Edgefield, South Carolina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Edgefield, South Carolina
Town
Town square in Edgefield
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  Home of Ten Governors
Location of Edgefield, South Carolina
Edgefield, South Carolina Location in South Carolina Show map of South Carolina Edgefield, South Carolina Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
County	Edgefield
Area
• Total	4.32 sq mi (11.19 km2)
• Land	4.20 sq mi (10.89 km2)
• Water	0.12 sq mi (0.30 km2)
Elevation	531 ft (162 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,322
• Density	552.46/sq mi (213.29/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code	29824
Area code(s)	803 and 839
FIPS code	45-22795
GNIS feature ID	1247634

Edgefield is a town in Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States. It is also the county seat, meaning it is where the local government offices are located. In 2020, about 2,322 people lived there.

Edgefield is part of the larger Augusta Metropolitan Area.

Exploring Edgefield's Location

Edgefield is located slightly east of the center of Edgefield County. You can find it at 33°47′N 81°56′W / 33.783°N 81.933°W / 33.783; -81.933.

U.S. Route 25 goes through the southwest part of town. It leads north about 33 miles to Greenwood. It also goes south about 26 miles to Augusta, Georgia. South Carolina Highway 23 runs through the town center. This road goes east about 26 miles to Batesburg-Leesville. It also goes west about 17 miles to Modoc.

The United States Census Bureau says Edgefield covers about 4.3 square miles (11.1 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Edgefield's Past: A Look at History

The history of Edgefield goes back over 250 years. Before European settlers arrived, Native Americans lived in the area. It was a huge wilderness with forests, prairies, and rivers. There was lots of wildlife, like deer, turkey, and even buffalo.

Early Days: The 1700s

The first settlers came to what is now Edgefield County between 1750 and 1775. Some came from other parts of South Carolina. Many others traveled down "the Great Wagon Road" from colonies to the north. At first, people grew only what they needed to eat. There were no courts or police. Settlers worked to bring law and order to the "backcountry" of South Carolina.

After this, a long conflict with Great Britain began in 1775. This was the American Revolutionary War. Many Edgefield County settlers were involved. Some wanted America to be free. Others stayed loyal to the king. The fighting in this area was very tough. Neighbors and even family members fought against each other.

After the war, people focused on building local government. In 1788, Edgefield County's borders were set. A courthouse site was chosen. People tried to grow tobacco as a money crop, but it didn't work well. Then, in the late 1790s, cotton became popular. The rich clay soils were perfect for growing cotton. Many African slaves were brought in to work on cotton farms. This led to a time of great wealth for the county in the early 1800s.

Growing Up: The 1800s Before the Civil War

As the jail and courthouse were built starting in 1785, a village grew around them. Houses for officials, a tavern, and stores appeared. By 1811, a school was built, then churches and more homes. By 1826, Edgefield was described as a "neat little village" with about 300 people.

Edgefield became known as a center for law and politics. Many young men from wealthy families came to Edgefield to become lawyers and politicians. They built large houses in town. This attracted more ambitious young men to the area.

Some people in Edgefield were also interested in business and industry. Dr. Abner Landrum started a pottery industry. Henry Schultz helped develop Hamburg, a new town on the Savannah River. Christian Breithaupt built the first textile mill in the area at Vaucluse. Many Edgefield citizens helped bring the South Carolina Railroad to Hamburg.

A big part of Edgefield's history in the 1800s was the growing tension between different parts of the country. Edgefield Congressman George McDuffie (who later became a Senator and Governor) argued against federal taxes on imported goods. He felt these taxes helped New England but hurt the South.

McDuffie and John C. Calhoun developed the idea of "nullification." This meant a state could refuse to follow a federal law it disagreed with. South Carolina tried to do this in 1832. President Andrew Jackson threatened to send troops. A war was avoided when a compromise was reached to lower the taxes.

Later, as the movement to end slavery grew, most white Edgefieldians supported their region. In 1856, Edgefield Congressman Preston Brooks hit Senator Charles Sumner in the U.S. Senate. This event shocked the nation and pushed South Carolina closer to leaving the Union. By late 1860, when Abraham Lincoln was elected President, most people in Edgefield believed the South should become its own country. Edgefield's leaders voted to secede from the United States.

War and Change: Civil War and Reconstruction

When the American Civil War began in April 1861, many Edgefieldians thought it would be a quick victory. Hundreds volunteered to fight. They did not know how much they would suffer. Almost every white male in Edgefield between 15 and 60 was involved. The war never reached Edgefield itself, but nearly one-third of the fighting-age white men from Edgefield died or were injured.

