Lady of Cofitachiqui

On arriving at Cofitachiqui, De Soto was met by a young woman the Spanish called the “Lady of Cofitachiqui.” According to her, the province had suffered a great pestilence, and she ruled following the death of a male relative.

De Soto entered the territory of present-day South Carolina in search of the chiefdom of Cofitachiqui, reported to contain great wealth. Indians in present Georgia confirmed the account De Soto had heard but warned him of the great wilderness that lay between them and this powerful chiefdom.

On a monument at the tip of Parris Island, a tile plaque proclaims, “Aquí estuvo España” (“Here was Spain”). The…

Located in the Midlands, Camden boasts more than sixty well-preserved buildings in its historic district that attest to a rich past and to a lifestyle respectful of that heritage.