RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of South Carolina >> Charleston County >> Dorchester >> Tidbits & TriviaIndex...

Outdoor Activities ...

As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).

When in Dorchester, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Dorchester and the surrounding area.

  • Weather ...
  • Astronomy & Satellites ...
    • Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
    • To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for Dorchester:
    • 32.853077, -79.987634
    • Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
    • Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Dorchester
  • Bird Watching ...
    • We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
    • The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Charleston County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Charleston County
    • Since Dorchester is near Berkeley County and also Dorchester County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Berkeley County
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Dorchester County
  • Waymarking ...
    • Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
    • Open the Waymark.com report for Dorchester

Communities Also Named Dorchester ...

We found twenty communities that are also named Dorchester.

There is one other community in South Carolina that is also named Dorchester.

Beyond South Carolina, we know of nineteen communities that are located in the United States and Canada. Of these nineteen communities, eighteen are located in the United States and two are in Canada.

  • Communities Located In South Carolina ...
    • Dorchester County
      • This Dorchester is located in Dorchester County and lies 30 miles [48.3 km]<1> to the northwest of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Dorchester County community of Dorchester.
  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • Colorado
      • Gunnison County
      • This community is historic<2> and although located in Gunnison County, we don't know where within the county.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Gunnison County community of Dorchester.
    • Florida
      • Hillsborough County
      • This Dorchester is located in Hillsborough County and lies 368 miles [592.2 km]<1> to the south southwest of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Hillsborough County community of Dorchester.
    • Georgia
      • Liberty County
      • This Dorchester is located in Liberty County and lies 110 miles [177 km]<1> to the southwest of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Liberty County community of Dorchester.
      • Richmond County
      • This Dorchester is located in Richmond County and lies 127 miles [204.4 km] to the west northwest of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Richmond County community of Dorchester.
    • Illinois
      • Macoupin County
      • This Dorchester is located in Macoupin County and lies 700 miles [1,126.5 km]<1> to the northwest of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Macoupin County community of Dorchester.
    • Iowa
      • Allamakee County
      • This Dorchester is located in Allamakee County and lies 961 miles [1,546.6 km]<1> to the northwest of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Allamakee County community of Dorchester.
    • Maryland
      • Charles County
      • This Dorchester is located in Charles County and lies 433 miles [696.8 km]<1> to the north northeast of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Charles County community of Dorchester.
    • Massachusetts
      • Suffolk County
      • This Dorchester is located in Suffolk County and lies 813 miles [1,308.4 km]<1> to the north northeast of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Suffolk County community of Dorchester.
    • Missouri
      • Greene County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Missouri community of Dorchester [Greene County].
    • Nebraska
      • Saline County
      • This Dorchester is located in Saline County and lies 1,086 miles [1,747.7 km]<1> to the northwest of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Saline County community of Dorchester.
    • New Brunswick
      • This Dorchester lies 1,218 miles [1,960.2 km]<1> to the northeast of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
    • New Hampshire
      • Grafton County
      • This Dorchester is located in Grafton County and lies 868 miles [1,396.9 km]<1> to the north northeast of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Grafton County community of Dorchester.
    • New Jersey
      • Cumberland County
      • This Dorchester is located in Cumberland County and lies 523 miles [841.7 km]<1> to the north northeast of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Cumberland County community of Dorchester.
    • North Carolina
      • Forsyth County
      • This Dorchester is located in Forsyth County and lies 229 miles [368.5 km]<1> to the north of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Forsyth County community of Dorchester.
    • Ontario
      • This Dorchester lies 702 miles [1,129.8 km]<1> to the north of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
    • Texas
      • Grayson County
      • This Dorchester is located in Grayson County and lies 965 miles [1,553 km]<1> to the west of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Grayson County community of Dorchester.
    • Virginia
      • Richmond City
      • This Dorchester is located in Richmond City and lies 348 miles [560.1 km]<1> to the north northeast of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Richmond City community of Dorchester.
      • Wise County
      • This Dorchester is located in Wise County and lies 319 miles [513.4 km] to the north northwest of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Wise County community of Dorchester.
    • Wisconsin
      • Clark County
      • This Dorchester is located in Clark County and lies 1,004 miles [1,615.8 km]<1> to the north northwest of the Dorchester that is located in Charleston County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Clark County community of Dorchester.

Curious and Interesting Names Near Dorchester ...

As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.

  • Bees Ferry
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Bees Ferry is located in Charleston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bees Ferry
  • Dogwood Gardens
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Dogwood Gardens is located in Charleston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dogwood Gardens
  • Ferndale
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Ferndale is located in Charleston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferndale
  • Garden Hill
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Garden Hill is located in Charleston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Hill
  • Green Grove
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Green Grove is located in Charleston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Grove
  • Grove Creek Village
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Grove Creek Village is located in Charleston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove Creek Village
  • Heathwood
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Heathwood is located in Charleston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heathwood
  • Hibernian Heights
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Hibernian Heights is located in Charleston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hibernian Heights
  • Hillside
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Hillside is located in Charleston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillside
  • Joshua
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Joshua is located in Charleston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joshua
  • Liberty Hills
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Liberty Hills is located in Charleston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Hills
  • Liberty Park
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Liberty Park is located in Charleston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Park
  • Continue List   (7 more) ...
    • Marsh Cove
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Marsh Cove is located in Charleston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marsh Cove
    • Oak Grove
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Oak Grove is located in Charleston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
    • Parsonage Point
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Parsonage Point is located in Charleston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parsonage Point
    • Pinecrest
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Pinecrest is located in Charleston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinecrest
    • Shady Grove
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Shady Grove is located in Charleston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
    • Singing Pines
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Singing Pines is located in Charleston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Singing Pines
    • Union Heights
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Union Heights is located in Charleston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Heights

How Far From Dorchester to ...

We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers & Almanacs that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Dorchester to various places of note, such as the White House.

With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Dorchester and extending to:

  • Charleston, which is the Seat of Charleston County, lies just to the South Southeast.
  • Columbia, which is the State Capital of South Carolina, lies 99 miles [159.3 km]<1> to the northwest (NW). If you could drive a straight line from Dorchester to Columbia, with an average speed<4>of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, it would take less than two hours to make the trip. A comfortable walk of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour would take 6 days. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take three full days.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 448 miles [721 km] to the north northeast (NNE). Driving would take most of a day, a buggy would take 18 days and walking would take 26 days.
  • The shortest distance<5> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 6,288 miles [10,119.6 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<6>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,973 miles [11,222 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,860 miles [7,821.4 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<8>'

Footnotes ...

<1>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Dorchester) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<2>We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Dorchester, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.

Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Bird Creek to see Pete ... Bird Creek is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.

Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.

Also keep in mind that Dorchester could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out.
<4>While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day.
<5>The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Dorchester to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Dorchester. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 32.8531, Longitude: -79.9876    
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 309.72 degrees.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 304.634 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 307.869 degrees.