The Ashley River Railroad was a shortline railroad that served the South Carolina Lowcountry region in the late 19th century. The Ashley River Railroad was incorporated by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1875 and, according to an article in the New York Times in late December 1877, the line opened on December 27, 1877, and was the final link in the coast line of railways from New York City to Jacksonville, Florida. A new bridge over the Ashley River replaced a ferry, according to the article.