Established in 1927, the 22,940-acre refuge lies along the Savannah River, protecting numerous kinds of wildlife, from Whitetail deer to alligators. Evidence of the rice industry is found in the refuge with its rice levee remains, foundations of slave quarters, old mill sites and small graveyards. A four-mile driving tour along the refuge levees is open to the public. The tract is known as one of the outstanding refuges along the Atlantic Flyway, which extends from Canada to the Caribbean.