Near Wateree in Richland County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Crossing the Congaree
Congaree National Park
Photographed by Steve Stoessel, May 9, 2026
1. Crossing the Congaree Marker
As the river's channel changed, so did the location and number of ferries. By the 1840s a lake developed south of the crossing at McCord sand a separate terry was constructed here. An 1852 flood cut the river's new channel through this lake. By 1865 this river crossing was known as Bates Ferry.
[ Photo and Illustration Captions, top to bottom: ]
- This 1773 Map of the Province of South Carolina shows a road crossing the Congaree River at McCord's Ferry. This road once connected the cities of Camden and Charleston.
- This photograph shows a typical river ferry like the ones used to cross the Congaree. Most ferries were constructed in a flat boat form. In deep rivers ferrymen pulled the boats by hand along a rope or chain that stretched across the river. From the colonial period to the Civil War, ferries were often built and operated by enslaved laborers.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Roads & Vehicles
this page online
Location. 33° 46.989′ N, 80° 38.274′ W. Marker is near Wateree, South Carolina, in Richland County. It can be reached from U.S. 601 6 miles north of Fort Motte road. Marker is at the Bates Ferry Trailhead. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Gadsden SC 29052, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Midlands and in the Greater Columbia Area. 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 one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies: What Happened to the Ferries? (here, next to this marker); Bates Ferry Trail (here, next to this marker); McCord's Ferry: The Charleston to Camden Connection (a few steps from this marker); The Key to the Carolinas (approx. 0.2 miles away); Challenging the Rebellion (approx. 0.4 miles away); Leading the Way to Victory (approx. 0.7 miles away); Rebecca Motte and the Revolution (approx. 0.9 miles away); "Obstinate and Strong" (approx. 1.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wateree.
More about this marker. The marker is one of three panels decribing the trail and its history as a ferry to cross the Congaree River
Also see . . .
1. Bates Ferry Trail (National Park Service). (Submitted on May 19, 2026, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York.)
2. Congaree National Park. (Submitted on May 19, 2026, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York.)
Photographed by Benjamin Rubin, August 30, 2025
2. Bates Ferry Trail Marker
3. Congaree National Park (Wikipedia).
Congaree National Park is a 26,692.6-acre (41.7 sq mi; 108.0 km2) national park of the United States in central South Carolina, 18 miles southeast of the state capital, Columbia. The park preserves the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States. The lush trees growing in its floodplain forest are some of the tallest in the eastern United States, forming one of the highest temperate deciduous forest canopies remaining in the world. The Congaree River flows through the park. About 15,000 acres (23.4 sq mi; 60.7 km2) are designated as a wilderness area.(Submitted on May 19, 2026, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York.)
Credits. This page was last revised on May 19, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 19, 2026, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1. submitted on May 19, 2026, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. 2. submitted on September 1, 2025, by Benjamin Rubin of Columbia, South Carolina.
