We Bet You Didn’t Know This Small Town In South Carolina Was Home To The World’s Oldest Railroad Junction
Branchville is a small town in Orangeburg County with a population of approximately 1,000 people as of the 2020 Census. But Branchville has a small-town claim to fame in South Carolina that’s really special and rooted in the history of the area.
This little town is home to the world's oldest railroad junction.
One branch of the trail led to the west, joining other trails at what was then called Fort Monroe, now known as North Augusta. The other veered north, following the north Edisto River toward what is now Orangeburg and continued to the town of Granby, now known as Cayce.
Traders eventually began using the trail from Charleston to "The Branch" and would work out of that point to the west and north. They brought goods to the junction until enough had accumulated to be hauled to Charleston for sale or to be shipped overseas.
As time progressed, community life developed among the settlers. The community grew over time and in 1832, the South Carolina Railroad's tracks reached Branchville.
When the railroad company extended its rails on to Hamburg, across the Savannah River from Augusta, Georgia, and to Orangeburg and Columbia, Branchville became the first railroad junction in the world.
Branchville's importance as a rail center continued to grow, and at one time there were 16 trains, passenger and freight, passing through the junction.
The Branchville Depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The rear of the structure houses the Eatery at the Depot, which serves dinners on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Reservations are recommended but not required.
The front of the structure used to house a museum/shrine of railroad memorabilia, but it has closed.
Do you have an interesting or favorite South Carolina small-town claim to fame story that’s different from this one, perhaps from a different part of the state? Tell us about it in the comments section below!
South Carolina has been home for AnneMarie since 2001. Her favorite part of the state is Lake Jocassee. An App State alumna, it's always the mountains; the lake bonus makes it heavenly. When not writing about the state, she may be spending time with family, relaxing by the pool, or out somewhere enjoying nature.
