West Ashley or as it is more formally known, west of the Ashley is one of the six distinct areas of the city proper of Charleston, South Carolina, with an estimated 2010 population of 57,403. Its name is derived from the fact that the land is west of the Ashley River. West Ashley is noted as the birthplace of Charleston as English colonists established the first permanent settlement in the Carolina colony there in 1670. Local Native Americans, particularly the Kiawah Indians, led the colonists from the Carolina ship to a suitable settling ground.
Flanked by the scenic waterfront vistas and marshes of the Ashley and Stono Rivers and ancient moss draped oak trees, initial neighborhoods west of the Ashley were developed in the 1950s with its largest growth occurring throughout the 1970s and 80s. As Interstate 526 was built in the early 1980s and the Glenn McConnell Parkway was built in the 1990s to help alleviate traffic on the historic Ashley River Road (SC Hwy. 61) corridor, the area saw explosive residential and commercial growth. Major retailers located in the community as land needed for "big box" stores was not available on the historic downtown Charleston peninsula. West Ashley's original neighborhoods line Savannah Highway (US Hwy. 17) in an area closest to the historic Charleston peninsula. Its first retail district, built in the 1950s, is seeing a revitalization with many art and design oriented businesses having located there in recent years.
West Ashley is the area where Darius Rucker, lead singer of the band Hootie and the Blowfish grew up. He graduated from Middleton High School. Stephen Colbert host of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS is also a graduate of Porter-Gaud School located in West Ashley.
