Charleston SC Metro Real Estate: The Old Village in Mount Pleasant SC - A Brief History

The Old Village in Mount Pleasant

Mount (Mt.) Pleasant SC is rooted deep in the historical soil of not only the Charleston area, but also that of our country.  Mt. Pleasant is the neighboring city of Charleston separated by the Charleston Harbor and connected by the recent construction of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. 

A Brief History

The area that would later become known as Mt Pleasant was originally settled by Sewee Indians.  The first European settlers are believed to have arrived from England in 1680 under the guise of Captain Florentia O’Sullivan, whose namesake is now used for the barrier island bordering Mt. Pleasant (Sullivan's Island).  In 1696 more settlers arrived and were given plots of land that included modern day Mt Pleasant.  The earliest maps identify the settled area as "North Point."  Eventually the area along the waterfront from Shem Creek south to Cove Inlet became known as Haddrell's Point, named after an early settler George Haddrell. 

By the 1770's a need arose for public transportation to and from the city of Charleston.  Andrew Hibbon purchased land from the plantation of Jacob Motte on the south side of Shem Creek to start the first ferry service to Charleston.  This area became known as the Ferry Tract and was the primary means of crossing the harbor to Charleston until 1929 when the Grace Memorial Bridge opened.

A Revolutionary War historical milestone for the area included Cornwallis and his British troops crossing the Cooper River and taking strategic control of Haddrell’s Point once Charleston fell to the British.  The British Headquarters during that time was the Jacob Motte House, which later became known as the Hibben House. 

In 1837 the village of Greenwich (first recognized village in the area) was combined with Jacob Motte's Mount Pleasant plantation and was incorporated into the town of Mt. Pleasant.  This initial incorporated area is what now comprises the Old Village neighborhood in Mount Pleasant.  Mt. Pleasant went on to expand and widen its reach as a town over years, but the Old Village holds its place in history and the property values in The Old Village reflect that.  

Later during the Civil War, the Old Village in Mount Pleasant was also the secret training ground for the nine-man crew of the Confederate submarine CSS Hunley.  The men were temporarily housed at 205 Ferry Street at Ronkins Long Room

Homes in the Old Village

Today home prices in the Old Village range from $149,000 to $8,000,000.  The median price of the homes in the neighborhood is just over 1 million dollars.  Many of the homes are old and historic but have gone though a process of restoration.  The oldest home currently on the market in the neighborhood was built in 1860. Note - none of the homes pictured here are on the market and are used as historical reference only.

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