Centuries ago, Gadsden Creek was just one of the many tidal creeks lining the edge of Charleston’s downtown peninsula. These natural systems offered tremendous value to the environment and to the city’s inhabitants alike. Over the years, however, man’s hubris and Charleston’s quest for more land overwhelmed our inherent respect for these systems, resulting in the near-extinction of all tidal creeks and wetlands from Charleston’s urban core.

Gadsden Creek’s story is unique in that she and her supporting wetlands still exist today. Though channelized, relocated, and badly degraded through years of abuse and neglect, Gadsden Creek remains a symbol of resilience and the power of nature. Unlike the majority of such systems in Charleston (that were filled entirely or forced underground), Gadsden Creek ebbs and flows in broad daylight, functioning as an essential fish habitat (EFH), and serving as a natural drainage system for the surrounding community.

The below timeline highlights the story of Gadsden Creek, revealing her strength and underscoring the complex dynamic between man and our treatment of each other and of nature.