By admin 
South Carolina’s land conservation agency and Richland County have teamed up to acquire 736 acres of historic property southeast of Columbia so the land will not be developed.
Read more Heat advisory issued for Horry County ahead of storms. How to stay safe
The property, a remnant of the historic Goodwill Plantation, will become part of the Wateree River Heritage Preserve next door, assuming there are no late complications to the plan. The Department of Natural Resources preserve already includes a larger piece of the former Goodwill Plantation, as well as Cook’s Mountain, an unusually tall land formation in the Midlands.
The state Conservation Bank Board voted unanimously Wednesday, June 17 to grant $12.6 million of the expected sales price of $13.8 million to the Conservation Fund, an organization that would then acquire the land and hold it until the state can take title to it.
Richland County will chip in $600,000, with another $600,000 expected from the federal government. The County Council voted Tuesday night, June 16 to grant the $600,000 from existing revenues set aside for conservation.
“The money is approved, but we still have to go through the normal machinations of a real estate transaction,’’ said Raleigh West, the Conservation Bank’s outgoing director. “There is still oversight that has to occur with DNR taking title to the property.’’
West said the land, owned by Richland County resident Larry Faulkenberry, would probably be transferred to the state in 2027, barring complications to the deal.
Richland County Councilman Don Weaver said he’s glad the county could help secure the 736 acres.
“It’s historical, conservation land,’’ Weaver said. “If that had been developed, it really would have been a tragic loss for the county because you never could replace it.’’
Read more Thousands to see property value changes in Richland County. What to know
Plans are for the Conservation Fund to eventually turn the 736 acres over to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources for expansion of the Wateree preserve, a 3,700-acre publicly accessible area off U.S. 378 along the Wateree River near the Sumter County line. The fund will buy the property because it can do so more quickly than the DNR, an effort expected to take development pressure off the land, officials say.
Goodwill Plantation has a rich history and abundant natural resources that make the 736 acres worth protecting, Faulkenberry and state officials say.
The property includes a grist mill, slave cabins and remnants of a 1700s era settlement, records show. Former S.C. Gov. Duncan Heyward was born on the property. Circus entrepreneur P.T. Barnum later bought the land, where circus animals wintered.
Descendants of slaves who once worked there visit annually for reunions. African-American leaders in Richland County have expressed support for protecting the property.
In addition, the property is a remaining piece of unprotected land in a sea of 14,000 acres that previously have been saved from development in the area. The Goodwill property is full of wildlife, including wild turkeys, deer and songbirds, as well as wetlands, creeks and hunting grounds.
Faulkenberry has had the property for sale for several years and has recently been negotiating a sale to the state, although there has been a possibility it could be sold off for development. At one point, the land was advertised for $17.5 million.
For the DNR to take title to the 736-acre tract, two state fiscal oversight panels would need to give their blessing, which is expected later this year.
Read more Thousands to see property value changes in Richland County. What to know