Chapin is a small town in Lexington County, South Carolina, United States. It's often called the "Capital of Lake Murray" because it sits right at the northern tip of this large lake. Lake Murray actually separates Chapin from the rest of Lexington County. In 2020, about 1,809 people lived in Chapin.

Chapin is located about 24 miles northwest of Columbia, the state capital. Many people who live in Chapin travel to Columbia for work. The town is governed by a mayor-council system, and Albert Koon is the current mayor. Chapin has several public schools, with the first school building dating back to 1924. Lake Murray is a huge draw for the town, offering lots of fun water activities for boaters and visitors.

Discovering Chapin's Past
Chapin's Location and Landscape
Who Lives in Chapin?
- Chapin's Population in 2020
Learning in Chapin: Schools and Library
- A Look at Chapin's School History
- Chapin's Public Library
Places of Worship in Chapin
Fun Things to Do in Chapin
- Exploring Lake Murray
- Chapin Labor Day Festival
Famous People from Chapin
Images for kids
See also

Discovering Chapin's Past

Chapin was named after Martin Chapin in 1889. Martin and his wife, Laura Anne Benjamin, moved to South Carolina in 1850 for Martin's health. His doctor suggested he move to the "Piney Woods" area.

How Chapin Grew from Piney Woods

Martin Chapin bought a lot of land, eventually owning over 4,200 acres. He built a home and later a hotel in the 1880s. This was along a new rail line, the Columbia, Newberry and Laurens Railroad. The railroad was very important. It helped people trade and transport goods like cotton and lumber to the capital city. After Martin Chapin passed away in 1894, Laura Chapin sold their home and moved into the hotel.

Early Businesses and Challenges

In 1907, the Bank of Chapin was started by Job S. Wessinger, P.M. Frick, and J. S. Honeycut. The bank did well, thanks to the railroad. During World War I, Chapin's economy was strong. Farmers made good money from cotton, and the bank thrived. The first high school building was completed in 1924.

However, things got tough in the 1930s. On October 15, 1931, the Bank of Chapin closed. People lost their savings due to the economic difficulties of the Great Depression. Another big change was the building of a dam on the Saluda River. This dam created Lake Murray, which covered many Chapin families' farms and homes. Dam construction began in 1927.

Finding Fun During Hard Times

Even during the Great Depression, Chapin found ways to stay positive. In 1935, a baseball league called the Dutch Fork League was formed. Chapin had its own team, which helped unemployed men stay busy. These baseball games were very popular, attracting thousands of people.

Chapin's Growth in the Mid-1900s

Chapin continued to grow in the 1940s. The school improved, and new businesses opened. These included filling stations and a cabinet shop called E. A. Frick and Son. The town also got paved roads, a baseball field, and a public library. In 1950, the first post office building was built, and new telephone services became available.

The 1960s brought more improvements. The town started a garbage collection service and built a landfill. Transportation got easier when a section of Interstate 26 opened in 1960. This made Chapin more connected. Town streets were also improved, and a new water system was added. In 1965, a volunteer fire department was formed, and in 1966, the town got its first ambulance. More people also started moving to Chapin during this time.

Modern Developments and Local Pride

In the 1970s, new schools were built. Chapin's football team became a big community event. The Chapin High School Eagles won state championships in 1973 and 1974. Churches in Chapin also grew, with new congregations forming.

Later, the Robinson-Hiller House was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1998. The Chapin Commercial Historic District was added in 2019, recognizing the town's important historical buildings.

Chapin's Location and Landscape

Chapin is located in the northern part of Lexington County. The town covers about 1.99 square miles (5.16 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Lake Murray was created by the Dreher Shoals Dam on the Saluda River. This large lake actually separates Chapin from the rest of Lexington County by road. This makes Chapin feel a bit like its own separate area.

Who Lives in Chapin?

Chapin's population has changed over the years.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1900	187	—
1910	345	84.5%
1920	264	−23.5%
1930	429	62.5%
1940	311	−27.5%
1950	327	5.1%
1960	358	9.5%
1970	342	−4.5%
1980	311	−9.1%
1990	282	−9.3%
2000	628	122.7%
2010	1,445	130.1%
2020	1,809	25.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

Chapin's Population in 2020

In 2020, there were 1,809 people living in Chapin. There were 768 households and 524 families in the town.

Chapin racial composition
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	1,399	77.34%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	148	8.18%
Native American	4	0.22%
Asian	49	2.71%
Other/Mixed	75	4.15%
Hispanic or Latino	134	7.41%

Learning in Chapin: Schools and Library

Chapin has several schools for students of all ages.

