Crossing the Dawhoo -- The Dawhoo Bridge

Since colonial times a private ferry operated at the narrows of Dawhoo River. It was not heavily used since there were two alternate elevated causeways. These causeways were barely elevated above the tidal marsh. They would flood at high tide and were rough, dangerous and frequently washed out in minor storms.

November 7 1861 the Union forces captured Port Royal. As a result the Confederate forces ordered that Edisto Island be evacuated of its inhabitants and all resources of possible use to the Union army be destroyed. This order came on November 9 and several steamers were sent to render assistance at the ferry landing at Dawhoo Creek. In addition, barges were detached to the Dawhoo ferry site to permit about 2000 island cattle to be crossed and taken to Adams Run to feed the confederate encampment there.

During the next year shallow draft steamers and flat boats were used to patrol the Dawhoo in the prosecution of the war effort.

Once again in 1893 the Dawhoo ferry and other steamers were used to aid the evacuation of the island prior to the hurricane that destroyed the beach village of Edingsville. The steamer and ferry effort was insufficient to the task before the storm.

Lessons learned from the storm motivated about 30 planters in 1898 to petition for a bridge to be built to cross the Dawhoo at Pinebury. Twenty years later in 1918 a one lane bridge was authorized and completed in 1920 at the old ferry location. This bridge was an all-wood construction swing span bridge with the exception of the steel draw purchased second hand from a Georgia railroad application.

The draw was a hand crank operation requiring the operator to walk in a large circle pushing through reduction gearing in order to turn the bridge. The bridge itself had no brake mechanism and would require a great effort to position it against a strong wind.

The bridge operator would keep a close ear and sharp eye to the river traffic. Whenever a boat would approach and sound three blasts of the horn the operator would open the bridge to allow the boat to pass. He would then record the time of passage, boat name, homeport and type of vessel along with any towed vessels. Typically the boatman would give a big wave, as he would pass by. This record was kept to enable the last known location to be established should the vessel go missing.

The bridge has been condemned several times for heavy traffic. It was built in 1918 to connect Edisto Island to the mainland and is the only bridge access to the island. It was constructed completely out of wood with only the draw portion being of steel. The draw had previously seen service as a railroad bridge draw. The draw would provide a clearance of 60 feet. Since it was not constructed with federal road money the government was struggling for a reason to supply repair funds since the state of SC had failed to include it in a post war aid package for state highways.Lions Club Members asked Sen. Burnet R. Maybank (D SC) to investigate. He replied with letters to the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads.

Dec 29 1951 The Charleston News and Courier headline read, “Edisto Islanders May have to wait on the Dawhoo Bridge”. Islanders may have to “Rock” along on the old wooden bridge across the Dawhoo River for a while longer.

Subsequently a second bridge was completed in 1954 re-using the old railroad draw but now electrified with a 220 Volt motor. To the consternation of a few of the islanders the bridge would often get stuck in the open position and cause travel delays.

In 1993 for the cost of 16.5 million dollars a new bridge was constructed across the Dawhoo giving a clearance of 80 feet to inland waterway traffic. It was named in honor of Rev. McKinley Washington Jr., a local state senator and civil rights leader who was instrumental in obtaining monies for the new bridge.

Credit to :  http://www.calgriffin.com/Edisto_Big_Bridge/page_2340968.html

McConkey's Island

Edisto Beach History

     Edisto Island is an island south of Charleston, South Carolina that has changed more slowly than other beach developments over the years, maintaining a family atmosphere and laid back attitude in its commercial development.
     Edisto Beach, earlier known as McConkeys Island was purchased by 6 Sumter Investors in 1925, who were enthusiastic about the coastal development occurring in Florida and in Myrtle Beach.
     They purchased the 4 1/2 miles of coastal beach from Jeremy Inlet.... the northern most part of Edisto Beach State Park , south down to Bay Point and around into St Helena Sound for 1 1/2 miles.They paid $60,000 for the entire beach and intended to sell beach front lots of 75x125 feet for $1000.
     It was all a second growth maritime forest and the locals said it was a jungle (thus the future name of Jungle Road. An Orangeburg construction investor traded cutting a road and covering it with black soil for 32 lots on the beach front. This was initially named McConkey boulevard became Palmetto Blvd.

For further reading see:  Edisto Island, 1861 to 2006: Ruin, Recovery and Rebirth - Google Books Result Charles Spencer - 2008 - History - 224 pages