15 Surprising Firsts That South Carolina Can Proudly Claim

South Carolina is one of the oldest states in the U.S., which means its people accomplished many things first. Some of them are already well-known facts, but others... are a little lesser-known.

From housing the first European settlement to opening the first library and the first train service, the Palmetto State has several claims to fame. Read on for more surprising feats and inventions that South Carolina achieved first.

1. The First European Settlement Was Established Here

In 1526, Spanish conquistador Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón brought 600 people from Spain to settle in present-day Georgetown, South Carolina. Sadly, within a year, most of them passed away, including Allyón. But those who lived returned to Santo Domingo to tell of their adventures and experiences in the new world.

2. We Had the First Library in America

The first public lending library in the American colonies was opened on November 16, 1700, in what was then called Charles Towne, South Carolina. The library, located on St. Philips Street, was founded by Reverend Thomas Bray, operated for 14 years, and contained around 225 books at its time of opening. The land where the library stood has been built up several times over—it's now home to Memminger Elementary School.

3. The First Professional Female Artist Lived Here

Henrietta Dering Johnston came to Charles Towne from France in 1707 and was the first professional female artist of the time. She was also the first female artist to work mostly with pastels. During her lifetime, Johnston created several beautiful works, including this self-portrait, pictured above, from 1711.

4. We Held the First Opera Performance in the U.S.

On February 18, 1735, the opera, "Flora," was performed in Charles Towne's courtroom. This was the first opera to be produced and performed in the U.S. The ballad opera went on to be performed at the historic Dock Street Theater, which still operates in Charleston to this day.

5. We Started the First Fire Insurance Company

The Friendly Society for the Mutual Insurance of Houses Against Fire was founded in Charles Town on February 3, 1736. This helped protect colonists protect their land and property and receive aid after fires. Ironically, the Friendly Society burned down in 1740, halting its operations, but the concept of insurers lived on in the colonies well after.

6. The First Scientific Weather Recordings Happened Here

In April 1737, physician and scientist Dr. John Lining recorded the weather from his home three times a day and wrote it down. He used a barometer, thermometer, and hygrometer to detect the changes in the atmosphere and connected these changes to potential symptoms of disease.

7. We Started the First Musical Society

In 1762, the first musical society was founded in Charles Towne. It was known as The St. Cecilia Society, which gathered talented musicians to form the first orchestra in the colonies. One of their famous works, "Votaries of Apollo," is shared and played to this day.

8. We Had the First Museum

"America's First Museum," the Charleston Museum, was established by a committee in 1773. It was established as a 501(c)3 nonprofit and still runs to this day, showing collections of ethnological and zoological specimens and focusing on the natural history of the state's landscape.

9. The First Black Baptist Church Began Here

Silver Bluff Baptist Church, located in Beech Island, South Carolina, is considered the first and oldest African American-founded Baptist church in the U.S. It began between 1773 and 1775 thanks to former slave David George. The congregation was made up of slaves who eventually fled to Savannah, Georgia, where the church building exists today.

10. We Produced the First Eminent Architect

American architect Robert Mills was born and raised in South Carolina and is considered the first professionally trained architect in the country. He studied at the College of Charleston and eventually went to apprentice with the team that constructed the White House, the Washington Monument, and several other official buildings throughout South Carolina. Many of his beautiful homes and works still stand today.

11. We're Home to the First Golf Club

South Carolina has a longstanding history with the game of golf. In 1743, a shipment of 96 golf clubs and 432 golf balls was sent from Leith, Scotland, to Charleston. Then, in 1786, a group of Scottish merchants established the South Carolina Golf Club, where the modern sport of golf was developed. This club remained open until 1800, but set the stage for several golf courses across the state.

12. The First Fireproof Building Is Here

The Fireproof Building, now a historical landmark, was the first of its kind in the U.S. Construction of the building began in 1823 and took approximately four years to complete. It was designed by the previously mentioned Robert Mills to house the state's records for safekeeping.

13. We Started the First Regular Train Service

The Charleston-Hamburg Railroad officially opened on Christmas Day, December 25, 1830, and made its first full run carrying people to their destinations. The train went 15 to 25 miles per hour, and the route connected Charleston to Hamburg, South Carolina. Eventually, the track was sold to Southern Railway in 1899 and was incorporated into a larger railway system that connects Charleston to Los Angeles, California.

14. We Opened the First Municipal College

Founded in 1770, the College of Charleston, South Carolina, is the thirteenth oldest college in the U.S. The first graduating class was only six students in 1794, but eventually, the school grew in numbers and acclaim to the point where it came under municipal rule in 1837. As a result, the college became the first municipal college (aka a city-supported institution) in the country.

15. We Created the First Patent for the Refrigerator

Dr. John Gorrie, born and raised in South Carolina, began his medical practice in Abbeville in 1828. But the doctor was also an inventor. In 1851, Dr. Gorrie received an official patent for his invention of the first mechanical refrigerator and ice machine. Though he actually invented the contraption in Florida, where he moved in 1833, the Palmetto State still stakes its claim in this modern-day marvel.

Did you know these fun facts and surprising firsts about South Carolina? Learn even more by taking a trip the the Palmetto State yourself, using Only In Your State's itinerary planner to guide your lodging, dining, and sightseeing plans.