CAMDEN, SC (WIS) - The Boogertown neighborhood of Camden is in the news again, and not just for its strange name. Some people in Boogertown are concerned a future development will create too much traffic.
The area is right beside what used to be Camden middle school, right off the town square. We told you a few weeks ago how a similar development failed, but now another development is in the works on that same property.
It doesn't look like much now, but Robert Horton says there are new plans for the old place. "We're looking for young professionals and retirees," Horton said. "It'll be a good mixture here, I think."
Horton works with a developer who has a contract on this land. Theirs comes after another developers plan fell through. Horton says they plan to turn the Camden Middle School property into a neighborhood.
"The location's the main thing, there hasn't been a large number of lots available in downtown Camden in probably 30 years and we're looking at between 18 and 19 lots," said Horton.
Buster Beckham has lived for 30 years on the street behind the school in that neighborhood with an infamous name. It's not so much development he's worried about, it's something else.
"They can put houses with monkeys tumbling monkeys over there, we just don't want the road open," said Beckham. "We don't want this to become a thoroughfare."
There are no sidewalks on his street, and he says neighbors stroll up and down. If the plan goes through, it would extend his road and be open for people in the new neighborhood to use.
"It's a safety factor, and who wants to live next to an interstate?" Beckham said.
"I really don't think there is gonna be much traffic from this development going that way," said Horton. "I'd say with 19 lots, 13 or 14 of them are going to go this way every time they want to go to Broad Street."
No matter what happens to his street, Beckham says his address will stay the same. "Maybe start a filling station for all the people who drive through here," he said.
This is by no means a done deal, but there is a contract. If it goes through, the city planning commission will make the final call as to if that street will be extended.
And in case you're wondering where the name Boogertown came from, one of the theories is that a man who used to live their was a fan of a baseball player from Boogertown, Arkansas, and nicknamed his neighborhood.
Curious! I never thought of Camden has having a town square. I'm not against well thought out development, but I think Buster has a point about the safety factor not to mention how the historical aspect of the neighborhood will be forever changed.
I'm hoping someone has TiVo'd the interview and can send it to me so I can put it up on YouTube.
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