Imagine a breezy Spring ride through the Sandhills of South Carolina on Route One, when suddenly, along the roadside you encounter African animals. Wouldn’t you hit the brakes and find out what it is all about? I did and I’m glad, because Bethune Pottery is a one-of-a-kind place that turns out duplicate cast stone products from their custom-made molds.

Now, there was a big pig near a six-foot tall rooster, but the fiberglas giraffe and elephant stole the show. So, the roadside animal attractions did their job by drawing a pair of total strangers onto the lot. We strolled the 200-yard long lot, filled with the cast stone wares for gardens, patios, and yards, ogling all of the options.

There’s a little bit of everything in this McBee landmark manufacturer; gnomes and reptiles, Donald Trumps, snails and mermaids, even a Yoda. We bought a wise old owl for the garden of a friend who we were due to visit later in our trip. If you’d get an in depth look at their products, use their website : www.bethunepottery.com/