In 1682 Colleton was created as one of the three original proprietary counties, located in the southwestern coastal portion of the new South Carolina Colony, bordering on the Combahee River. In 1706 the county was divided between the new Saint Bartholomew's and Saint Paul's Parishes. In 1734 most of the coastal portion of Saint Paul's Parish was separated to form the new Saint John's Colleton Parish. In 1769 the three parishes were absorbed into the Charleston Judicial District, the southwestern portion of which was referred to as Saint Bartholomew's.
In 1800 the new Colleton District was formed from the western half of the Charleston District. In 1816 it annexed a small portion of northwestern Charleston District.
In 1868, under the revised state constitution, South Carolina districts became counties, with officials elected by the resident voters rather than by state officials as done previously.
In 1897 the northeastern portion of the county was separated to form the new Dorchester County, with its seat at Saint George. In 1911 the portion of the county east of the Edisto River was annexed to Charleston County. In 1919 and again in 1920, tiny portions of northwestern Colleton County were annexed to Bamberg County, thus bringing the county down to its present size.
During the summer of 1784, several owners of large rice plantations in what is now Colleton County, South Carolina, began searching for a location for summer homes. They chose the most ideal spot in the area and named it Hickory Valley. This small summer retreat grew and eventually took the name of two of its original settlers, Paul and Jacob Walters. In 1817, the City of Walterboro became the county seat and was officially incorporated in 1826.
Much of the grace and charm of the lifestyle of these early settlers can still be found in Walterboro. The city abounds with fine examples of their architecture, including three structures which are noted in the National Register of Historic Places. Passing along the quiet, tree-lined streets of Walterboro's residential areas, you almost expect to catch glimpses of her earliest residents relaxing on the broad porches or strolling among the gardens. Ancient, moss-draped live oak trees shade the streets lined with quaint houses and churches.
The families who founded the city were deeply religious and they brought their faith with them. Many of Walterboro's loveliest structures are her churches, some dating back to the 18th century. All major Protestant denominations as well as the Catholic and Jewish faiths are represented in the community. Visitors will also be charmed by a main street almost unchanged since the 1940's.
The planters who lived in Walterboro during the summers established the first library in 1820. This historically significant building is still standing today. The city's current residents share deep-seated respect for the value of education. Walterboro's youth have ample opportunity to increase their level of education. The University of South Carolina Salkehatchie at Walterboro offers 2 year and graduate programs. There are six major colleges within 50 miles offering four-year and graduate degrees.
The climate of the area lacks the oppressive heat and humidity of the seacoast, as evidenced by the colonial planters' use of Walterboro as a summer retreat. Additionally, the southeast has no real winter. This combination provides an ideal environment. The people of Walterboro enjoy outdoor sports and activities for 12 months of the year.
The land around the city is blessed with forests and vast quantities of water, providing some of the best hunting and fishing to be found anywhere. The Walterboro-Colleton Recreation Commission offers a wide variety of activities and athletics for all members of the community. The Colleton County Arts Council promotes cultural, social, economic and educational programs in which the artistic heritage and creativity of all people may find voice.
If the families who founded Walterboro in 1784 were to return today, they would surely feel right at home. Many of them would be able to walk up the steps of their own houses. They would see the same massive, moss draped oaks that line the streets and could measure the growth of the Azaleas and Camellias that they had planted almost two hundred years ago. Seeing the vital, prosperous city that has grown from their small summer village, they would be sure that they had indeed chosen the most ideal place in which to live.
The Ashepoo, Combahee and South Edisto (ACE) Basin represents one of the largest undeveloped estuaries on the east coast of the United States.
The ACE Basin consists of approximately 350,000 acres of diverse habitats including pine and hardwood uplands, forested wetlands, fresh, brackish and salt water tidal marshes, barrier islands and beaches. The basin's unique estuarine system, the largest of its type in the state, provides invaluable habitat for a rich diversity of finfish and shellfish resources.
The basin hosts a wealth of wildlife resources, including such endangered and threatened species as bald eagles, woodstorks, ospreys, loggerhead sea turtles and shortnose sturgeon, and offers a variety of recreational uses.
In the mid-1700s tidal swamps bordering the rivers were cleared and diked for rice culture. After the rice culture declined in the late 1800s, wealthy sportsmen purchased many of the plantations as hunting retreats. The new owners successfully managed the former ricefields and adjacent upland areas for a wide range of wildlife. This tradition
of land stewardship has continued throughout the 20th century. Because of their importance to waterfowl, these former ricefields have been identified for protection under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. The ACE Basin also has been designated as a world class ecosystem under The Nature Conservancyís Last Great Places program.
In 1988, the ACE Basin Project was launched when Ducks Unlimited (DU), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and private landowners formed a coalition known as the ACE Basin Task Force. Westvaco Corporation, the Lowcountry Open Land Trust (LOLT) and Nemours Wildlife Foundation joined the Task Force in 1998. The mission of the ACE Basin Project is to maintain the natural character of the basin by promoting wise resource management on private lands and protecting strategic tracts by conservation agencies. A major goal of the protection efforts is to ensure that traditional uses such as farming, forestry, recreational and commercial fishing and hunting will continue in the area.
