Tiller's Ferry isn't the only place to have seen it rain fish all over the neighborhood.
Accounts of fish falling from the sky have been recorded as far back as
1524 in Egypt. And then again in the 1600, this time in London. And these aren't the only accounts; there are dozens more. So what do scientists believe caused the rain of fish in Tiller's Ferry in 1901?
One theory is that schools of fish were swimming near the surface when the storm passed over the body of water in which they were located.
In Tiller's Ferry, this could easily have been the Little Lynches River or the Lynches River — or perhaps, the fish came from much farther away.
Although there was no particular mention of a tornado or water spout when the fish fell out of the sky over the community, it's likely one kicked up within the storm and pulled the fish right out of the water only to carry them to where the water spout dissipated just ahead of Tiller's Ferry.
Have you ever heard of storms sweeping fish or birds into their fury and carrying them to another place?
You can read several accounts of fish and other items falling from the skies all around the world, in this list compiled by NaturalHistoryMag.com.
For more bizarre things you’ll find here in South Carolina, keep reading to discover 10 larger-than-life roadside attractions .
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