Elisha Tillman died in 1824. His son, John M. Tillman (1798-1865), inherited the Ark plantation and lived there until his death. In 1860, some of the farm products at the Ark were cattle, swine, wool, Indian corn, sweet potatoes, rye, peas, beans and molasses . One hundred ninety acres were used for the production of upland rice. Most likely, Tillman was also involved in naval stores and derived an income from that, as a large part of his land would have been suited to that industry. A re-survey from 1838 shows that the plantation contained a total of 3,194 acres.
Ark Survey (1838)
“South Carolina,
At the request of Mr. John M. Tillman I have resurveyed a tract of land and from an actual survey made the 4th & 5th of October 1838, find the same to contain one thousand five hundred and seventy acres which lines are shaded red. The lines shaded blue contains sixteen hundred and twenty seven acres taken up for Mr. Tillman [total of 3,197 acres]. ….. said tract is situated on Waccamaw Neck and has such shape forms and marks as the above plat represents.”
On the land survey above, dated 1838, you can see where the Broad Road went through the Ark property. That section of the road would have been approximately where US Hwy. 17 is today. Also shown on the survey are four structures located just behind the inner-most sand ridge. The structure on the far left represents the Ark House, which was at what is now the corner of East Willow Drive and Third Avenue South, now preserved as the Ark Heritage Park.
Old Broad Road (aka King’s Hwy.)
There are no longer any extant buildings from the colonial and antebellum eras in the Surfside Beach area. The land that was once called a “large indigo plantation” in the 1770’s is now a thriving residential community and vacation resort. However, old Live Oak trees still stand on the site of the old Ark Plantation home site. The site of the main house has been left untouched and is now owned by the Town of Surfside Beach. That site has taken on a new life as the town’s Ark Heritage Park, dedicated to the area’s rich local history.