How Hell Hole Swamp Got Its Name: The Story and What Is True

Things to Do › South Carolina Legends › How Hell Hole Swamp Got Its Name

How Hell Hole Swamp Got Its Name is a story told about Jamestown, northern Berkeley County, Berkeley County. Vote believe it or no way, then see what 1 named source say is documented.

WhereJamestown, northern Berkeley CountyBerkeley County, Lowcountry
KindLegendnot a ranking
Sources1named, linked below
CheckedOct 262026

Collected 0 of 21All legends

Local legend. Not confirmed. Just for fun.

No. 13 of 21

How Hell Hole Swamp Got Its Name

The swamp's name is said to come from a British general's letter to the king, complaining about the swamp where he could not catch a rebel. Another tale is that moonshiners worked the area in the 1920s and 1930s.

What Is Actually True

The Post and Courier (Dave Munday, April 29, 2018) reports that, per the festival's website, the name comes from a letter by British General Charles Cornwallis to King George about trying to find Francis Marion, calling the area 'one hell hole of a swamp'. The article does not check that claim independently. It also notes the area was a hideout for moonshiners in the 1920s and 1930s. The Hell Hole Swamp Festival began in 1972 in Jamestown along S.C. Highway 41, traditionally the first weekend in May.

Sources: Post and Courier – South Carolina festivals in May combine odd names, small-town fun (Apr 29, 2018).

A note: Festival date is as of 2018 reporting; do not state a current date without the organizer's page. No source read confirms the Cornwallis letter exists.

FAQ

Does my vote count anywhere?

Votes and your collected set stay in your own browser. We do not store or share them.

Where do these facts come from?

From the named sources listed on this page: Post and Courier – South Carolina festivals in May combine odd names, small-town fun (Apr 29, 2018).

Sources

Post and Courier – South Carolina festivals in May combine odd names, small-town fun (Apr 29, 2018)

Read on October 26, 2026. Stories are for fun; the facts come from these sources. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.

Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “How Hell Hole Swamp Got Its Name”, itssouthcarolina.com/things-to-do/south-carolina-legends/hell-hole-swamp/ (updated 2026-10-26). By the It's South Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.