South Carolina State Parks host events on January 1 known as First Day Hikes. January 1, 2023, I was able to get two hikes in, starting at one of my favorite state Historical Sites, Hampton Plantation. After Hampton, I had the opportunity to visit a brand-new acquisition, not yet opened to the general public – Ramsey Grove State Park. Ramsey Grove is located just north of Georgetown, SC, on the Black River.
The property became part of the South Carolina state park system via a settlement agreement with Dominion Energy, after the company offered up land as part of a deal to settle a tax dispute with South Carolina. It had been owned and operated by SCANA, the parent company of South Carolina Electric & Gas, since 1963 as a corporate retreat.
The plantation was established in 1731 by a 500-acre land grant. We were able to hike out to one of the duck impoundments, where managed plantings attract all sorts of waterfowl. The river views were lovely! We got to visit the clubhouse, which seemed to be frozen in the 1960s, and walk out to one of the ponds on an established nature trail.
