1918 Map of Yemassee

About this map

The Atlantic Coast Line RR and Charleston and Western Carolina RR converge at Yemassee, creating a critical rail junction in the Lowcountry during the early twentieth century. This survey, conducted in cooperation with the War Department, details a landscape defined by expansive tidal waters and river networks, including the Coosawhatchie River and Pocotaligo River. The mapping shows a significant network of secondary infrastructure, such as the Logging RR branching west from Gilmania and the Possum Corner Bridge spanning the swampy transition between Hampton and Jasper counties. Settlement patterns reflect the era's rural economy, with established community centers like McPhersonville, Pocotaligo, and Sheldon interspersed with smaller sidings and family-named points. Moving toward the coast, the map transitions into complex island and neck topography, identifying Halls Island, Scotts Neck, and Port Royal Island amidst the serpentine reaches of Whale Branch and the Broad River.