Internal improvements campaign
Related Entries
During the Revolutionary War, Pickens became one of the most significant leaders of patriot forces in the South Carolina backcountry.
It was one of several canals constructed by the state of South Carolina in the 1820s to improve transportation links between the upstate and Charleston.
Although hailed as one of the great internal improvements of its day, the Santee Canal was not a success. Financial problems, lawsuits, poor design and construction, lack of traffic, and droughts all contributed to the canal’s disappointing results.
In 1819 Poinsett became president of the state Board of Public Works, actively supervising canals and roads built to link Charleston with the undeveloped interior, including a road through the Saluda Gap that brought trade from North Carolina and Tennessee.
