Heritage by the River

Every trip to Seabrook and Kiawah feels like a breath of fresh air, where the landscape stuns and the deep-rooted history invites you to linger a little longer. On this recent visit, we ventured over to the newer Kiawah River community. With its charming hotel, The Dunlin, expansive farmland,  goats/cows/chickens, and a vibrant farmers market, it’s a place that feels both cultivated and wild. I couldn’t help but wonder about the story behind this picturesque setting…….so I did a little digging.

For centuries, the land along the banks of the Kiawah River has been quietly telling the story of the South. Before roads reached this corner of Johns Island, long before boutique resorts or coastal real estate, this stretch of riverfront was home to some of the oldest working lands in the Lowcountry. Shaped by salt air, rich soil, and the hands of those who farmed it, the land holds layers of history.

In the late 1600s, colonial settlers were granted large tracts of this land, where crops like indigo and later Sea Island cotton thrived in the subtropical climate. The area grew to include several plantations—most notably Mullet Hall, Rosebank, and The Oaks—all of which played a role in the region’s agricultural economy. By the 1800s, the Legare family had consolidated thousands of acres into Mullet Hall, expanding operations and establishing a legacy that would shape the island for generations. After the Civil War, the land continued to be farmed, passing eventually into the hands of the Limehouse family, who cultivated vegetables, timber, and livestock well into the 20th century.

Even as Charleston expanded and development crept closer, much of Johns Island held tight to its rural roots. For families like the Limehouses and Freemans, farming wasn’t just a livelihood, it was a commitment to the land, one grounded in tradition and resilience. Their knowledge, passed down through generations, helped preserve agricultural practices at a time when other coastal areas were paving over fields for highways and housing.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, a new chapter began. Recognizing both the historical value and ecological sensitivity of the area, developers and planners envisioned something different: a community that would honor its past rather than erase it. The result was Kiawah River, a 2,000-acre master-planned development where more than half the land is preserved as open space, wetlands, and working farmland. At the heart of it is a 100-acre agrihood, a living, breathing farm operated by local families who continue to raise livestock, grow seasonal crops, and supply food for the community.

This blending of preservation, agriculture, and thoughtful development is rare in today’s landscape. And while new additions like The Dunlin resort bring a quiet luxury to the area, they do so with deep respect for the land’s story. The fields still stretch toward the horizon. The river still carves its way through marsh and oak. And the soil, rich with memory, continues to give.