Mikey’s Selfies: South Carolina Towns With A Smile

Mikey’s Selfies — That’s Our Story (and We’re Sticking to It)

If you’ve been following the Palmetto Places adventures for any length of time, you already know that Opa and E.B. have a soft spot for the backroads, the biscuit shops, and the porch stories of small-town South Carolina. But what you might not know is that long before the websites, the blogs, and the cartoon caricatures—there were two friends on motorcycles, riding the highways and byways of the Palmetto State, taking pictures, sketching churches, and praying with folks along the way.

Those two friends were Opa and Mikey.

The Heart of an Artist Riding on Two Wheels

Now, Mikey’s a bit of a legend around here. He’s a motorcycle man who has lived on the rough side of the biker world, but don’t let that fool you. Beneath the leather and road dust beats the heart of an artist—a photographer with a gift for catching the soul of small towns through his lens. Mikey never went to art school, but you wouldn’t know it from his photos. Each one tells a story without saying a word.

Mikey is a folk artists!

The Start of SC Towns

Years ago, Mikey started the SC Towns Facebook page, snapping photos of everything from courthouse squares to cotton fields. That page grew like a wild vine—over 20,000 followers strong—and still climbing. It became a gathering place for people who love South Carolina as much as Mikey and Opa do. And through it all, Mikey stayed behind the camera, quietly capturing moments most of us would drive past without seeing.

Fast forward to today, and the old crew’s back at it again—Mikey, Opa, and E.B. too—doing what they love best: exploring the Palmetto State one town at a time, meeting folks, swapping stories, searching for treasures, and creating art that celebrates small-town life.

This time, though, they’re adding a twist.

Mikey’s Selfies

Welcome to “Mikey’s Selfies”—a brand-new feature on Palmetto Places where Mikey is “taking selfies” in towns all across South Carolina.

Now, here’s where things get interesting: Mikey isn’t actually in most of those original photos. He took them, of course—but Opa (never one to leave well enough alone) decided to turn them into colorful cartoon caricatures, complete with Mikey himself, his old-timey camera, and that trusty motorcycle of his “photo-bombing” each scene.

Sometimes Mikey’s leaning against a Welcome sign, sometimes he’s waving from Main Street, and sometimes he’s peeking out from behind his camera, ready to snap the next great shot. Every cartoon tells a story—and every town gets a personality of its own.

But it doesn’t stop there.

What’s In A Name!!!

Because when Opa and E.B. get involved, you know there’s going to be a little extra sparkle. Each town gets described with a made-up adjective—a completely original description that might sound half-real and half-ridiculous, but always feels right. That’s how places like “Abbeville the Adorable,” “Due West the Delightful,” and “Catawampus Catawba” get their names. (We’re pretty sure no dictionary agrees, but that’s okay. Around here, we’re writing our own dictionary—one town at a time.)

“Mikey’s Selfies” is our way of blending photography, cartoon art, and storytelling into something that makes you smile—and reminds you just how much charm, character, and color you’ll find when you wander off the interstate.

Watch For Mikey’s Selfie—Coming To A Town Near You Soon!

So whether you live in one of these towns or just love discovering them, we hope you’ll ride along with us. Watch for Mikey’s Selfies to appear right here on SCTowns.org, and on our Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr pages too.

Each post will spotlight a real South Carolina town, a little humor, a touch of history, and a whole lot of heart.

Because this isn’t just about the towns—it’s about the people who make them special, the stories worth retelling, and the joy of seeing life through an artist’s eye (or, in this case, through Mikey’s camera and Opa’s cartoon pencil).

Our Story

We’re out there chasing sunlight, snapping smiles, and spreading a little Palmetto cheer everywhere we go.

That’s our story—and we’re sticking to it.