North Inlet-Winyah Bay Reserve, South Carolina

North Inlet-Winyah Bay Reserve, South Carolina

Cultural History

There is some evidence that Spanish explorers visited the area in the early 1500's. By the 17th century, English influence had spread from Virginia, and in 1718, the King of England granted the Hobcaw Barony to Lord Carteret. This area become well-known for rice culture and the general region of Georgetown County was one of the richest areas in the colonies. On the Barony are located remnants of a civil war fort, a rice mill, three slave villages and cemetaries. Artifacts of early Indian settlements are found throughout the area.

The King's highway, which was the coastal road from Wilmington, N.C. to Charleston, S.C., crosses the property. George Washington used this road in 1791. In more recent time, Mr. Bernard Baruch, a famous financier and advisor to presidents, purchased land in 1905 and 1907 which comprises the 17,500 acre tract known as Hobcaw Barony. During Mr. Baruch's ownership, many famous world leaders visited the Barony, including President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. The property was later acquired by Mr. Baruch's daughter, Belle W. Baruch, who treasured the natural resources of Hobcaw.

Belle W. Baruch died in 1964 and specified in her will that the property be used "... for the purposes of teaching and/or research in forestry, marine biology and the care and propagation of flora and fauna in South Carolina..." The Belle W. Baruch Foundation was established to carry out Miss Baruch's wishes. Both Clemson University and the University of South Carolina have research and education programs at the site that are contributing to a better understanding of coastal forests, marshes and estuaries.