History Tidbits: Two Rivers

The Ashley and the Cooper Rivers, which surround the Charleston Peninsula, are named for Lord Anthony Ashley Cooper, one of the eight Lords Proprietors of Carolina. You might already know that, but have you ever wondered how he managed to have TWO rivers named after him?

In 1666, Robert Sandford and a Kiawah guide sailed up along the coast of Carolina. As they passed what we now know as Charleston Harbor, Sandford looked upon what he believed to be a singular river. He named it the Ashley River—originally known to Native Americans as the Kiawah River—in honor of Lord Anthony Ashley Cooper in hopes it would “prove worthy of the Dignity.” Of course, once settlers arrived and began exploring, they soon discovered that the “Ashley River was suspected not to be so big as at first imagined.” They believed that the Wando River—confusingly not the one we call Wando today—to be the better river and named it the Cooper. Thus, Lord Anthony Ashley Cooper was pleased, and we have two rivers in Charleston named after the same man!

The Ashley River later become vitally important to Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, delivering our first public visitors by steamboat!