A South Carolina Summer ~ Colonial Dorchester

Sunday, July 26

South Carolina is a state rich in history; history dating prior to the Revolutionary War. Today, we decided to visit Colonial Dorchester and get a glimpse into the pre-Revolutionary War life in South Carolina. Colonial Dorchester was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969.

Colonial Dorchester sits along the Ashley River, near the town
 of Summerville, 15 miles upriver from Charleston.

notice Fort Watson? Fort Watson is located within the
boundaries of the Santee National Wildlife Refuge (where
we are staying)

From 1697 to the beginning of the Revolutionary War,
the trading town of Dorchester flourished along
the Ashley River, inland from colonial Charleston.

Until 1697, colonial South Carolina's only gunpowder
 storehouse or "powder magazine" was in Charleston.
That year, fearing a French attack on the city, the legislator
authorized construction of another magazine at a secure,
inland location. Dorchester was selected in part
because the Ashley River offered easy transportation
 to and from Charleston.

remnants of the magazine

another view

To protect the magazine, thick walls of tabby
 (concrete made of oyster shells) were built around it.
This fortification, or fort, was built in 1757 and
overlooks the Ashley River.

what the wall once looked like as it surrounded the
magazine. this is considered the best-preserved tabby
fortification in America

To make tabby, oyster shells were burned to produce lime,
which was combined with sand, water and more shells.
This mixture was then scooped into wooden boxes or "tabby"
 boxes. When that tabby hardened, the box forms were
 removed and reassembled atop the initial layer.
This process continued until the walls
reached the desired height.

scooping the mixture into tabby boxes

close-up of tabby. tabby (concrete made of oyster shells) was
a popular building material in the 1700s

Ron within the walls of the fortification

Coop enjoying a walk along the fortification

Ashley River (view from back of fortification)

location of Walter Izard's home. Izard was a wealthy landowner

archaeologists have located the corner lot markers of
the quarter-acre lots that comprised the town of Dorchester.
this is one of those markers

St. Georges Anglican Church. the church was built in 1719,
the bell tower was added in 1751

another view; part of the Hutchinson plot

St. Georges cemetery. the cemetery sits to the
back of the church

Hutchinson Plot; located within St. Georges cemetery. though the town
had been abandoned, this plot remained in use through the mid-1800s

This large open field was designated the "Market Place". Twice
a week cattle, horses, grains as well as other provisions
were sold in this space. This area was also the site of slave
auctions. The area also served as a military parade ground.

Market Place

archaeological excavating at the Market Place; 

At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, Dorchester was a fortified post for the Americans. Its garrison was briefly commanded by Frances Marion aka the Swamp Fox. The town was abandoned in 1775 at the start of the Revolutionary War.

Archeology is on-going at Colonial Dorchester.

Til next time, Ron, Dawn & Cooper