Some real characters will be coming to life June 2 at the Ashtabula and Woodburn plantation houses in South Carolina's Upstate.

Meet the Pendletons, a chance to meet people who lived in the Old Pendleton district of South Carolina from 1800 to about 1908, who will mingle with the audience and talk about their lives back in the day.

This year, expect a visit from Manse Jolly from 1865, a man wanted for several murders. You'll also get to meet the Rev. John Adger, an owner of Woodburn in the 1850s, and Mrs. Angela Latta, the mistress of Ashtabula in the 1850s. She'll talk about the coming of the railroad and the war -- and how each is affecting her family. John C. Calhoun might even show up.

The audience can sit in lawn chairs and take it all in.

"The characters come up in costume and do a presentation of themselves. They talk about a particular subject that might be important during the time," said Ellen Harrison, the volunteer education director for both houses. "Each one is about four minutes long, to introduce people to the historical characters who were actually living here in that 100 years or so."

It'll run from 10 a.m. until about 10:45 a.m., with a charge of $3 a carload.

After the show, Ashtabula and Woodburn, the two homes operated by the Pendleton Historic Foundation will be open for tours until 4 p.m. Tours cost $6 for adults and $2 for 5- to 10-year-olds.

Ashtabula was built in 1825, while Woodburn was built in 1830. Both are now house museums furnished with antebellum antiques.

Another upcoming event happens May 26-27, when the houses will be open and volunteers will be demonstrating spinning and weaving. The demonstration runs from 1-3 p.m. May 26 at Ashtabula and 2-4 p.m. May 27 at Woodburn.

Both houses were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Asthabula and Woodburn have been operated as house museums since the mid-1970's and are located on the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor.

If you can't visit on those weekends, Ashtabula is open for tours from 1-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Woodburn is open 1-4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 2-5 p.m. Sunday.