History
Colleton County was originally a land grant bestowed to Sir John Colleton by King Charles II in 1663. With colonization, large plantations developed which cultivated rice and indigo crops. The City of Walterboro was established as the county seat in 1817. The Colleton County Courthouse was built in 1820. Additional wings were added in 1939. Court is still held in the building which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The natural resources here are very much the keystone for recreation. With lush forests, brimming marshes, abundant wildlife, and undeveloped coastline many natives and visitors alike find enjoyment in hunting, fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, and shrimping.
ARTS & CULTURE
Colleton Museum & Farmers Market
506 E. Washington Street in Walterboro, SC
Phone: 843.549.2303
The Colleton County Museum and Farmers Market is a multi-purpose facility that provides retail opportunities for local farmers; a meeting room available for a nominal fee for functions, parties, and local business training; and a dynamic museum celebrating the arts, culture, and history of this Lowcountry community. The facility also includes the Colleton Commercial Kitchen, a South Carolina DHEC approved facility designed for training opportunities to support food business entrepreneurs in the creation of farm-to-table food service business ventures, restaurant start-ups, and commercial food preparation, presentation, and production job opportunities.
South Carolina Artisans Center
318 Wichman Street, Walterboro, SC
Phone: 843.549.0011
The official Folk Art and Craft Center for the state of South Carolina, it is a showcase and market for over 200 of the finest juried South Carolina artisans. Its mission is to interpret, market, preserve and perpetuate the folk art and fine craftsmanship of South Carolina artisans while creating a better understanding of our rich and diverse cultural heritage. The Center features a retail outlet, educational and interpretive exhibits, craft demonstrations, live performances and special events.
Colleton County Rice Festival
Phone: 843.549.1079
This annual spring festival is centered on rice as historically significant in Colleton County. From Colonial times through the Civil War, South Carolina was a leading producer of the country’s total rice production. Today, the Rice Festival includes arts and crafts, fireworks, concessions, displays, rice cooking contest, entertainment, animal shows, dances, parade, 5K run, pageant, and more family activities.
Colleton County Arts Council
318 Wichman Street, Walterboro, SC
Phone: 843.549.1922
The Colleton County Arts Center promotes a cultural, social, economic, and educational climate in Colleton County in which the artistic heritage and creativity of all its people may find a voice through outlets like the Colleton Children’s Theater, pottery workshops, art classes, workshops, and special events.
Recreation
Ace Basin Sports Complex
280 Recreation Lane, Walterboro, SC
Phone: 843.538.3031
Enjoy seasonal youth sports including baseball/softball, football, and basketball as well as ongoing classes in gymnastics, cheerleading, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and general fitness.
Dogwood Hills Golf Course
1 Dogwood Lane, Walterboro, SC
Phone: 843.538.8316
Dogwood Hills is a public nine-hole golf course that also includes a pro shop, restaurant, and meeting space.
Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary
Entrance located on DeTreville Road in Walterboro, SC
The Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary includes boardwalks, walking trails, bicycle paths, a canoe/kayak trail, and observation areas which provide nature-based recreational and education opportunities. The Wildlife Sanctuary consists of hardwood flats defined by a series of streams which braided their way through more than 800 acres. It is abundant with native wildlife populations of song birds, wading birds, ducks, predatory birds, wild turkey, deer, raccoons, beaver, otter, opossum, squirrels, and fox.
Edisto Beach State Park
The 1,255-acre Edisto Beach State Park includes 1.5 miles of beach, a dense maritime forest, and an expansive salt marsh where visitors can explore the wonders of nature. The park offers a day-use area for beach access, a four-mile nature trail that winds through the maritime forest with beautiful vistas overlooking the salt marsh and an Interpretive Center that features interactive displays. For overnight guests, Edisto Beach State Park offers vacation cabins and a campground, all of which are a short walk to the beach.
ACE Basin
The Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto rivers converge in Colleton County creating the ACE Basin - an internationally acclaimed pristine estuary. The ACE Basin features coastal plain communities, barrier islands, marsh lands and estuarine rivers. The undeveloped landscape and the estuarine system of the ACE Basin provide a distinctive habitat for indigenous wildlife, many of which are endangered and threatened species, including the bald eagle, loggerhead sea turtles and osprey. The Natural Estuarine Reserve of the ACE Basin consists of approximately 350,000 acres of wetlands and offers a variety of recreational uses.
