A Chronicle of South Carolina’s Hidden Legacy

History lovers, this one’s for you. The Goose Creek Bridge: Gateway to Sacred Places by Michael J. Heitzler, Ed.D. is not just a book — it’s a three-century journey through one of South Carolina’s most historically significant communities. With vivid storytelling and meticulous research, Heitzler breathes life into the people, places, and pivotal events that shaped the St. James, Goose Creek Parish, revealing how a simple wooden bridge became a symbol of connection — not just between two sides of a creek, but between eras, cultures, and generations. This isn’t your average history lesson. It’s an immersive experience that lets you walk the same paths, witness the same struggles, and feel the same triumphs that built a cornerstone of American history.

From colonial settlers and revolutionary patriots to enslaved communities and determined parishioners, this book captures the soul of a region that helped shape the early political and social fabric of the South. It’s a compelling, deeply human story told through the lens of a bridge that has seen it all — and survived it all.

“The common appearance of the Goose Creek Bridge belied its function as an important conveyor of communication and commerce for three centuries. The overpass carried official couriers, law enforcing militias and national armies across the convenient ford. British infantry crossed in search of wily patriots during the Revolutionary War and decades later, Union soldiers marched over, bent on transforming the slave-based society. However, no army, militia or messenger brought more traumas to the people of Goose Creek than the alarm riders galloping along the earthen causeway and across the wooden bridge on Easter Sunday, 1715.”

— The Goose Creek Bridge, “The Goose Creek Bridge,” p. 19

A Bridge Through Time

The Goose Creek Bridge traces more than 300 years of history surrounding one of the most important regions in South Carolina. What began as a simple crossing over a shallow creek evolved into a gateway that connected people, commerce, and culture, shaping the destiny of the St. James, Goose Creek Parish and beyond. Through its pages, readers are guided from the earliest colonial settlements and conflicts like the Yamassee War to the rise of sacred places and the building of community institutions that would endure for generations.

Heitzler paints a rich picture of life along Goose Creek — from the struggles of early European settlers carving out new lives on the frontier, to the construction of churches and schools that became the heart of the parish. The book also explores the painful realities of war, slavery, and societal change, showing how this small but crucial region was deeply woven into the larger story of America’s transformation. One of the most powerful sections recounts the arrival of Anglican missionary Reverend Francis LeJau in 1706 and the rise of the St. James, Goose Creek Church, built brick by brick as a symbol of faith and resilience that still stands today.

More than a history book, The Goose Creek Bridge is a story of perseverance, identity, and connection — and how one bridge carried not just people but the weight of generations across centuries of change.

Historian and Leader

Michael James Heitzler, Ed.D. is a respected historian, educator, and public servant. A Fulbright Scholar and retired school administrator, he has served as Mayor of the City of Goose Creek since 1978. Heitzler earned his Doctor of Education degree from the University of South Carolina and is the author of several acclaimed works on South Carolina history, including Historic Goose Creek, South Carolina, 1670–1980 and Goose Creek: A Definitive History (Volumes I and II). His dedication to preserving and telling the stories of the region has made him one of the foremost voices on South Carolina’s colonial and post-colonial past.

Why This Book Really Matters

If you love history told with heart and depth, The Goose Creek Bridge: Gateway to Sacred Places is a must-read. This book invites you to step back in time and discover the stories that shaped a community — and a nation.

The Goose Creek Bridge

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Grab your copy today and journey across the bridge where history and legacy meet.

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