Ever wonder how Bull Street got its name? With so many exciting developments (REI, naming of Page Ellington Park, and WestLawn building just to name a few) + the return of Fireflies baseball at Segra Park, we have been hearing about the BullStreet District more and more.
Out of the 287 votes from our readers, 29% wanted to know more about Bull Street, and 27% voted for Lake Murray (we can dive into that historical marker another time). So park it where you are and let’s go back to the 1700s to get to know Bull Street’s namesake.
Brigadier General Stephen Bull was born in 1733 to a wealthy family of Loyalists (meaning they remained loyal to King George over the pond) with political ties back to the very first days of the colony of South Carolina. His father was also named Stephen Bull and his uncle was William Bull, Jr., a former Governor of South Carolina who was leading the state before the last Royal Governor took over in 1775 — Lord William Campbell.
Stephen and a cousin, John Bull, were the only 2 from the family to support the Patriots and rejected the British rule. He was actively involved in Revolutionary War battles, including commanding the Beaufort District militia, and records show he was with General William Moultrie during the victory at Port Royal Island.
After the war, he went on to serve many roles politically. He was elected to the First and Second General Assemblies of South Carolina serving from 1776-1778. He was also a member of the SC House of Representatives from 1783 to 1790 and was even elected to the SC Senate but declined to serve twice.
Records show that Stephen died in 1800 and history buffs can visit his grave at Sheldon Church in Beaufort County. Today, Bull is a household name around the Soda City with revitalization efforts in the district.
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