There is a chapel on the North Carolina and South Carolina border that is very special. The Fred W. Symmes Chapel, better known as Pretty Place, certainly lives up to its nickname. The view that it provides is one of the prettiest places on Earth. The chapel is on the side of a mountain and it is an open air chapel. If you are a religious person, you can easily feel closer to God while you are visiting the chapel.

The chapel was built in 1941. Over the years, additions and some improvements have been made. The last major renovation to the chapel was made in 2012. The chapel is on private property, which is owned by YMCA Camp Greenville, and was given by Fred W. Symmes so the children that attended the camp would have somewhere to worship and for their enjoyment. I really can’t think of a better place for that to happen.

According to the website for the chapel, it is approximately 66 feet from the back of the chapel to the cross that overlooks the mountains. There are two rows of sixteen pews, and the chapel will hold a maximum capacity of 350 people. While there are many times that you can visit the chapel, they do request that you call first to make sure that the chapel hasn’t been reserved for a wedding or a worship service. I know that it is definitely a popular spot for sunrise for a lot of photographers.

I fondly remember the first time I visited the chapel. We were returning from a trip to Tennessee, and I told my cousin about this beautiful chapel that has amazing views of the mountains. We were coming in from the Brevard, North Carolina side, but I didn’t know exactly where the chapel was located. We came on down the mountain past Caesars Head State Park, and ended up at Table Rock State Park. I was finally able to get a signal on my phone for my GPS to work. Needless to say, we had to end up going back up the mountain past Caesars Head again to go to the chapel. My cousin was so aggravated with me that she told me that she would throw me off that mountain if I wasn’t leading her in the right direction this time. She was driving by the way, since she just loves to drive on mountain roads. We did finally get to the right place, I wasn’t thrown over the mountain, but we were all in awe of the beautiful view and the sense of peace up there.

Last year we were back up in the area, so since my dad had never seen Pretty Place, my mom and I took him. He was pretty impressed with what he saw. He had to tell all of his friends and anyone else that would listen about the special little chapel on the side of a mountain in the upstate of South Carolina. I honestly have never heard of anybody complain about this place. I have only ever heard wonderful stories about it.

Pretty Place is officially located at 4399 YMCA Camp Road in Cleveland, South Carolina. If you are driving up from the South Carolina side, you will get off of Highway 11, and head up the road to Caesars Head State Park. Continue pass Caesars Head, then right before you get to the North Carolina state line, you will see the sign on the right side of the road that lets you know you are at the YMCA Camp Greenville. If you are coming from the North Carolina side, you will come through Brevard. As soon as you see the South Carolina state line sign, make a left. Either way you come from will take you on a road that seems as if it takes forever, but you will eventually get to the parking lot for the chapel. Admission is free to just enjoy the chapel. If you want to rent it, there are fees involved. The chapel can be visited during daylight hours as long as it isn’t being used for a function during the time of your visit.

Published by travelingthesoutheast

My name is Donna. At an early age I had a love for photography. There was nothing more fun than taking film to a store and then having to wait several days to get the photographs back, sometimes only to find out that none of the pictures turned out the way I wanted them to. Quite a few years ago digital came out, and the rest is history. I can always be found with a camera around my neck, on my arm, or in my hand. I have always had a love for telling stories and sharing them with others. My imagination has always been a little on the wild side. About ten years ago, I decided one day that I wanted to start traveling, and I have never looked back. There is nothing in the world that I enjoy more than traveling and taking photographs. View all posts by travelingthesoutheast