History

The forest in the middle of South Carolina is rich in history.

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History Details

Though it seems as if it's in a world by itself, the forest and Congaree National Park have seen their share of history. In 1540, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto passed through the area and noted in his journal his intrigue of the area. As happened to many native peoples with the arrival of Europeans, the Congaree Indians lost most of their tribe to smallpox in the late 1600s. Logging became a viable industry in the forest in the late 1800s, but operations ceased in 1915. When logging interest rose again in 1969, the public took action and Congaree Swamp National Monument was established in 1976. In 1983, the monument was named an International Biosphere Reserve, and in 2001 was designated as a Globally Important Bird Area; the Harry Hampton Visitor Center was also dedicated in 2001. In 2003, Congaree National Park was designated.

Difficulty

Open

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