Chapin High School
Chapin Middle School
Chapin Intermediate School
Chapin Elementary School
Lake Murray Elementary School
Spring Hill High School
Center for Advanced Technical Studies
Piney Woods Elementary School

A Look at Chapin's School History

The very first school in Chapin was actually located in the Chapin family home. In 1924, a high school building was constructed. In 1927, the school song, "Chapin, Dear Chapin," was written. It's still used at Chapin High School today!

According to historian Addison Bostain, Chapin's schools and churches were very important to town life. In 1929, Chapin High School had 150 students, and the elementary school also had 150 students. At that time, the school only went up to 11th grade.

Chapin High School was built in different sections over time. By 1940, it still didn't have a gym. The school auditorium was used for both theater and basketball. The gym wasn't built until 1952, and the community helped build it for less than $30,000.

The 12th grade was added to Chapin High School in 1948. That same year, the school got its first football team. Football was expensive, so in 1952, the Irmo and Chapin High School teams combined. They were known as the Flying Dutchmen. The teams separated again, and Chapin has had its own team since 1959.

In 1970, a new high school was built with much better facilities. It had new labs and areas for band, chorus, and physical education. The Chapin football team became very strong in South Carolina. Cecil Woolbright became the head football coach and athletic director in 1968. The Chapin High School Eagles won two state championships and three conference titles in three years (1973, 1974, and 1975). They even had a 30-game winning streak! Chapin High School's mascot is named Cecil the Eagle.

A new elementary school opened in August 1977, designed to hold 840 children.

Chapin's Public Library

Chapin also has a public library. It is a part of the Lexington County Public Library system.

Places of Worship in Chapin

Churches have been an important part of Chapin's community for a long time. The first church, Mt. Horeb Lutheran Church, was started in 1891. The Chapin Methodist Church began in 1889, but it wasn't officially within the town limits until 1892. Also in 1892, Mt. Zion Baptist Church was founded for the African American community. St. John's AME church is even older, but its exact start date is not known.

More churches have been established over the years:

Chapin Baptist Church (1972)
Lake Murray Presbyterian Church (1974)
St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church (1977)
Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church (1978)

Here is a list of churches in Chapin:

Chapin Baptist Church
Chapin Community Church
Chapin Fellowship Bible Church
Chapin Presbyterian Church
Chapin Christian Community Church
Lake Murray Presbyterian Church
Mt. Horeb Lutheran Church
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church
St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church
St. John AME Church
St. Peter Lutheran Church ELCA

Fun Things to Do in Chapin

Chapin offers exciting attractions, especially around Lake Murray!

Exploring Lake Murray

View of Lake Murray

Chapin is known as the "capital of Lake Murray" for good reason! Work on the dam for the Saluda River started on September 21, 1927, and finished on June 30, 1930. Many Chapin families had to sell their land, some having lived there for over 200 years, to make way for the new lake. Lake Murray stretches 14 miles wide and 40 miles long.

The dam itself is over 200 feet tall and about 1.5 miles long. Lake Murray has over 500 miles of shoreline and covers about 50,000 acres (202 square kilometers). The closest part of the lake is only about half a mile from Chapin's town limits.

The dam on Lake Murray has been updated several times. In 1943, 3 feet were added to its height to help with flooding. In the 1980s, more protection was added to help with flooding. The most recent changes happened in 2002 when a backup dam was built. This backup dam is made of rock and concrete to protect against earthquakes.

Lake Murray is used to create electricity for nearby areas. But it's also a popular spot for outdoor fun! You can enjoy swimming, boating, water skiing, fishing, and wake-boarding. The lake also hosts fishing tournaments and is home to lots of wildlife. It's famous for its purple martins, striped bass, and great blue heron.

Chapin Labor Day Festival

Chapin is home to the annual Chapin Labor Day Festival. This festival happens every year on Labor Day weekend. It lasts for three days, starting on the Saturday before Labor Day and ending on Labor Day itself.

On Monday, the festival kicks off with a parade through town. Local and state leaders often participate. The Chapin High School NJROTC also marches in the parade every year. After the parade, there's a carnival, a talent show called Chapin Idol, vendors, food, concerts, and a car show. All these activities take place along the historic streets of downtown Chapin.

Famous People from Chapin

Deepfield: A rock band, with lead singer Baxter Teal.
Sam Beam (born in 1974): An indie-folk singer-songwriter known as Iron & Wine.
DeWayne Wise (born in 1978): A former outfielder who played for teams like the Chicago White Sox and Atlanta Braves.