lands end woodland
In the 1920’s on St. Helena Island, S.C. a group of African American families pooled their resources to purchase 328 acres of land, a property then known as The Baker Place, Land’s End, of the Riverside Plantation. These families wanted a place for recreational activities, to fish and hunt, to have access to firewood, and to provide family burial grounds. They called themselves the Woodland Club. Over the generations, as the original founders died, many without wills, the property became vulnerable to developers as the “Lowcountry of South Carolina” became a coveted area for development. In the 1990’s, with the help of the Penn Center (in 1862 the first school in the south for formerly enslaved Africans and today one of the premier centers for the study and preservation of the Sea Islands history and culture) and pro bono lawyers, a genealogical search of all of the founding families was done. The family members were notified and the work of incorporating the organization was begun. As natives of St. Helena Island with strong family influence and knowledge of the importance of land ownership, as well as the roots of the Gullah culture, all members felt the importance of insuring that the property would be forever under the ownership of the families of the founders and protected from outside encroachment. In 1996, the organization was incorporated as the Lands End Woodland, Inc., a non-profit corporation. Over the years there has been ongoing timber farming on portions of the property. Fishing and hunting remain viable activities. In an area adjacent to the cemetery, portions of the original plantation house and slave quarters in the form of tabby ruins have been uncovered and are in the process of being stabilized so that they can be restored. According to archeological review, details of the structures suggest that these buildings may have been built between 1760 and 1780, leading us to believe that these structures may be some of the earliest historic buildings to survive on St. Helena Island. The mission of the organization is to maintain and utilize the property as intended by the founders. With the influx of development into the area, the impact of increased property taxes and other encroachments, the organization is determined to honor the ancestors by protecting this property for posterity. Land retention in the African American community is an important priority. An organization such as the Lands End Woodland focuses on activities that enhance and maximize utilization of the existing property. The goal is to establish long term plans so that future generations will be educated about the history of the property and to work to preserve the heritage of the forefathers.
