Friday, January 21, 2011

Colonial Dorchester State Park

The bottom of a bell tower, and the oyster shell concrete (tabby) walls of a fort are all that remain of an formally laid out Anglican town.  The founders of Colonial Dorchester set out from Dorchester, in the Massachusetts colony to bring the gospel to Carolina in 1695.  The Puritan founders laid out one hundred and sixteen quarter acre lots on a grid near the banks of the Ashley River and named the new settlement after the town of Dorchester England.  Today, though no structures remain individual lots are marked and a visitors can view an onsite  diorama to get an idea of how the town may have appeared.  The Parish of St. George bought lot 99 in the center of town and built a church,  the bell tower that still remains was added to the church in 1751.   I am impressed by the structure that survived a revolution, a civil war, a major earth quake, hurricanes and still stand after 260 years.  

I like the park’s relaxing setting, the ruins and walking the tree lined lane that leads to the river. The park is dog friendly.

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