The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-02-26
TILE HIGH HILLS OF sANTEE
Facts About an Interesting Region
Of the State.


Writing Of the High Hills of San
tee," Mr.. Gustavus N. Middle
ton says:
This interesting geological forma..
tion of sand hills are remarkable OBJ
jects Of curiosity, situated not more
than eighty or ninety miles from the
coast. and property belonging to the
low country Of South Carolina; in
fact. they may be regarded as : the
memorial Of work done by the waves
OF long past ages. as at their base
the ocean once rolled. They lie in a
ridge from three to Ave miles wide,
and run In q direction from the SAN
tee river between north nnd north
east. Their greatest altitude Is not
over three hundred feet above the
level OF the river. and afford q fne
prospect Of from twenty to thirty
miles around. Excepting a narrow
strip along the river. the lower part
Of these hills y q bed Of barren sand.
T1,e bcst land on the hills is situated
about ten miles below statebdrs. and
seven above 1t. but the extent Is con-
siderubly diversified in respect of
quality. There are several consider
able streams which issue from the
sides Of the hills. As there is no
stagnant water near, there il absc-
lutte freedom from tho pestiferous
mosquito. and the nights are cool and
pleasant. sprlngs Of very palatable
water abound. md fruits Of various
kinds are raised In perfection: the
tresS which flourish the most COM
monty are tha oak, hickory and pine.
The staples indigenous to the more
fertile portions Of the soil are cotton
Ind corn. Vegetables also thrive in
great variety. The first settlement
was made about the year 1850 by a
colony from the old Dominion. 50
that even before the Revolution this
locality was enc Of the most popu-
ious In the province.
At this early period wealthy citi-
sens OF Georgetown established their
summer residences among these ia
nous hills. Hither In the old days
rss"rted' many people tn r.cupcrate
thsir hsalth. a. the salubrity Of this
region 'xas jnstly celebrated and as
the mountains were aimu.t unknown
and practically Inaccessible. Among
the many distinguished patriots Of
this era who sought this place IN
search cf hualth was the Rev. VIII
liam Tennant the companion OF VIII
liam Henry Drayton (and member
of the Provincial Consress) on his
mission OF reconciliation to the wav-
ering clements Of the middle and up-
country. The present village OF
statesburs was settled about the
year Of the incorporation Of Charles
ton n;s3) by .. company Of which
Con. Sumter was the. most influential
momber. The cuiti1 slon and refine
msnt of this settlemdkt are proverbiai
and need not be touched upon here.
There were originally two BAPTIST
churches apd one Episcopal church
In the neighborhood. The Baptist
church was formed about the year
1770. I'r. Furn,an was tn, nrxt min
.istst and continued hero from l774 to
17s7. The original settlers from, vir.
sinia were generally Dpiscopilians.
II may l~ stated that century ago
the Santee canal connecting the
Cooper and santes rivers. was In ac-
tive operation. A an interesting fact
IL may be further stated tht this can.
al was one Of the nrst. II not the very
hrst in The whole country. There
seems now TO b tendency to re
turn to nature In the WY Of utilizing
Inland water tfansportation. a. Wit
ness the Widespread interest in deep
ening channels everywhere and re-
moving obstacles to the navigation Of
creeks and rivers Iong since abandon.
% In favor 6f the quicker methods
afforded BY the numerous railroads.
20 that II 10 quite possible that this
canal may be rejuvenatcd at no
diftant day. In these times Of rapid
transit to and from the mountains.
II II hard to realise the difference OF
locomotion between then and now.
when this region was the Mecca Of
the invalid from the heat and malaria
Of the lowlands. The benign hills Of
santee. Is they were fondlly desig.
mated by GEM Hcnry Lee in the Rev
olution. appear to have we'll descrved
this application for this was the ia
vorite camping CROWD Of Ge. Greene