Dorchester County Chapter

Dorchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The 2010 census recorded its population to be 136,555. Its county seat is St. George. Dorchester County was named for Dorchester, Massachusetts. In 1696 Congregationalists from that town moved south and established a new settlement called Dorchester. Although the town of Dorchester had been abandoned by 1788, the parish in which it was located continued to be referred to as St. George Dorchester. This name was subsequently adopted for the county when it was formed from parts of Colleton and Berkeley counties in 1897. The county seat is the town of St. George, which also took its name from the old parish. The town of Summerville was settled in the late eighteenth century as a summer resort for planters who wished to escape the malaria prevalent on their rice plantations; the town later became a winter resort as well. Middleton Place Gardens, the remains of an old rice plantation, are the oldest landscaped gardens in the country, having been laid out in 1741. Middleton Place was the home of Henry Middleton (1717- 1784), president of the Continental Congress, his son Arthur Middleton (1742-1787), a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and his grandson Henry Middleton (1770-1846), a governor, United States Congressman, and ambassador to Russia. The home of Joseph Koger Jr., (Ca 1790s), is the oldest residence remaining in Upper Dorchester County. Joseph Koger, Jr. served in the SC House (1806-1812), first sheriff of Colleton County (1813-1817) and served in the SC Senate (1818-1838). Restoration of the house was completed in October 2009 by the Upper Dorchester County Historical Society.

(Old Dorchester State Park; Fort Dorchester) Old Dorchester consists today of the ruins of the church tower, which was built about 1750 and the tabby fort constructed in July 1775. House sites and other structures remain as ruins. Originally the town was the third largest in South Carolina. It consisted of a bridge, two wharves, “a boat building place,” a church and about forty houses. The town of Dorchester was established in 1695 by New Englanders of Massachusetts Bay. St. George’s, an Anglican Parish, was erected 1717. A brick church begun in August 1719 was enlarged in the 1730s. The tower was built before 1753 and in 1766 had four bells. Burned by the British in the American Revolution, the church was partially repaired and used afterwards, but as the congregation moved away it fell into decay. Fort Dorchester began as a brick powder magazine enclosed by a tabby wall in 1757. During the American Revolution, Dorchester was a strategic point. In 1775, the magazine was fortified and the garrison commanded by Capt. Francis Marion. British troops occupied the town in April 1780. They were driven out by cavalry and infantry under Col. Wade Hampton and Gen. Nathanael Greene on December 1, 1781. The town gradually declined after the Revolution. It was abandoned by 1788. Listed in the National Register December 2, 1969.

Dorchester School District Four is home to 6 thriving schools with a population of approximately 2500 students, situated among the oaks with a flair of rich Lowcountry cuisine, hospitality and family oriented lifestyles. Conveniently located off Interstate 95 with easy access to Interstate 26, we are easily connected for your travel needs. Minutes away from historic Charleston, SC, scenic beaches of Hilton Head Island and Myrtle Beach – all great vacation and weekend getaway locations! To the west of Dorchester County is Orangeburg and Columbia. Dorchester District Four is rich in cultural diversity, technology, innovative programs and opportunities for advancement. Several state and private colleges and universities are within an hour’s drive. Enjoy the educational benefits without living in the hustle and bustle of the city.