Here Are The 9 Oldest Towns In South Carolina...And They're Loaded With History
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Robin Jarvis
Author
There’s no doubt about the allure history has to most South Carolinians and visitors to our state.
The modern day history of South Carolina dates all the way back to the first European settlers to arrive here in the 1600s. There are few resources available that have documented a timelime for settlements in what would become South Carolina. But we’ve pieced together this list of existing villages, towns (and what would become cities) that were established beginning under the proprieter’s rule and forward. They’re steeped in rich history. Take a look.
First settled in the 1600s by refugee French Protestant Huguenots, this town was eventually named after a local land baron, Thomas Monck.
Believe it or not, in 1999 Moncks Corner trademarked the moniker, "Capital of Santee Cooper Country." The nickname is more about the abundant outdoor activities in the area than it is about the presence of Santee Cooper in the area.
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St David's Church in Cheraw was built in 1768 under the rule of King George III. During the Civil War, it was used by both the Union and Confederate armies as a hospital.
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By 1830 most of the streets in the "prettiest town in Dixie" had been planted with three rows of Elm trees. Most were removed in the 1900s to lay water lines, but Third Street still boasts this format. It's absolutely stunning.
Does anyone really know for sure how the Town of Ninety Six got its name? Some speculate it was 96 miles from the nearest Cherokee outpost, but others will argue thats not the real story. What do you think?
The first land battle of the American Revolutionary War was fought in Ninety Six in November of 1775. Some 200 years later Congress established the Ninety Six National Historic Site where visitors can experience a hands on reenactment of the historic battle.
Francis Marion, a.k.a. the Swamp Fox, defeated the British at the Battle of Lower Bridge near here.
However, a super interesting thing about the history of Kingstree is when the name got changed from Williamsburg (now the name of the county seat) to The Kings Tree because there was a very tall white pine on the edge of the establishment that was "claimed" on behalf of the King. Tall white pines were used for ship masts and this one was unusually tall. Thus, Williamsburg became known as "The Kings Tree," and now just, "Kingstree."
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Established in 1732, Camden is South Carolina's oldest "inland" town. It was the main inland trade center for Carolina in the 1700s.
The town of Georgetown was formed in 1729 and in 1732 Georgetown opened the port, giving traders a second point of commerce. Charleston was the first.
Officially the Second Oldest Town in South Carolina, Beaufort is loaded with history.
Fort Freemont in Beaufort is one of only two surviving coastal fortifications from the Spanish-American war era. It's rich in history and definitely worth a visit.
Fort Freemont in Beaufort is one of only two surviving coastal fortifications from the Spanish-American war era. It's rich in history and definitely worth a visit.
Who would have guessed that one of the fastest growing areas in South Carolina was also one of the oldest?
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Established under the leadership of Captain Florentia O'Sullivan from England, the town was first known as "North Point," and was only accessible from Charles Towne by way of a ferry until the first Cooper River Bridge was built in the 1930s.
The original settlement of Charles Towne was actually a few miles from its present-day location. The town just up and moved from what is now Charles Towne Landing to the peninsula. And in 1789 the name was altered to Charleston.
This 17th century model of the type of boat that landed here in 1670 is docked at Charles Towne Landing, the original site of the first established area in South Carolina.
If you’re a history buff you must love living in the Palmetto State. So many of the towns and cities here in South Carolina are old and jam-packed with historical buildings and events.
Have you visited each of these oldest towns in South Carolina yet?
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