“H” is for Hampton, Harry (1897-1980).

“H” is for Hampton, Harry (1897-1980). Writer, conservationist. A native Columbian, Hampton graduated from USC and went to work with the State newspaper as a sportswriter. In 1930 he began writing the “Woods and Waters” column about outdoor sports. The column was essentially a crusade for the state’s natural lands. His enthusiastic writing and his conservation ethic gained him a statewide following. His leadership was instrumental in the creation of the Wildlife and Marine Resources Department and the forerunner of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation. One of Hampton’s greatest successes was his role in saving the Congaree Swamp, now Congaree National Park, for which he actively lobbied anyone who would listen. For a lifetime of work on behalf of the state’s natural resources, Harry Hampton has been called the father of South Carolina’s conservation movement.