Summerville in Dorchester County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
To Market, To Market
| | South Carolina State Park Service | |
Photographed by Mike Stroud, September 13, 2009
1. To Market, To Market Marker
Quiet and deserted today, this 'village green' once bustled with colonists buying, selling or trading livestock, supplies, and even slaves. Hoping that economics would spur growth, the 1723 Colonial legislature had decreed that weekly markets would be held here. This Market square, convenient to the all-important river, also hosted lively four-day fairs every April and October.
The marketplace was an easy stop for goods coming by river from Charles Towne or more-distant ports, and trade with the interior was also robust. The success of this local commercial center supported the development of surrounding settlements and Dorchester enjoyed a brief heyday.
[Captions:]
By depicting markets similar to Dorchester's, 18th- century artworks can help us imagine the activity of market day, held at this location every Tuesday and Saturday in the 1720s.
Like modern shopping centers, the Dorchester market was convenient to homes and thoroughfares- in this case, the Ashley River. This 1742 map shows the marketplace's prime location.
Erected by South Carolina State Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1723.
Location. 32° 56.883′
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Regionally, this marker is in the Lowcountry. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Fort Dorchester (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome to Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site (within shouting distance of this marker); Clues of Wealth (within shouting distance of this marker); Linking Places and People (within shouting distance of this marker); In the Path of War (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Dorchester's Merchants: Middlemen on the Road to Riches (about 300 feet away); Loading Zone (about 300 feet away); Designed for Defense (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Summerville.
Another marker is no longer nearby. Welcome to Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Photographed by Mike Stroud, September 13, 2009
2. To Market, To Market Marker at the one-time Market green
Photographed by Mike Stroud, September 13, 2009
3. To Market, To Market Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on May 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 24, 2009, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 1,757 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 24, 2009, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.
