Historical Markers in
Pickens County, South Carolina

A CCC Classic A Community Born of the Railroad And Then There Was War Andrew Pickens Andrew Pickens Asbury F. Lever Beliefs Set in Stone Bertha Evans Morgan Rose Garden Billy Weems Blue Key National Honor Fraternity Gateway Bowen's Mill Calhoun - Clemson School Calhoun Plantation Cemetery Captain Kimberly Hampton Central Central Railroad Depot & Red Caboose Central, South Carolina Charles Ladd Cureton Cherokee Path Cherokee Town of Esseneca Civilian Conservation Corps Class of 1943 Veterans Clemson Cannons Clemson College World War I Memorial Clemson Military Heritage Clemson University Clemson University Colonel Robert Elliott Holcombe Commissioners Appointed to Locate the Town of Pickens Cornelius Keith Cornelius Keith - 1715-1808 Dr. Luther W. Baxter Easley Veterans Memorial Easley, South Carolina Eastatoee Valley Elihu Griffin First Woman Graduate Fort Hill Fort Hill Fort Hill Fort Hill Fort Hill Plantation Office Fort Hill Slave Quarters / Clemson College Convict Stockade Fort Prince George Freedom's Hill Church Furman L. Smith Memorial Highway Garren's Café Gen. Robert E. Lee General Andrew Pickens Charted the Way Godfrey Hall Golden Creek Mill Golden Tigers and Class of 1942 Cadet Life Garden Granite and Gravity Griffin-Christopher House Hagood Mill / Prehistoric Rock Carvings Hagood Mill Historic Site Hagood-Mauldin House Hanover House Hanover House Hanover House Hanover House Hardin Hall Heritage Gardens Heritage Gardens Entrance Hester Store Holtzendorff Hall Hopewell / Hopewell Indian Treaties Hopewell Plantation Hopewell Treaty Site Hopewell, Keowee Hosta Garden Donors Hovie Alexander Nealy Howard's Rock Hunt Cabin In Honor of Elinor Knight Integration with Dignity, 1963 John C. Calhoun John C. Calhoun Memorial Highway John C. Calhoun Memorial Highway Julien D. Wyatt Keowee / John Ewing Colhoun Log House Long Hall Major General Andrew Pickens Manly Portable Convict Cage Mell Hall Memorial Park / The Scroll of Honor Military Heritage Plaza Moorefield Memorial Highway Moorefield Memorial Highway Old Pickens Gaol Old Stone Church / Old Stone Church Graveyard Old Stone Church Confederate Memorial Oolenoy Baptist Church Outdoor Theater (Amphitheater) Parkitecture Pickens Pickens County Buffalo Soldiers Pickens County Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial Pickens County Gristmills Pickens County Veterans Memorial Pickens Railroad Pickensville President's Family Residence Pumpkintown Quercus lyrata (Overcup Oak) Riggs Hall Roy F. Jones Highway Seconee Town Sikes Hall Sirrine Hall Site of Fort Rutledge Site of the First Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Clemson Agricultural College Six Mile Veterans Monument Soapstone Boulder Soldiers Buried in Carmel Cemetery St. Luke's Methodist Episcopal Church & Cemetery Table Rock State Park The Battle Of Seneca Town / Fort Rutledge The Camellia Garden The Central History Museum The Central Railroad Hotel The Charles and Betty Cruickshank Hosta Garden The Civilian Conservation Corps The Hagood Cabin The Hagood-Mauldin House The Hayden Conference Center The Murphree-Hollingsworth Cabin The Old Stone Church The Old Tillman Hall Bell The Pickens County Museum The T.L. Senn Horticultural Gardens The Werner Family These Gates Thomas Green Clemson Thomas Joab Mauldin Tillman Hall To the Valiant Citizen-Soldiers of Pickens County Trustee House Veterans Service Station Walter T. Cox, Jr. William M. Hagood William Maxwell Poe Plaza Woodland Cemetery Clemson University / Fort Hill Slave and Convict Cemetery World War Veterans Monument "Widowmaker’s” Drill
South Carolina was one of the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Great Britain in 1776. However, it was also the first state to secede from the United States in 1860, which ultimately led to the Civil War.
South Carolina random facts
Pickens County, located in the northwest corner of South Carolina, has a rich and diverse history that spans centuries. Before European settlement, the area was inhabited by various Native American tribes, including the Cherokee, who hunted and farmed the land. In the late 1700s, European settlers began to arrive, drawn by the fertile soil and abundant resources.

In 1828, Pickens District was officially established, named after General Andrew Pickens, a Revolutionary War hero. The district remained largely agricultural throughout the 19th century, with cotton as the main cash crop. The construction of railroad lines in the late 1800s brought new opportunities for trade and commerce, leading to the growth of small towns within the county.

In the early 20th century, Pickens County faced significant challenges due to the Great Depression and the decline of the cotton industry. However, the county eventually rebounded through diversification and the growth of industries such as textiles, timber, and hydroelectric power. The establishment of Clemson University in 1889 also had a major impact, bringing education and research opportunities to the area and contributing to its economic development.

Today, Pickens County continues to evolve and thrive. It is home to a variety of industries, including advanced manufacturing, automotive, and aerospace, as well as a growing tourism sector. The county's natural beauty, which includes the Blue Ridge Mountains and numerous lakes and parks, attracts visitors from across the region. While agriculture remains an important part of the economy, Pickens County has successfully adapted to new challenges and opportunities, shaping its history into a story of resilience and progress.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Pickens County, South Carolina.

  • 1791: Pickens County was established as part of the Pendleton District
  • 1868: After the American Civil War, Pickens County was officially established
  • 1875: The town of Pickens was incorporated
  • 1898: Clemson University was founded in Pickens County
  • 1920s: The textiles industry experienced rapid growth in Pickens County
  • 1930s: The Great Depression had a significant impact on the county's economy
  • 1973: The Keowee-Toxaway State Park was established
  • 2000s: Pickens County saw significant growth in population and economy