Jasper County was initially inhabited by Yemassee and Coosaw Indians. Swiss - German immigrants first settled the area in the 18th century. This group started the settlement of Purrysburgh near the Savannah River, but this settlement did not survive. A number of plantations made a second attempt at settling the area. The lands from a number of these plantations now comprise the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge.
The county resulted from a merger of lands previously belonging to Beaufort and Hampton counties in 1912. Jasper’s namesake, William Jasper, was a Revolutionary War sergeant. Confederate soldiers won the battle of Honey Hill in the area now known as Jasper County. Notable locals from Jasper County include Declaration of Independence signer Thomas Heyward Junior, and Henry Martyn Robert, creator of Robert’s Rules of Order. Today the area is known for its abundance of wildlife and outdoor sports. Ridgeland serves as its county seat.
Coast Jasper County. Accessed June 06, 2016. http://www.carolinaliving.com/coast/jasper-county.asp
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"A good crop of Kudzu," grown by a Pickens County farmer, is proudly displayed in this July 1939, photo by L.W. Riley for the Department of Agriculture. Courtesy of the Clemson University Libraries.
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This Jasper County woman proudly displays the new shelves she has built in her home to store her home canning, early 1950s. Courtesy of the Jasper County Chamber of Commerce.
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Ridgeland became the county seat of Jasper County when that county was created in 1912. Originally named Gopher Hill when settled in 1855, it was renamed based on its location on a sandy ridge. This...
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The Lowcountry Region is comprised of Hampton, Jasper, Beaufort and Colleton counties. As expected, due to its coastal location, fishing, sailing, hunting, bird watching, paddling, surfing...
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The Town of Ridgeland Veterans Memorial Park is dedicated to all service men and women from Jasper County.
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Strategically located near Savannah and Hilton Head, many companies are moving into Jasper County for the close location to I-95. According to the County Administrator, though, there is also a high...
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A profile of the late Senator Clementa Pinckney, one of nine killed during Bible Study in the Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston on June 17, 2015. Senator Pinckney served in the S.C. General Assembly...