City Directories and History: Both the North and South Historic Districts are displayed here. Click on the highlighted sections of the name to read the nominating forms and more data on the individual contributing properties.
Pinopolis Historic District North, which consists of four contributing and three non-contributing properties, includes four of the nineteenth century retreats that helped to engender Pinopolis. The vernacular houses are uniformly of frame construction and abstain from the stylistic pretensions of the permanent planters’ seats of the period in accord with their status as houses of retreat. Beginning in the late eighteenth century lowcountry planters sought respite near their plantations, in resorts like Pinopolis, from the fevers associated with the lowlands in the summer. With the decline of the planter classes after the war, many resort villages turned to commercial ventures for their livelihood, however this was not the case in Pinopolis. Preferring to preserve the quiet community atmosphere of their resort village, the residents of Pinopolis blocked several proposals that would have attracted development. This decision helped Pinopolis retain its integrity as a pineland village. The buildings in the district date from ca.1834 to ca.1883 and retain in large
measure their original forms and features. The district’s landscape is unified by the absence of contemporary buildings, heavy foliage, the absence of paved roads, and the cohesiveness of the four residences which are weatherboarded with large porches. The district’s properties also include some outbuildings. Listed in the National Register August 19, 1982.
Pinopolis Historic District South, which contains thirteen properties, consists of the historic core of the planters retreat community of Pinopolis. The district contains numerous early to middle nineteenth century summer houses, the Gothic Revival influenced Pinopolis Methodist Church (ca.1900), and other later nineteenth century buildings. The buildings of the Pinopolis Historic District South are representative of the development of vernacular building forms and construction technology of the nineteenth century. The absence of stylistic pretensions in most of the buildings is typical of pineland village architecture. Beginning in the late eighteenth century lowcountry planters sought respite near their plantations, in resorts like Pinopolis, from the fevers associated with the lowlands in the summer. With the decline of the planter classes after the war, many resort villages turned to commercial ventures for their livelihood, however this was not the case in Pinopolis. Preferring to preserve the quiet community atmosphere of their village, the residents of Pinopolis blocked several proposals that would have attracted development. This decision helped Pinopolis retain its integrity as a pineland village. The district’s properties also include some outbuildings. Listed in the National Register August 19, 1982.
Pinopolis started out as a pineland summer village for the plantations in the area. In 1826 or thereabouts, three houses had moved here from the original site of Raccoon Hall (see Pooshee in previous article). The name means Pine village (the “-e” of “pine” was dropped for sake of spelling, “-opolis” is from the Greek meaning village or town.) The name started as a joke by F. A. Porcher, but caught on and was accepted. Around the turn of the century, the Pinopolis Academy, a private school, was built here and lasted until the 1930’s. The newer part, or front, was moved to Moncks Corner and became the Berkeley County Public Library. The older part has since been remodeled into a home. An Episcopal church and a Methodist church were built here, probably before the Civil War, and are still in existence today. A Post Office was established here about the same time as the academy and continues on in the original building. Of the old village houses, only about nine now remain. New houses are being built and recently subdivisions have come to Pinopolis. Pinopolis is located about three miles northwest of Moncks Corner, on a peninsula sticking out into Lake Moultrie.
This little village was established by plantation owners seeking relief from mosquitos and “swamp fevers” arising from the rivers and inland bays. Situated in a growth of stately pines, it is four miles north west from old Moncks Corner, which at that time was convenient to numerous outlying plantations. It was thought the aroma of turpentine evaporating from the pines would be a deterrent to the mosquitos. Many of these magnificent pines are still to be seen here. Due to a statement by Prof. Frederick Porcher in his historical notes, the first buildings in the village date 1830-1832. He tells that in 1844, he and Dr. Morton Waring were strolling through the village, first called “Pineland Village” and were discussing a name. He said, “Of the original houses, built about ten years earlier, only that of Dr. Waring’s remained!” This would date the settlement prior to 1832, or probably a little earlier. In that era, a gentleman’s education was not considered complete unless the study of Greek was included. Since these gentlemen, both, were scholars of a high degree, they decided to combine the name “Pine” with the Greek work “polis”, meaning a small village or town and they named it Pinopolis. Pronounced Pine-op’-o-lis.
(Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC)
“Cain, Hon. William of “Somerset” plantation and Pinopolis. Born Oct. 31, 1792 (S.C.); married Anna Maria DuBose (1794-June 8, 1827) and Jan. 6, 1829, Ann Palmer (Aug. 10, 1804-Aug. 31, 1855); died
Aug. 20, 1878. Education: College of S.C., A.B., 1812. Church: Episcopalian (doubtless, Vestryman, Trinity, Black Oak) . Public Service: Justice of the Peace; Justice of the Quorum; Magistrate; State Representative; State Senator; Lieut. Gov.; Commissioner of Free Schools; Delegate to Secession Convention, 1860. Other: Trustee, S.C. College; member, S.C. Historical Society. Slaves: 167 (St. John’s, Berkeley, Parish, Charleston District).”
The Last Foray, C. Gaston Davidson, SC Press – 1971
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Also: Somerset Plantation was located just beyond the tip or northern end of what is now the Pinopolis Peninsula. In 1682 William Screven brought a group of Baptists over from England and they settled here at Somerset which the Rev. Screven named after his ancestral home in England. The settlement did not last long, for by 1697 most of these men had moved to Charleston where they founded the First Baptist Church. It is said that before the waters of Lake Moultrie covered this plantation that the various fields were still called by the names of these early settlers.
(Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC)
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IMAGE GALLERY – Courtesy of the Library of Congress, T.T. Waterman, Photographer – 1939
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