Vehicles with license plates from states all up the eastern seaboard paraded through Manning early Monday as folks staked out spots to watch the first total solar eclipse to cross the North American continent in 99 years.
Brothers Spencer Holmgren and Josh Holmgren were a long way away from their Salt Lake City, Utah, home. The pair had spent the summer in Tampa, Florida, and were on their way to Washington, D.C., when they decided stop stop in Manning.
"It was right off Interstate 95 and right along the way in totality," said Spencer. "We knew we would stop on the way up, and this was the perfect place."
The brothers watched the entire eclipse from the Clarendon County Courthouse grounds with more than 300 other people.
"It was amazing," Josh said. "I can't even begin to describe it. It was insane, especially the diamond right after when totality was over."
Spencer agreed.
"It was majestic," he said.
"Otherworldly, even," Josh interjected. "I can't describe in words how it was."
New Jersey residents Matthew Friedberg and Josh Greenberg watched the event at Manning High School's Ramsey Stadium. The pair had driven down with a female friend who wished not to be named or interviewed.
"We left Sunday afternoon," said Friedberg. "Manning was right off I-95, and traffic wasn't that bad. There were moments of stop and go, but it really wasn't terrible."
Greenberg said he wasn't initially into the eclipse.
"I didn't really care about it, to be honest," he said. "But my friends here convinced me. I thought, 'What's the big deal?' And then they sent me an article from Vox talking bout how it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
"So, he had to come after that," Friedberg said.
