In the early 20th century, Pine Grove Plantation was owned by Lemuel Whitaker "Whit" Boykin (1861-1932), a planter and sportsman who, along with other members of the Boykin and Cantey families, began breeding dogs to accompany them on hunts along the nearby Wateree River. By the 1920s, he had developed the breed eventually known as the Boykin spaniel. Well suited for hunting waterfowl, the spaniels bred there were skilled retrievers and swimmers, small enough for boat travel, and good tempered. They are believed to have descended from a dog found in Spartanburg that was sent to Boykin for breeding. In 1985, the Boykin spaniel became the official state dog of South Carolina.