Basic Information

• Location – Summerville, Dorchester County

• Origin of name – ?

• Other names – ?

• Current status – Residential neighborhoods

Timeline

• 1888 – Earliest known date of existence
  
  Dr. Charles Shepard founded the Pinehurst Tea Plantation near the site of Andre Michaux's original tea planting at Middleton Barony. A variety of tea know as Oolong was grown at Pinehurst and won first prize at the 1904 World's Fair. Pinehurst remained prosperous until the death of its owner in 1915. The tea growing at Pinehurst was important however, as cuttings from these plants were taken to propagate the fields of both the American Tea Growing Company and the Charleston Tea Plantation.
  
  

Land

• Number of acres – ?

• Primary crop – Tea

Owners

• Alphabetical list – Dr. Charles Upham Shepard

Slaves

• Number of slaves – ?

Buildings

• Pinehurst school
  
  Students at this school provided at least some of the labor needed to pick the tea leaves.

Web Resources

• School Teacher and Her Students at Pinehurst, Summerville, South Carolina - photo taken circa 1903 - click to enlarge

• Postcard entitled Road In Pinehurst Tea Farm

• Postcard entitled Tea Factory at Pinehurst Tea Gardens - circa 1906

Print Resources

• Initial references: 17

More about Dorchester County

• Learn more about historic Dorchester County, including the lovely town of Summerville as well as nearby Charleston. We have helpful guides to Summerville history and Summerville libraries and museums – plus Summerville restaurants, Summerville bed & breakfasts, Summerville hotels, and Summerville real estate.