Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

“S” is for the Salkehatchie/Combahee Rivers

South Carolina from A to Z logo

“S” is for the Salkehatchie/Combahee Rivers. The Salkehatchie and Combahee River system extends more than one hundred miles through the southeastern quarter of South Carolina. The Salkehatchie consists of two black water river-swamps: the Big Salkehatchie, with headwaters near Williston; and the Little Salkehatchie with headwaters near Blackville. The two meet north of Yemassee to form the Combahee River. The Combahee becomes tidal freshwater, brackish water, and then salt as it feeds into the Atlantic Ocean at St. Helena Sound. The Salkehatchie was once known as the “salt ketcher” while the Combahee takes its name from local Indians. The Combahee became an important river in the lowcountry rice culture. In 1929, the last rice cultivation ended on the Combahee River. In the early years of the 21st century the area along Salkehatchie/Combahee River still remains forested and mostly undeveloped.

Stay Connected
Dr. Walter Edgar has two programs on South Carolina Public Radio: Walter Edgar's Journal, and South Carolina from A to Z. Dr. Edgar received his B.A. degree from Davidson College in 1965 and his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina in 1969. After two years in the army (including a tour of duty in Vietnam), he returned to USC as a post-doctoral fellow of the National Archives, assigned to the Papers of Henry Laurens.