Stepping Back In Time

Indigo Farms - 

Indigo Farms is a family farm that goes back six generations of farming and living on this land. 

It was giving the status of a North Carolina Century Farm

The Bellamy family has its roots in the area since John Bellamy settled in America in the 1766. With the families of the Vaughts, Vereens and Gores our past is intertwined with much of the history in both Horry and Brunswick counties. 

Local Area History  – 

Often history has happened close to our farm, The Boundary House in Calabash was used during colonial times by Isaac Marion, who was the brother to Francis Marion also known as the Swamp Fox, and the Swamp Fox was no stranger there. This was where his men, under the command of Captain Greene waited before engaging orders. 

Indigo Run History  – 

The Indigo Branch aka the Indigo Run is a stream that carries water from the area wetlands to the Waccamaw River. The Indigo Run has a intriguing history of it's own. It is one of the shortest routes between the Waccamaw River and the Atlantic Ocean. The Native Americans the surrounding areas traveled waterways much like we travel highways. The Run was a pathway that enabled them to travel many miles down the river and get to this area only a very short distance from the ocean. With the discoveries of Native American settlements at the beach is is very probable that the Run was a very traveled route.  

Growing Indigo - 

The name of the Farm come from the Indio Run. It is documented that Indigo was on of the crops grown right in this area. After the decline of indigo production by the colonies, indigo was commonly grown for personal use. 

Mr. Ben Thompkins used to grow it in the early 20th century for personal use. 

We grow a few indigo plants every year on the farm. 

Family History Tied To This Land – 

James Samuel Bellamy had four sons named Chap, Otha, Draughty, and Ernest. Their farms were side by side in this area. Three of these brothers married sisters from the Edge family in the Tilly Swamp of Horry County. 

Mary Thompkins Bellamy was born in a cabin on the farm, at the site of the current Farm Market, that was built by descendants of Native Americans who frequented the river swamps to hunt and fish.