The
South Carolina Lowcountry (also spelled
Low Country or just
lowcountry) is a term used to describe
South CarolinaSouth Carolina is a U.S. state that borders Georgia to the south and North Carolina to the north. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence from the British Crown during the American Revolution. The colony was...
's coastal counties, generally south of and including,
CharlestonCharleston is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the largest city and county seat of Charleston County. The city was founded as Charlestown or Charles Towne, Carolina in 1670, and moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of...
. The region includes the South Carolina
Sea IslandsThe Sea Islands are a chain of tidal and barrier islands on the Atlantic Ocean coast of the United States. They number over 100, and are located between the mouths of the Santee and St. Johns Rivers along the coast of the U.S. states of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida...
. The commonly accepted counties of the Lowcountry are
CharlestonCharleston County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. According to a 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, its population was 330,368. Its county seat is Charleston...
,
BerkeleyBerkeley 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....
,
DorchesterDorchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The 2000 census recorded its population to be 96,413. In 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that its population had reached 112,858. Its county seat is St...
,
ColletonColleton County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 38,264 . Its county seat is Walterboro...
,
BeaufortBeaufort County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 120,937; in 2005 the population was estimated to have reached 137,849. Its county seat is Beaufort....
,
JasperJasper County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 20,678 . Its county seat is Ridgeland. Jasper County is included within the Hilton Head Island–Beaufort Micropolitan Statistical Area, though over 80% of the county population is classified as...
,
HamptonHampton County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The 2000 census recorded its population to be 21,386, with nearly 65% of this classified as rural. Its county seat is Hampton. The county includes two small urban clusters: Hampton and Estill . The name originates from Civil...
, and
AllendaleAllendale County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The 2000 census recorded its population to be 11,211; a 2005 estimate placed the population at 10,917. Its county seat is Allendale.- History :...
counties.
Applied more broadly, the term can also refer to all areas in the state below the
fall lineIn geomorphology, a fall line marks the area where an upland region and a coastal plain meet. Technically, a fall line is an unconformity. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls...
, including
GeorgetownGeorgetown County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 55,797; in 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that its population had reached 60,983. Its county seat is Georgetown.-Geography:According to the U.S...
,
WilliamsburgWilliamsburg County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The 2000 census recorded its population to be 37,217. The 2005 census estimate placed the population at 35,395. Its county seat is Kingstree.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, and
HorryHorry County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. This name honored Revolutionary War Hero, Peter Horry. Brigadier General Horry was born in South Carolina sometime around 1743 and started his distinguished military career in 1775 as one of 20 captains the Provincial Congress...
counties.
The Lowcountry's largest economic center is
CharlestonCharleston is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the largest city and county seat of Charleston County. The city was founded as Charlestown or Charles Towne, Carolina in 1670, and moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of...
.
Other significant centers in the region include
BeaufortBeaufort is a city and county seat in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. The city's population was 12,950 in the 2000 census...
,
HamptonHampton is a town in Hampton County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,837 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hampton County.-Geography:Hampton is located at ....
,
Hilton Head IslandHilton Head Island or Hilton Head is a town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. It is 20 miles north of Savannah, Georgia, and 95 miles south of Charleston. The island features 12 miles of beachfront on the Atlantic Ocean and is a popular vacation destination...
, and
WalterboroWalterboro is a city in Colleton County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 5,153 at the 2000 census...
.
The
South Carolina Lowcountry (also spelled
Low Country or just
lowcountry) is a term used to describe
South CarolinaSouth Carolina is a U.S. state that borders Georgia to the south and North Carolina to the north. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence from the British Crown during the American Revolution. The colony was...
's coastal counties, generally south of and including,
CharlestonCharleston is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the largest city and county seat of Charleston County. The city was founded as Charlestown or Charles Towne, Carolina in 1670, and moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of...
. The region includes the South Carolina
Sea IslandsThe Sea Islands are a chain of tidal and barrier islands on the Atlantic Ocean coast of the United States. They number over 100, and are located between the mouths of the Santee and St. Johns Rivers along the coast of the U.S. states of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida...
