Springfield Forecast a Little Froggy This Weekend
The small town of Springfield, South Carolina is hopping this weekend as it hosts its annual frog hopping contest.
The uninterrupted focus of an athlete in his (or her) prime. Springfield, South Carolina was once a railroad town, but now is known for its amphibian athletes.
SpecialSometimes when traveling backroads, you happen upon some weird stuff. To me, it is weird stuff that makes backroads interesting, like my trip to Springfield, South Carolina.
This small town is home to the Governor’s Frog Jump. Yes, South Carolina has a frog jump. It is held this Friday and Saturday, April 18th and 19th and follows the rules established in Calaveras County (no poking and the longest of three jumps wins). That event, which was called the Jumping Frog Jubilee, was inspired by the Mark Twain short story “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.”
Springfield is particularly well-suited for the fringe sport of competitive frog jumping. Its proximity to the Edisto River makes athletic ‘recruitment’ relatively simple.
Former winners of Springfield’s Frog Jump feature colorful names like Cleetus, Goober, Strom Thurmond, and my favorite, Which Way. Shout out to Cleetus who won in 2023 by jumping 10 feet 5 inches.
History’s longest recorded frog jump, by the way, was 21 feet 5 inches. It happened at the Calaveras County contest in 1986. The famous amphibian’s name was Rosie the Ribeter. Save this. It may come up as a trivia question one day.
Springfield began as Millersville and was established not because of its particularly athletic amphibians, but because many heard a railroad was going to be built through the area. By 1917 it was being called the “the thrivingist town in Orangeburg County” with a population of 1000.
My trip to Springfield did not, sadly, feature bleacher seats at the town’s frog hop. It did, however, make me wonder about the town, its history, and its future – frog related or not.
Tee Gentry | Augusta TodayThis quaint relic of Springfield's retail past did not, thankfully, have a 'No Frogs Allowed' sign posted.
Parked by the side of the road, I saw an abandoned building at the city limits. It used to be the community center. I could only imagine the excitement that once surrounded this building, a place where the community could gather. Now, just a lone chair sits on the front porch as vines take over.
I bet it is a good place to find a frog.
Frog Fun Fact: Frogs do not drink water. These aquatic creatures absorb water through their skin.
