Hell Hole Swamp
Encyclopedia
Hell Hole Swamp is a swamp
in northeastern Berkeley County, South Carolina
famous for its unique name. It is located entirely within the Francis Marion National Forest
and contains 2125 acres (9 km²), all of which is designated as a wilderness area
.
from Colonel Banastre Tarleton
because the British had great difficulty finding the elusive General Francis Marion
. Another explanation is that it was named for being a repository for bootleggers during the Prohibition. Both theories are proved false because they are predated by the 1773 James Cook Map of South Carolina which locates the Hell Hole Swamp.
, on the northern edge of the swamp. It is a typical Southern festival complete with a tobacco spitting contest, arm wrestling, beauty contests and much more. One unique event of the festival is the Hell Hole Gator Trot 10k, colloquially called the Redneck Run. It began in 1976 and is the oldest road race in South Carolina.
boasted of their membership in the illustrious Hell Hole Swamp Gang. They were 1st congressional district
Representative
L. Mendel Rivers
, Governor of South Carolina
Robert Evander McNair
, state Senator
Rembert Dennis, and Columbia
mayor Lester Bates. Rivers was especially proud of the uniqueness of being born in this remote area and would tell reporters that he was "from Gumville
. It's near Hell Hole Swamp. If you don't know where it is, look it up."
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
in northeastern Berkeley County, South Carolina
Berkeley County, South Carolina
Berkeley County is a county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 142,651. The 2005 Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 151,673. Its county seat is Moncks Corner....
famous for its unique name. It is located entirely within the Francis Marion National Forest
Francis Marion National Forest
The Francis Marion National Forest is located north of Charleston, South Carolina. It is named for revolutionary war hero Francis Marion, who was known to the British as the Swamp Fox. It lies entirely within the Middle Atlantic coastal forests ecoregion....
and contains 2125 acres (9 km²), all of which is designated as a wilderness area
National Wilderness Preservation System
The National Wilderness Preservation System of the United States protects federally managed land areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. It was established by the Wilderness Act upon the signature of President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3, 1964...
.
Origin
The origin of the name Hell Hole Swamp is unknown, although there are a couple of theories. One account says that the swamp got its name during the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
from Colonel Banastre Tarleton
Banastre Tarleton
General Sir Banastre Tarleton, 1st Baronet, GCB was a British soldier and politician.He is today probably best remembered for his military service during the American War of Independence. He became the focal point of a propaganda campaign claiming that he had fired upon surrendering Continental...
because the British had great difficulty finding the elusive General Francis Marion
Francis Marion
Francis Marion was a military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. Acting with Continental Army and South Carolina militia commissions, he was a persistent adversary of the British in their occupation of South Carolina in 1780 and 1781, even after the Continental Army was driven...
. Another explanation is that it was named for being a repository for bootleggers during the Prohibition. Both theories are proved false because they are predated by the 1773 James Cook Map of South Carolina which locates the Hell Hole Swamp.
Hell Hole Swamp Festival
The Hell Hole Swamp Festival takes place during the first weekend in May at JamestownJamestown, South Carolina
Jamestown is a town in Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 97 at the 2000 census.As defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and used by the U.S...
, on the northern edge of the swamp. It is a typical Southern festival complete with a tobacco spitting contest, arm wrestling, beauty contests and much more. One unique event of the festival is the Hell Hole Gator Trot 10k, colloquially called the Redneck Run. It began in 1976 and is the oldest road race in South Carolina.
Hell Hole Swamp Gang
A group of native sons of Berkeley CountyBerkeley County, South Carolina
Berkeley County is a county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 142,651. The 2005 Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 151,673. Its county seat is Moncks Corner....
boasted of their membership in the illustrious Hell Hole Swamp Gang. They were 1st congressional district
South Carolina's 1st congressional district
The 1st Congressional District of South Carolina is a coastal congressional district in South Carolina. It stretches from Seabrook Island in the south to the North Carolina border and includes parts of Charleston, Dorchester, Berkeley and Georgetown counties and all of Horry county...
Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
L. Mendel Rivers
L. Mendel Rivers
Lucius Mendel Rivers was a Democratic U.S. Representative from South Carolina, representing the Charleston based 1st congressional district for nearly thirty years...
, Governor of South Carolina
Governor of South Carolina
The Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...
Robert Evander McNair
Robert Evander McNair
Robert Evander McNair, Sr. , was the 108th governor of South Carolina, having served from 1965 to 1971.-Biography:...
, state Senator
South Carolina Senate
The South Carolina Senate is the upper house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the lower house being the South Carolina House of Representatives...
Rembert Dennis, and Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
mayor Lester Bates. Rivers was especially proud of the uniqueness of being born in this remote area and would tell reporters that he was "from Gumville
Gumville, South Carolina
Gumville is an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States. It is located approximately 2 miles west of Jamestown on US 17A. Gumville was made famous as the birthplace of L. Mendel Rivers, the longtime Representative of the 1st congressional district. When queried...
. It's near Hell Hole Swamp. If you don't know where it is, look it up."