Van Wyck native Shawn Crawford, middle, is followed by Britain's Rikki
Fifton, right, and American Mike Rodgers as he wins the men's 150-meter
competition during the 2010 Great City Games in Manchester, England.
VAN WYCK — Across the Catawba
River heading east from Rock Hill on S.C. 5, just into Lancaster County,
the first thing anybody sees is a green road sign near the intersection
of S.C. 75 pointing to a tiny crossroads.
It also points to greatness.
On the sign is an arrow pointing left and the words “Van Wyck.”
Van
Wyck has about 250 people in it – so small it can be pronounced Van
“Wike” or Van “Wack” or Van “Wick” and there aren’t enough people around
for an argument or fistfight over it.
The community has a gun
store and a post office, a few churches and a tiny community center. The
brickworks that was the town’s only employer closed a couple of years
ago.
Still, Van Wyck boasts something that lots of other places
would love to be able to boast about. It’s written right there at the
bottom of those green highway signs pointing the way to Van Wyck:
“Home of Shawn Crawford 2004 Olympic Gold & Silver Medalist.”
