BLACKVILLE – Swansea native Viola Scipio first visited God’s Acre Healing Springs with her parents, 53 years ago.

“God is in this,” Scipio said. “It’s coming from a supernatural place to keep us coming back, I believe. I have faith in it. He made this water. He blessed us.”

Healing Springs Baptist Church and Calvary Fellowship Mennonite Church are near the roadside springs. A longstanding legend has developed around the untreated, artisan water, memorialized in a large sign.

Folklore has it that two British soldiers, wounded and expected to die, were taken to the spring by Native Americans. The soldiers apparently miraculously recovered from their injuries, all thanks to the spring.

The site in 2025 is often bustling with activity. New cars pull in throughout the day, whether it’s a Saturday morning or the middle of a Tuesday.

New arrivals are greeted by Charles Scall and Jerry Smith, who hand out scripture tracts and provide free carts for visitors to wheel water jugs from the spigots to their car trunks.

Smith first visited the spring in 1977 but only started his current routine in February. He said his main motivation is to educate.

“If there’s going to be any healing, that comes from God,” Smith said. “I understand there’s special minerals in this world, but it’s all provided by God. It’s nothing provided by mankind.”

Scall said during his years visiting, he’d met people not just from across the country, but from across the world.

“We’ve met people from Poland, from Alaska, from Canada to the Ukraine, Russia, India – I could go on and on,” Scall said.

Imelda Brudvik and her son Kevin Pecho traveled from Aiken and have been coming twice a month for a year and a half. Pecho said they value the community and the shared sense of faith that has been built around the spring.

“It was inspiring to experience this stuff,” Pecho said.

Brudvik said they use the water for a variety of tasks. Its quality stands out in comparison to tap water, she said.

“We use this for drinking, but we also use this for cooking and washing our fruits and vegetables,” Brudvik said. “It’s healthier.”

Bamberg resident Johnson Paul agreed. He said the spring water tasted significantly better than what comes out of his faucets.

The site is maintained by three trustees, one of whom is Nathan Kanagy, a Blackville local. Kanagy sees the site as an important part of the community and is happy to help maintain it.

“I feel like it should be cleaned reasonably and be an inviting place for people to chill out, enjoy the area,” Kanagy said.

The Healing Springs Country Store down the road offers snacks, drinks and meals. Former owner Robert Yoder, who attends the nearby Mennonite church and regularly visits the shop, said it had long been a local fixture.

“This store, I think, originally goes back to 1910,” Yoder said. “It was just kind of a community area.”

North Charleston native Deandre Broughton has only made two trips to the springs but plans to come back for more.

“It’s worth it,” Broughton said. “I like to do natural things. I also like to drink spring water, so why not drink the God healing spring water?”