National Register of Historic Places

Santee Canal

Moncks Corner, Berkeley County, South Carolina
Listed
May 4, 1982
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
82003833

About this property

The Santee Canal was one of the earliest canals built in the United States. It was built to provide a direct water route between Charleston and Columbia, the new state capital of South Carolina. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. In 1786, the South Carolina General Assembly chartered a company to construct and maintain an inland canal linking the Cooper River near Charleston, with the Santee River. The Santee River connects to the Congaree River and the City of Columbia. Construction started in 1793, directed by Engineer Col. John Christian Senf. It opened in 1800. It was 22 miles (35 km) long. It had two double locks and eight single locks. Its width was 35 feet (11 m) at the water's surface and 20 feet (6.1 m) at the bottom. Its depth was 4 feet (1.2 m). Due to sparse traffic, poor construction, and droughts, the canal was not a financial success. The construction of railroads sealed its fate. It lost its state charter in 1853. It was not used after 1865. Much of it was covered eventually by the reservoir Lake Moultrie. Additional pictures and information are available from the Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress. Old Santee Canal Park is located in Moncks Corner, South Carolina. The park is situated at Stony Landing, the former southernmost section of the canal. Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. SC-240, "Santee Canal Structures (Area Survey), Moncks Corner, Berkeley County, SC", 4 photos Porcher, F. A. 1809-1888. (1903). The history of the Santee Canal. Charleston, S.C.: South Carolina Historical Society. Accessed June 12, 2018.

Location

Moncks Corner, Berkeley County, South Carolina
33.38182, -80.08006

Categories

COMMERCEENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Pineville Historic District
Listed
4.3 mi
Loch Dhu
Industrial
7.7 mi
Lawson's Pond Plantation
Industrial
8.3 mi
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
Industrial
9.6 mi
Robertson, William, House
Industrial
10.7 mi

Nearby Battles

Action at Moncks Corner
1780Revolutionary War
13.3 mi
Battle of Moncks Corner (1780)
1780Revolutionary War
13.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Santee Canal listed on the National Register?

Santee Canal was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 4, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Santee Canal?

Santee Canal is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Santee Canal?

The period of significance for Santee Canal is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Santee Canal?

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