Holman's Bridge

Front: In 1801 John Holman constructed a bridge spanning the South Fork of the Edisto River at a site previously known as Tyler’s Ferry, about 1/2 mi. N. of here. Two acts of the General Assembly granted Holman the right to charge a toll for people, wagons, and livestock for a period of 28 years. In 1829 the crossing transferred to public ownership, with Barnwell and Orangeburg Districts sharing control. Reverse: In Feb. 1865 retreating Confederate troops burned Holman’s Bridge in an effort to slow the advance of the Union XV Corps during the Carolinas Campaign. Rebuilt after the Civil War, the crossing remained in use into the 20th century. By that time the land around the bridge on the south bank had become an established campground and recreation area known as “Holman’s Beach.”