Georgetown

Hobcaw Barony owner claims title to North Inlet

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hobcaw-church

Image from south-carolina-plantations.com

I grew up in Georgetown, SC, and enjoyed visiting the beach with my family on Pawleys Island. Between the City of Georgetown and the beautiful “arrogantly shabby” Pawleys beach lies Hobcaw Barony, a gorgeous stretch of land that was developed as a winter hunting resort by Bernard Baruch.

Bernard Baruch is a name South Carolinians should cherish. Baruch was born in Camden in 1870 and became a Wall Street financier, stock investor, philanthropist, statesman and political consultant. After his success in business, he devoted time advising war-time Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt. He was a personal friend of Winston Churchill.

Between 1905 and 1907, Baruch purchased a total of 69,690 acres of the former 18th century Hobcaw Barony, consolidating 69 plantations located on the peninsula known as Waccamaw Neck between the Winyah Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Famous visitors included presidents, royalty and world leaders.

For an interesting and entertaining history of the plantation properties developed by wealthy northerners in Georgetown County for hunting purposes, I highly recommend Columbian David Hodges’ book Sunset Lodge in Georgetown: The Story of a Madam.  Hodges is a frequent visitor to Georgetown who conducted extensive interviews and research about Hazel Weisse, who moved to Georgetown in 1936, when the International Paper Company plant was being built, and established a brothel to entertain the builders. Despite being illegal, the business remained open for thirty-three years until Weisse retired in 1969.  Do yourself a favor, South Carolinians. Read this book.

But I digress.

Hobcaw Barony is a treasure. Baruch’s daughter, Belle, established a foundation to use the property as an educational and research preserve. The property includes 37 historic buildings representing the 18th and 19th century rice growing industry and the 20th century winter hunting resort. Tours of the property are open to the public. My brother, Alec Tuten, is one of the tour guides who will happily talk your ear off given half a chance.

The picturesque property reminds me of George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon but, sadly, little or no funding was established to maintain the buildings, so they are not preserved to the standards of Mount Vernon. The grounds, on the other hand, are beautifully maintained. For example, both Carolina and Clemson have established coastal and marine sciences programs at Hobcaw. Wetlands, forests and coastal ecosystems are studied. The entire property was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. I recommend a visit to this little-known local gem!

An interesting lawsuit is now brewing in Georgetown County involving the property of Hobcaw Barony and adjacent North Inlet. The Baruch Foundation is claiming title to 8,000 acres of marsh at North Inlet, a vast marshland that has always been used by the public for recreational purposes. The lawsuit claims title to the property by virtue of a Kings Grant.

stay tuned

Local gossip indicates the Foundation simply intends to clean up title issues and does not intent to preclude the public from enjoying the property. But the complaint reads like a normal quiet title action of marshland property and the locals are nervous. An easement has been suggested to resolve the conflict, but this suggestion has been rebuffed by the Foundation.

Stay tuned to learn more about what will happen to this slice of God’s country.

Dear History, please stop repeating yourself!

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Hurricane Irma is the third disaster in two years for South Carolina

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Hurricane Irma is the third disaster to pummel our beloved state since this blog was launched in 2014. After the 1,000 year flood in October of 2015, Hurricane Matthew struck in October of 2016. Rebuilding is not complete from either catastrophe.

On my way to work this morning, I passed the remains of several businesses that were destroyed when Gills Creek flooded in 2015. Thankfully, I heard recently that Richland County is about to purchase those properties to turn them into green spaces. Other areas in and around Columbia are still in the rebuilding process or have been completely abandoned. Many homeowners have made their homes bigger, stronger and certainly taller. Others have given up and moved away.

Enter Irma. A friend joked on Facebook that we’re lucky here in South Carolina Irma passed us by. You would never know it passed us by from the many feet of water we’re seeing in pictures of Charleston, Beaufort, Hilton Head, Georgetown, Garden City and surrounding areas. And the pictures and video coming from Florida and the Caribbean, not to mention the pictures and video coming from the Hurricane Harvey disaster in Texas and Louisiana, all show unspeakable damage.

Our company’s home office is located in Jacksonville where surrounding streets are under water. Employees with power are trying to work remotely. Others are out of commission.

A wise man in our building here in Columbia said to me this morning that these disasters bring out the best and the worst in folks. There are looters, but there are many more heroes who have rescued their neighbors in boats. There are neighborhoods without power who are gathering in their streets for impromptu block parties. Chainsaws are chopping downed trees. Supplies and helping hands are being donated. Celebrities and charities are raising millions. I’d like to believe that we’re seeing much more good than bad in people.

Our hearts are breaking for those who have lost so much. Rebuilding will take time, resources and patience. Many have lost everything and are without insurance coverage. Millions are without power and water. Many are in shock.

Dirt lawyers are in an exceptional position to support clients who may not be familiar with the assistance available to them. We have all learned a lot in the last few years. I challenge each of us to continue to educate ourselves and to be available to offer the valuable advice our neighbors and others will need in the days ahead. Local, state and federal governments seem better prepared this time around and seem to be working better to coordinate efforts. Here is a link to the South Carolina Bar’s Key Assistance Numbers. South Carolinians are strong and resilient, and we are stronger and more resilient now than we were for the last disaster.

Let’s once again rise to the occasion, real estate lawyers, and provide the best advice available for our clients and friends who will need it as they sort out, clean up and rebuild.