Six Mile, Mount Pleasant, SC
A Gullah Geechee settlement rooted in the 1881 Hamlin land sale, where generations of family-held land sit alongside the newer neighborhoods that have grown up around it.
History & Heritage
Six Mile traces back to Copahee Plantation, established by the Hamlin family in 1696. In 1881, the Hamlins sold thirty ten-acre parcels to formerly enslaved African American farmers, creating what became known as "Hamlin Beach" - the historic core of today's Six Mile community. That transaction stands as one of the earliest documented instances of Black land ownership in the Mount Pleasant area, and it put Six Mile on fundamentally different footing than the resort and golf communities most people associate with the town today.
Six Mile is recognized as part of the Gullah Geechee Heritage Corridor, the federally designated corridor running along the southeastern coast that honors the distinct language, foodways, and land traditions descended from enslaved West Africans brought to the Lowcountry's rice and cotton plantations. Boone Hall Plantation, a short drive away, preserves a row of original slave dwellings as a historic site and is often visited alongside Six Mile by those researching the area's history.
Location & Character Today
Six Mile sits east of Highway 17 in central Mount Pleasant, bounded by Gray Bay, Copahee Sound, and Hamlin Sound, with Six Mile Road and Rifle Range Road serving as the primary routes through the community. Today's Six Mile is a genuine blend of eras: modest, generations-old family homes on large oak-shaded lots sit alongside newer developments, including Hamlin Plantation and Oyster Point, that have grown up around, and in some cases over, the original settlement.
Land & Ownership Note
Unlike most neighborhoods in this guide, much of Six Mile's original land has never changed hands through a conventional real estate transaction. Large portions remain heirs' property, passed down within the same families since the 1881 Hamlin sale, and simply don't turn over on the open market the way a subdivision lot does. Because of that, standard CTAR/Charleston Regional MLS pricing statistics for "Mount Pleasant" don't meaningfully represent Six Mile's historic core - the handful of sales that do occur tend to be newer construction in Hamlin Plantation or Oyster Point rather than the original family-held parcels.
Buyers who do have the opportunity to purchase land in or near Six Mile should budget extra time and legal review for heirs'-property title work. Clearing title on land held in undivided, multi-generational ownership is a specialized due-diligence process, and it's worth engaging a real estate attorney experienced in heirs' property before making an offer.
Schools & Family Life
Homes in and around Six Mile are zoned for Jennie Moore Elementary, Laing Middle School, and Wando High School, the same well-regarded schools that serve the neighboring Rifle Range Road area.
Nearby Charleston-Area Draws
Boone Hall Plantation is a few minutes away, offering both a working historic site and a window into the region's plantation-era history. The Isle of Palms Connector and Rifle Range Road corridor are close by, and residents have access to the amenity packages at neighboring Hamlin Plantation and Oyster Point. Downtown Charleston is roughly a 25 to 30 minute drive outside of peak traffic.
Frequently Asked Questions About Six Mile
Is Six Mile a subdivision or a historic community?
Six Mile is a historic Gullah Geechee settlement rather than a planned subdivision. It traces to an 1881 land sale to formerly enslaved African American farmers, and much of its original land remains in the same families today.
Can I buy land or a home in Six Mile?
Opportunities are limited and different from a typical Mount Pleasant purchase. Much of the historic core is heirs' property that rarely reaches the open market, so most available homes are newer construction in Hamlin Plantation or Oyster Point rather than the original settlement.
What does "heirs' property" mean for a potential buyer?
Heirs' property is land passed down through generations without a formal will or updated deed, often owned collectively by many descendants. Purchasing it requires specialized title work and legal review, and buyers should engage an attorney experienced in heirs' property before making an offer.
Is Six Mile part of Inner or Outer Mount Pleasant?
Six Mile falls within Outer (Upper) Mount Pleasant, in the same broad zone as Hamlin Plantation and Oyster Point, though its history and land ownership set it apart from the newer communities that surround it.
Interested in Six Mile's history or in nearby Hamlin Plantation and Oyster Point? Contact Chris Eller, Real Estate Sales Broker Associate with The Cassina Group, for local market insight and current listings - chris@iconicdevelopments.com.