As one of the oldest states in the United States, South Carolina has racked up a lot of firsts in the nation. Sure, some of them you know about and could write complete essays on, but we’re sure that there are one or two of these South Carolina firsts that will surprise you. Here are some things SC did first:

1. First European settlement in 1526

PRODennis Jarvis/Flickr
Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon brought 600 people with him to make a settlement somewhere around present-day Georgetown. Within a year, most of them were dead including Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon. The ones who lived went back to Santo Domingo.

2. We made the first ship to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

Michael R Perry/Flickr
A small settlement of French Huguenots made the first ship that they sailed from Port Royal to France after being left by their leader.

3. We had the first library in America

Barta IV/Flickr
November 16, 1700, the first library was established in Charles Towne on St. Philips Street. This library was in operation for 14 years.

4. The first professional female artist

Gibbes Museum of Art, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Henrietta Dering Johnston came to Charles Towne in 1707 and was the first professional female artist of the time. She was also the first female artist who worked mostly in pastels.

5. First opera performance in America

trialsanderrors / Flickr
On February 18, 1735, the opera, Flora, was performed in Charles Towne's courtroom.

6. First fire insurance company

Stuart Rankin/Flickr
The Friendly Society for the Mutual Insurance of Houses Against Fire was founded in Charles Town on February 3, 1736.

7. First scientific weather recordings

PRONASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Flickr
In April 1737, Dr. John Lining took recordings of the weather from his home three times a day and wrote them down.

8. First musical society

scmcgr.org
In 1762, the first musical society known as The St. Cecilia Society was founded in Charles Towne.

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9. We had the first museum

Wally Gobetz/Flickr
It was decided by a committee in 1773 to establish a museum. It was established and was never shut down.

10. First Black Baptist church

Sean MacEntee/Flickr
It was founded in Silver Bluff in 1773.

11. We produced the first eminent architect

geraldbrazell/Flickr
Robert Mills was born and raised in South Carolina. Throughout his life, he created some very beautiful and marvelous pieces and homes that became firsts in South Carolina - many are still standing today.

12. We had the first golf club

Wojciech Kulicki/Flickr
On September 29, 1786: Scottish merchants opened the South Carolina Golf Club in Charleston. It stayed open until 1800.

13. The first fireproof building

Spencer Means/Flickr
Construction of the building began in 1823 and was completed approximately four years later. It was designed by our very own Robert Mills to house our state records for safekeeping.

14. First regular train service

Train Photos/Flickr
On Christmas Day, December 25, 1830, they made their first full run carrying people where they needed to be at 15-25mph.

15. The very first municipal college

Adam/Flickr
In 1836, the College of Charleston came under municipal rule and became the very first municipal college.

16. The first patent for the refrigerator

PRObeautifulcataya/Flickr
On May 6, 1851, Dr. John Gorrie received a patient for a mechanical refrigerator making this unusual contraption one of the first things from South Carolina that soon could be found in every household.

Okay, so maybe South Carolina had a head start and another state might have claimed these firsts if we hadn’t had the good fortune of being one of the earliest settled colonies, but that’s the luck of the draw. Did you know about these South Carolina firsts?

Here are some more fun facts about South Carolina that you might not know.

Another fun fact about South Carolina is that it is home to one of the largest birds on the East Coast – the Eastern brown pelican. This is the only pelican that is not white. Check out a quick look at these iconic birds as seen at the Bird Key Stono Heritage Preserve in SC:

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South Carolina Was The First To Do These Things

Leah | July 31, 2020

What is South Carolina known for?

With so many interesting facts about the Palmetto state to learn, you might wonder "What is South Carolina known for?" This state is known for many things, like:

  • Charleston and Myrtle Beach are some of the top tourist destinations in the country.
  • The state's seafood is popular among locals and visitors alike, especially in the low country with things like Frogmore Stew, also known as a Lowcountry Boil.
  • Of course, there is more to the state than just the coast. Beautiful forests, mountains, and more fill the landscape.
  • Cuisine goes far beyond seafood, too, with BBQ being another popular choice of classic SC eats.

What stereotypes about South Carolina are there?

If you plan on living in South Carolina, you'll want to get your facts straight about the state's stereotypes. Some of the stereotypes about South Carolina are true, but many are way off base and some are simply laughable:

  • Not everyone in this state lives on the coast, for example.
  • There are many other places in the state besides its beaches, beautiful as they are.
  • Many people don't think South Carolina has all four seasons when in fact, it does. The summer may be long and sweltering at times, but spring, fall, and winter happen every year.

What are the best things about living in South Carolina?

With this fun South Carolina trivia, you might be tempted to move there. Good news for you, living in the Palmetto State comes with many perks: Both the beach and the mountains are just a South Carolina day trip away. You can enjoy a hike up Table Rock or a visit to Edisto Beach without having to leave the state to do so. There are some truly gorgeous places to visit, both natural and human-made. The history of the state runs deep, and you can see it with your own eyes in stunning and fascinating places like Charleston (it's especially nice when you experience Charleston on this horse-drawn carriage ride) but also just around every other corner, small towns and big cities alike.

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