At Home in the Heart of the Horseshoe

The University of South Carolina was founded in 1801 on a modest parcel of land now called the Horseshoe. While the campus has grown well beyond its original borders, the oak-lined and gated historic Horseshoe remains the heart of campus life. At Home in the Heart of the Horseshoe pays tribute to the handsome regency-style structure at the midpoint of the historic Horseshoe. Constructed in 1854 to house faculty families, then used for sororities, the residence ultimately became the official President’s House in 1952. Through the stories and images in this beautiful book, Patricia Moore-Pastides provides a window into life at the University of South Carolina President’s House from her perspective as First Lady.

Through these pages readers will discover the ways in which the house has become a central location for enriching and celebrating the university community. Beginning with Mrs. Russell’s famous senior dinners in the 1950s, the tradition of entertaining continues. From small formal dinners to garden receptions for several hundred, the President’s House is alive with celebration. A multitude of thoughtfully planned festivities embrace the entire university community, honoring students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff, donors, legislators, and national and international leaders.

At Home in the Heart of the Horseshoe is the first book to feature the workings of the President’s House and gardens. A pictorial tour through all the public rooms calls attention to the provenance of special antiques and works of art. Presidential events are described and illustrated in charming photographs, and delectable recipes and novel flower-arrangement ideas are shared.

Perhaps most compelling are the stories from family members who have lived in the President’s House. Through interviews with wives and children—and in one case a grandchild—of former university presidents, readers are privy to their most vivid memories of life in the house and recollections of campus happenings. Experiencing the house as her home, Moore-Pastides shares highlights of her years as First Lady, including the most poignant times as well as the lighter moments.

From thieving pets to helpful ghosts, panty raids to Vietnam War protests, and visits from brownie scouts to Pope John Paul II, the tales shared here will warm the heart and in a few cases make readers laugh aloud. And the more than two hundred personal and archival images will reveal not only the evolution of this beautiful historic structure but also the people who made the house a home.