Hardeeville ~ Hilton Head Island ~ Beaufort ~ "Low-Country"
South Carolina Community Information

Welcome to the beautiful South Carolina Low-country, where living is easy!! 

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All types of wetland waterfowl call the area home along the Savannah River. Jasper County's many fresh water lakes, streams, brackish and salt water rivers make ideal fishing territories. Hunters come from all over the south each year for the excellent deer, quail and boar hunting.

The nearby famous resort of Hilton Head offers world-class golf courses, with over 20 public or semi-private championship courses and several are frequented by renowned master players. The MCI Classic is played here and private lessons and clinics are available at many clubs. Tennis is also a big attraction with about 300 courts, more than any other resort of its size in America. The island hosts the Family Circle Magazine Cup annually. The mild temperatures, averaging 50s in the winter and 80s in the summer , encourage outdoor play most of the year. Winters are brief and you see shorts and tee shirt days.

Beachcombing is a favorite past time of residents and visitors alike. Hilton Head Island has a wonderful, world class beach to provide all your sun pleasures. Dolphin tours are available as is kayaking, water skiing and sailing.

World famous Harbor Town offers a captivating choice of shops, fine restaurants, atmosphere and scenic beauty that is unequaled.

Bountiful, fresh seafood and the best in traditional Southern cooking share our regional menu with an endless variety of good food. Freshly caught shrimp and harvested oysters are cooked in as many ways as you can imagine (yes, just like in the movie "Forrest Gump".)

Jasper County is etched with important moments in history, which archeological digs date back to the Native American Indians. You may visit the tomb of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, view pre-Civil War churches and the Honey Hill battle site, which was one of the last battles the south could claim in the closing days of the war.

One of South Carolina's finest sons, Thomas Heyward, Jr. was most famous as a signer of the Declaration of Independence. A half-mile long lane of live oaks leads to the family cemetery where a bust of Heyward stands today.

In 1731, the King of England granted land on the Savannah River to Swiss colonizer Jean Pierre Purry. Hundreds of German and French speaking Swiss colonists arrived with the dream of establishing a silk trade in the new colony. Malaria and other diseases proved fatal to them and the settlement died a slow death. Today, a cross-shaped monument of stone on the banks of the Savannah River marks the site of Purrysburg.

"Old Number 7" was once a workhorse of the Argent Lumber Company located in Hardeeville. The steam engine is a 1910 model Porter that had a top speed of 35 mph empty or 15 mph full, which was ideal for short hauling trips from the forested areas to the lumber mill. The restored and preserved engine now is located at the City of Hardeeville's City Hall complex and is a favorite attraction.

The Hardeeville Methodist Church as dedicated for worship in 1860. Then the nation was in Civil War and the building was put to use as a hospital. The church and a few homes were all that survived General Sherman's blazing trip through Hardeeville on his famous march. The frame church building originally had a large gallery to be used by the local slaves. There is a story told that the last boatload of slaves to disembark in the Lowcountry landed near Hardeeville. When the grounded vessel was dismantled four years later, the bell was installed in the tower of the Hardeeville Methodist Church, where it remains.

The Savannah Wildlife Refuge is located in lower Jasper County, eight miles south of Hardeeville. It is one of the oldest members of the National Wildlife Refuge System, established in 1927. Existence of the rice levee, old mill sites and foundations of slave quarters evidence the 1800s rice industry. The wildlife consists of 13,136 acres along the Savannah River. A free four-mile driving tour allows you to view many species of ducks, marsh and waterfowl, whitetail deer and alligators.

Every year thousands of citizens and visitors enjoy the annual Celebrate Hardeeville Festival held the second Saturday in November. The streets around the City Hall complex are blocked off to traffic and horse and buggies provide transportation to the festival site. A kiddy fair is provided for children to safely be amused while the parents visit numerous and various exhibits and hand-made arts and crafts. Gourmet and festival foods are in abundance as well as continuous entertainment. The grand finale is a street dance followed by a tremendous fireworks display. Admission to the festival is free.

Many believe the greatest potential for growth in Jasper County will be the new University of South Carolina - New River campus. This project is expected to become a $13 million investment on an 80 acre campus, with a projected 15-year enrollment second only to the main campus in Columbia.

A progressive business climate is responsible for our exponential growth. County and City officials are eager to assist new business and industry wanting to locate here. Jasper County is ideally located between the historic port cities of Charleston and Savannah, with seven convenient interchanges on Interstate 95.

So, come and enjoy an active region of intense business and commerce, balanced against an appreciation of our history. Thousands of tourists who visit our area choose to relocate to enjoy the pleasant surroundings of the South Carolina Low country. Jasper County is indeed "on the move" into the future while enjoying the present.

Jasper County - indeed a land of diversity, opportunity and challenge.