• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SC Picture Project

The purpose of the South Carolina Picture Project is to celebrate the beauty of the Palmetto State while preserving some of its vanishing landscapes.

  • FIND A LANDMARK
    • BY CITY
    • BY COUNTY
    • BY CATEGORY
    • BYGONE LANDMARKS
  • ADD IMAGES
  • VOLUNTEER
  • SPONSORS
  • DONATE

Old Pinopolis Post Office

SC PICTURE PROJECT Leave a Comment

SC Picture Project / Berkeley County / Old Pinopolis Post Office

Pinopolis was established in 1834 as a retreat village for planters to escape the unforgiving heat and malaria experienced on boggy plantations during the summer. Dr. Morton Waring and Frederick Porcher were the first to build houses in the community, and by 1844 a dozen homes dotted the village. In 1846 a home from nearby Woodboo Plantation was relocated to Pinopolis by members of the Porcher family. At some point – records indicate prior to 1857 – this small structure was built adjacent to the Woodboo House as additional lodging for guests. In 1857 the property was purchased by the Ravenels. One of the more illustrious guests to stay in the Ravenels’ guest lodge was South Carolina poet and novelist William Gilmore Simms.

Pinopolis Post Office

Brandon Coffey of Charleston, 2016 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

By the end of the nineteenth century, enough people summered in Pinopolis to warrant postal service. The front of the Ravenels’ lodge was converted into a post office, with Elizabeth Ravenel, or Miss Besie, as she was known locally, serving as postmistress. She held this position until her death in 1935. During the building’s early years as a post office, it also was used as a local schoolhouse for the children of those who had made Pinopolis a permanent residence.

Pinopolis Post Office Sign

Brandon Coffey of Charleston, 2016 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Miss Bessie was said to have run the post office independently of the federal government, often accepting credit from her neighbors. The small space became a gathering spot for the local women, who would spend time in the post office exchanging news and stories. After Miss Bessie died in 1935, the post office continued until a somewhat more modern – though still small and rural – building was constructed adjacent to the historic one in 1974. The original post office was restored in 2007. The restoration project was paid for by the sale of the book, Plantations, Pineland Villages, Pinopolis and Its People by Pinopolis native and retired surgeon Dr. Norman Walsh.

Plan Your Trip: Old Pinopolis Post Office

Where is Old Pinopolis Post Office located?
Address: 1940 Pinopolis Road, Pinopolis, SC 29469
GPS Coordinates: 33.230542,-80.036307
What else should I see?
William Robertson House 0.1 mile
Fishburne House 0.2 mile
Dr. Morton Waring Office 0.3 mile
Old Rectory 0.4 mile
Show me more like this!
  • Pinopolis Historic Sites
  • See other South Carolina Post Offices
  • See other South Carolina Schools
    Old Pinopolis Post Office Map

    Please Help Us Stay Online

    We’d like thank everyone who generously supports the South Carolina Picture Project. You provide us with the inspiration and financial support we need to keep doing what we do. Every reader’s contribution, larger or small, is valuable. If you have enjoyed this website or found it helpful, please pitch in. Each donation helps – and it only takes a minute. Thank you!

    Support the SC Picture Project!

    $ 50.00
    Select Payment Method
    Personal Info

    Credit Card Info
    This is a secure SSL encrypted payment.

    Donation Total: $50.00

    You may also like

    You may also like

    Old Pinopolis Rectory, springOld Rectory Morton Waring OfficeDr. Morton Waring Office Cherry Hill ClassroomCherry Hill Classroom William Robertson HouseWilliam Robertson House Rehoboth UMCRehoboth Methodist Church

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    FIND A LANDMARK

    Why This Site Matters

    Help Keep This Site Online

    We depend on the support of today’s readers to document South Carolina’s landmarks for future readers. Please help us continue this important work by making a donation below.

    $ 50.00
    Select Payment Method
    Personal Info

    Credit Card Info
    This is a secure SSL encrypted payment.

    Donation Total: $50.00

    Recent Posts

    • H.L. Hunley
    • Strand Theater
    • Camden Depot
    • Charleston City Marina
    • Secession Hill

    ABOUT US

    We are a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to preserve the history of South Carolina’s historic, natural, and cultural landmarks before they are lost to time. This website serves as a permanent digital archive of over 2,300 South Carolina landmarks – and counting. Learn more about our work.

    Footer

    ABOUT US

    We are a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to preserve the history of South Carolina’s historic, natural, and cultural landmarks before they are lost to time. This website serves as a permanent digital archive of over 2,300 South Carolina landmarks – and counting. Learn more about our work.

    CONTACT US

    We’d love to hear from you! Send us a quick email at share@scpictureproject.org.

    If you are looking for permission to use a photo, please reach out directly to the photographer listed in the image’s credit.

    JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

    The South Carolina Picture Project has two Facebook groups. One is dedicated to SC Historic Landmarks and Iconic Landscapes, and the other is dedicated to SC Nature and Wildlife.

    South Carolina Picture Project © 2023 · All Rights Reserved