LASR.net Homepage




Menu

This park marks the site of jazz great Dizzy Gillespie's birthplace in Cheraw. The park includes a historical marker on his life and features sculpture and park benches that symbolize his life. The park is open from dawn to dusk. There is also a statue of Gillespie on the Cheraw Town Green on Market Street.

Born here in 1917 as John Birks Gillespie, Dizzy attended public schools, graduating from Robert Smalls in 1933. His family attended the Wesley United Methodist Church (c. 1915) on Green Street and as a child, he was employed to keep kids from sneaking into the c. 1920 Lyric Theater, a skill he'd become quite adept at. (Now the Theater on the Green, the restored facility is used for performances. ) His musical talents earned him a scholarship to the Laurinberg Institute in North Carolina. In 1990, Gillespie received the National Medal of the Arts (the highest award bestowed upon an American artist) and was honored by the Kennedy Center for his contributions to the performing arts. A guide to the sites connected to his life is available at the Cheraw Chamber of Commerce. Dizzy died in 1993.

Attractions and Upcoming Events

314 Market St B&B

Come be our guest in a lovely Colonial Revival home in Cheraw's historic district. Four porches to relax and enjoy treelined streets and small town atmosphere. Ten minutes from Cheraw State Park for golfing and outdoor activities. Approved member of SC Bed &

Cheraw, SC Businesses

Trails of Terror - Haunted Hayride

For those of you who think you may be brave enough to take a ride through our Trails of Terror, here are some things you should know: You will ride through the Trails of Terror on a tractor drawn wagon, which will take you deep into the cold dark woods of the unknown. You will experience our 2

Cheraw, SC Other Attractions

First Presbyterian Church And Session House

Built c. 1832, the church's Greek Revival influences include four Doric columns that support the portico. Originally clapboard, the building was bricked over in 1922. The Session House is a small, one-story frame Greek-Revival structure, built in 1842

Cheraw, SC Famous Homes


Cheraw State Park

Natural beauty and great golf come together at Cheraw State Park.

An 18-hole championship course winds its way through the long-leaf pinelands of the traditional state park, a course that’s earned notice from the Aubudon Society for the way it’

Cheraw, SC State Parks

Things to do near Cheraw, SC

Cheraw State Park

Natural beauty and great golf come together at Cheraw State Park. An 18-hole championship course winds i...

Guest House Inn

Small town inn, continental breakfast, and restaurants nearby. Modem line in rooms. AAA, AARP, and government discounts avail...

Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority

Providing public transportation to Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Marlboro and Marion County since 1976....

White Plains Country Club

Built on rolling hills, this layout concludes with its signature hole, a 528-yard, par 5, which requires the golfer to carry ...