Mitchelville on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, was the first town in the United States governed by freed slaves. It was part of the Port Royal Experiment.

Partial list of links:

• Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park
• Archeology at Mitchelville
• Mitchelville: Experiment in Freedom
• The archaeological manifestations of the "Port Royal Experiment" at Mitchelville, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Instead of towns that disappeared, today we look at towns that never existed. Through my research I’ve found four categories of these so-called Paper Towns

1. A town planned out on paper that never really took off.
2. A town that was never meant to exist, but was advertised simply as a scam for investors.
3. An area incorporated for political reasons, such as a town on the edge of a larger town incorporated to prevent annexation into the larger town. The town provides no services, but exists on paper only.
4. A copyright trap.

Links to more information:

• Kingsberry
  • Find-a-Grave
  • Kingsberry article by Louise Pettus
  • Landsford Canal Lock Keeper's House - Library of Congress
• Paper Town Copyright Traps
  • Phantom Settlements
  • What Is a Paper Town?

The colonial town of Dorchester is located on the Ashley River, just north of Charleston. Settled by Congregetionalists, it was once the third largest town in South Carolina.

Now only the old bell tower of the St. George's Church and the tabby fortifications remain. Old Dorchester is now a historic site and part of the South Carolina Parks System.

Here are some of the resources used in this episode:

• Office SC State Park Website for Dorchester
• Wikipedia Entry
• Old Dorchester Visitor's Guide
• National Register Entry for Dorchester
• National Register Entry for White Meeting House
• The Town of Dorchester: A Sketch of It's History
• KnowItAll Video - Dorchester
• South Carolina Picture Project