Wadmalaw Island - Charleston SC Real Estate - Page 16

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Wadmalaw Island is considered the most unspoiled of Charleston’s islands. While many Lowcountry islands such as Kiawah and Seabrook are “barrier islands” which are directly exposed to the ocean and fronted by sandy beaches, such is not the case with Wadmalaw Island or its close neighbor, John’s Island. Shielded from the Atlantic by their neighbors to the east and south, Wadmalaw and John’s Islands have remained stable through much of recorded history.

Bordered by the Bohicket River to the east and the North Edisto River to the west, Wadmalaw remains intensely rural, with farming the traditional occupation of many of its residents, both past and present. While fishing, crabbing and shrimping serve as pleasurable pastimes in many local communities, it is still a primary means of earning a living for a number of Wadmalaw's residents.

Along the island's southern tip lies Rockville, the charming picturesque hamlet that was featured in scenes from "Queen," a movie by Alex Haley. There are no stores or restaurants to speak of outside of Rockville, and hundreds of acres of the island’s woods and wetlands are protected from development. However, in recent years, some of the waterfront areas have become sparsely populated with magnificent upscale homes, many on estate-sized lots.

Each year, Wadmalaw hosts a Gullah festival of regional import, encompassing exhibits and demonstrations of traditional African-American arts and crafts like basket weaving.

Another point of interest is the Charleston Tea Plantation. The only tea plantation in America, it is home to plants descended from those that have been grown for more than 100 years in the Lowcountry. The plantation’s unusual heritage began in 1799 when a French botanist brought the first tea plants to Charleston, which were also the first in America. Wadmalaw provides the ideal conditions for tea growing – hot humid summers and sandy soils for good drainage. Recently purchased and renovated by Bigelow Tea, the Charleston Tae Plantation is open for tours.

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