Walterboro between Nature and History

When looking for hotels in Walterboro, considering the destination’s attractions can make planning easier. Nature, crafts and historic sites offer different points of interest: Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary opens up a landscape of wetlands and waterways, while historic homes and the Historic District offer insights into the area’s built history. The South Carolina Artisans Center adds another perspective with art from South Carolina.

Nature at Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary

Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area of more than 600 acres in the ACE Basin. It includes a wetland area open to the public, with waterways that may be uniquely intertwined. The expansive protected area and the distinctive details of its waterways offer two different aspects for nature lovers to consider when planning a visit.

A historically significant trail in the Sanctuary follows the colonial-era Charleston-to-Savannah Stagecoach Road. Cypress remains of long-collapsed bridges can be found along the trail. Visitors interested in the landscape will also encounter a historical connection here: the trail traces the route of the colonial-era Stagecoach Road, while the bridge remains recall earlier structures.

Crafts and Historic Architecture

The South Carolina Artisans Center is free to visit and open to visitors Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. As operating details can change, check the opening hours before your visit. The Center is housed in a restored eight-room Victorian cottage. It showcases work by more than 300 artists from South Carolina. Its focus is on traditional and Indigenous folk art as well as contemporary crafts, bringing together the building itself and a diverse art collection.

In the Walterboro Historic District, you can stroll along oak-lined streets and view historic homes. Most of the neighborhood’s buildings were constructed between 1800 and 1945 and represent a range of architectural styles. Rather than a single, uniform style, you’ll find buildings spanning a broad period and a variety of architectural styles.

One house offers a distinct historical date: the Bedon-Lucas House was built in 1820 for Richard Bedon. It is one of the few surviving High Houses in Colleton County. Comparing it with the Historic District’s broad time span draws attention to two different scales: the history of a particular house and the diversity of an entire neighborhood.

Walterboro’s History in Context

Walterboro Army Airfield represents a different historical focus. During World War II, it served as a training facility for Army aviators, including the Tuskegee Airmen. A monument honoring them was erected there in May 1997. The airfield site was also home to a prisoner-of-war camp and a base hospital. These details distinguish the site’s wartime uses from the later erection of the monument.

For a historical overview, it is worth considering these dates separately: 1820 marks the construction of the Bedon-Lucas House; the period from 1800 to 1945 applies to most buildings in the Historic District. The Army Airfield belongs to the history of World War II, while the monument was erected in 1997. This places the building’s history, the neighborhood’s architecture and the commemoration of the Tuskegee Airmen in their distinct contexts.

For an overview of the wider area, see: Colleton County.