▁formally ▁known , ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁Ash ley , ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁six ▁distinct ▁areas ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁proper ▁of ▁Char l eston , ▁South ▁Carolina . ▁As ▁of ▁March ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁its ▁estimated ▁population ▁was ▁ 8 2 , 3 4 1 . ▁Its ▁name ▁is ▁derived ▁from ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁the ▁land ▁is ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁Ash ley ▁River . ▁ ▁Description ▁The ▁first ▁neighborhood s ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁Ash ley ▁were ▁developed ▁in ▁the ▁post war ▁period ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s . ▁The ▁area ▁is ▁fl ank ed ▁by ▁the ▁scen ic ▁water front ▁v istas ▁and ▁mar sh es ▁of ▁the ▁Ash ley ▁and ▁St ono ▁rivers ▁and ▁ancient ▁m oss - d rap ed ▁o ak ▁trees . ▁The ▁largest ▁resident ial ▁and ▁business ▁development ▁took ▁place ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁and ▁ 8 0 s ▁following ▁sub urban ▁highway ▁development ▁that ▁e ased ▁comm uting . ▁. ▁As ▁Inter state ▁ 5 2 6 ▁( I - 5 2 6 ) ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁and ▁the ▁South ▁Carolina ▁Highway ▁ 4 6 1 ▁( SC   4 6 1 ▁( G l enn ▁Mc Con nell ▁Park way ) ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁to ▁accommod ate ▁traffic ▁on ▁the ▁historic ▁SC   6 1 ▁( A sh ley ▁River ▁Road ) ▁cor rid or , ▁explos ive ▁resident ial ▁and