. The commonly accepted counties of the Lowcountry are
CharlestonCharleston County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. According to a 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, its population was 330,368. Its county seat is Charleston...
,
BerkeleyBerkeley 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....
,
DorchesterDorchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The 2000 census recorded its population to be 96,413. In 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that its population had reached 112,858. Its county seat is St...
,
ColletonColleton County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 38,264 . Its county seat is Walterboro...
,
BeaufortBeaufort County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 120,937; in 2005 the population was estimated to have reached 137,849. Its county seat is Beaufort....
,
JasperJasper County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 20,678 . Its county seat is Ridgeland. Jasper County is included within the Hilton Head Island–Beaufort Micropolitan Statistical Area, though over 80% of the county population is classified as...
,
HamptonHampton County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The 2000 census recorded its population to be 21,386, with nearly 65% of this classified as rural. Its county seat is Hampton. The county includes two small urban clusters: Hampton and Estill . The name originates from Civil...
, and
AllendaleAllendale County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The 2000 census recorded its population to be 11,211; a 2005 estimate placed the population at 10,917. Its county seat is Allendale.- History :...
counties.
Applied more broadly, the term can also refer to all areas in the state below the
fall lineIn geomorphology, a fall line marks the area where an upland region and a coastal plain meet. Technically, a fall line is an unconformity. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls...
, including
GeorgetownGeorgetown County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 55,797; in 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that its population had reached 60,983. Its county seat is Georgetown.-Geography:According to the U.S...
,
WilliamsburgWilliamsburg County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The 2000 census recorded its population to be 37,217. The 2005 census estimate placed the population at 35,395. Its county seat is Kingstree.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, and
HorryHorry County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. This name honored Revolutionary War Hero, Peter Horry. Brigadier General Horry was born in South Carolina sometime around 1743 and started his distinguished military career in 1775 as one of 20 captains the Provincial Congress...
counties.
The Lowcountry's largest economic center is
CharlestonCharleston is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the largest city and county seat of Charleston County. The city was founded as Charlestown or Charles Towne, Carolina in 1670, and moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of...
.
Other significant centers in the region include
BeaufortBeaufort is a city and county seat in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. The city's population was 12,950 in the 2000 census...
,
HamptonHampton is a town in Hampton County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,837 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hampton County.-Geography:Hampton is located at ....
,
Hilton Head IslandHilton Head Island or Hilton Head is a town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. It is 20 miles north of Savannah, Georgia, and 95 miles south of Charleston. The island features 12 miles of beachfront on the Atlantic Ocean and is a popular vacation destination...
, and
WalterboroWalterboro is a city in Colleton County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 5,153 at the 2000 census...
.
BlufftonBluffton is a town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,275 at the 2000 census and center of the Bluffton Urban Cluster with a total population of 5,848. However, this separated urban area currently defined as Bluffton is quickly becoming contiguous to that of...
and
HardeevilleHardeeville is a small, though rapidly growing city located mostly in Jasper County, South Carolina, United States. A small portion of the city limits extends also into Beaufort County. The population was 1,793 at the 2000 census but has since grown to 2,763 as of 2008 Census estimates...
are two fast-growing communities that will contribute more economically in the future.
The region contains its share of culture and history. Notable is the
GullahThe Gullah are African Americans who live in the Low Country region of South Carolina and Georgia, which includes both the coastal plain and the Sea Islands...
influence on
St. Helena IslandSt. Helena Island is one of the South Carolina Sea Islands in Beaufort County, South Carolina that are historic sites of early European colonization of North America. St. Helena is also the center of African-American Gullah culture and language...
, and the early European Settlements near Beaufort.
See also
- Lowcountry cuisine
Lowcountry cuisine is the cooking traditionally associated with the South Carolina Low Country and Georgia coast. While it shares features with Southern cooking, its geography, economics, demographics, and culture pushed its culinary identity in a different direction from regions above the fall line...
- Charleston-North Charleston metropolitan area
The Charleston–North Charleston–Summerville Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina, anchored by the cities of Charleston, North Charleston, and Summerville...