The war caused huge damage. Most of the money people had was invested in Confederate money, which became worthless. When slaves were freed, it took away a large part of the county's wealth. Giving freed slaves the right to vote completely changed the political and social systems.

During the eleven years after the war, known as Reconstruction, newly freed slaves, called "freedmen," became sharecroppers. They farmed land and shared the crops with landowners. They also gained the right to vote and hold public office. With help from Northerners who came South ("carpetbaggers") and Southern whites who supported the Republican Party ("scalawags"), white Southerners lost control of their local and state governments.

In 1876, a group called the Red Shirts, led by former Confederate generals from Edgefield, worked to get control back. By 1877, they succeeded. In the years that followed, black people in Edgefield and across the South lost many of their rights. They were treated as second-class citizens.

Late 1800s: Rebuilding and New Towns

After the plantation system ended, people bought their own goods. This led to many new stores opening in towns and at crossroads.

Edgefield suffered several big fires in the late 1800s. In 1881 and 1884, fires destroyed most of the commercial area. In 1892, more parts of the town square burned. After this, a rule was made that new buildings near the town square had to be built of brick. Most of the buildings you see in Edgefield today were built after these fires.

New railroads were built through other parts of the county. This led to the growth of new towns like Ridge Spring, Johnston, and McCormick. These towns became busy centers, taking some business away from Edgefield.

Also, new counties were created, taking parts of Edgefield County. Aiken County was formed in 1871, Saluda in 1895, Greenwood in 1897, and McCormick in 1916. Edgefield County became much smaller.

Farming became harder in the 1880s. Cotton production increased, but the soil became less rich. A farmer named Benjamin Ryan Tillman felt that state leaders were not helping farmers enough. He led a farmers' movement and became Governor in 1890.

The 1900s: Challenges and Progress

From the late 1880s to the early 1920s, Edgefield saw many good changes. The railroad finally reached the town. The first telephone was installed. An Edgefield Mill was built. The first car came to town. Electricity, water, and sewer systems were added. Streets around the town square were paved. During World War I, cotton prices went up, and the town became more prosperous. Edgefield's population grew from about 500 in 1880 to 2,500 by 1920.

However, in 1921 and 1922, the boll weevil arrived in Edgefield County. This insect destroyed cotton crops. Farmers lost up to 90 percent of their cotton. Many farms were left empty. Sharecroppers could not make a living and left the area. Farm incomes dropped, stores struggled, and banks failed. Then, the 1929 stock market crash and the Great Depression made things even worse. Edgefield County's population began to shrink.

World War II brought more changes. Young men from the county joined the military. Women took on jobs that men usually did. Rationing affected everyone at home.

After the war, soldiers returned with new ideas. They worked to bring new industries to Edgefield. Companies like Crest Manufacturing, National Cabinet Company, and Star Fibers brought many new jobs. Farmers in the eastern part of the county also started growing more peaches, which became very important nationally.

African-American soldiers also fought in World War II. When they returned, they wanted to improve their rights. The Civil Rights Movement grew across the country. A main goal was to end the "separate but equal" rule, which allowed segregated facilities. In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that separate facilities were unconstitutional, even if they were equal.

The late 1960s and early 1970s brought more new things to Edgefield. These included a new water line, a country club, a private school, a county hospital, and the headquarters for the National Wild Turkey Federation.

Edgefield is known for its unique pottery. The clay in the area was used to make alkaline-glazed stoneware. Dr. Abner Landrum developed this in the early 1800s. A famous enslaved potter named David Drake made many large storage jars. He could read and write, which was rare for enslaved people. He even signed and wrote poems on some of his pottery.

The area also had many cotton plantations. Several old mansions and a plantation from this time have been saved. These include Blocker House, Cedar Grove, and Darby Plantation. The Edgefield Historic District, Horn Creek Baptist Church, and Pottersville are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

People in Edgefield: Demographics

Population in 2010

In 2010, Edgefield had a population of 4,750 people.

• About 54.13% were Black or African American.
• About 38.95% were White.
• The rest were other races, including Asian, American Indian, or mixed races.

Population in 2020

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,322 people living in Edgefield. There were 1,248 households and 693 families.

Learning in Edgefield

Edgefield has a public library. It is part of the ABBE Regional Library System.

Famous People from Edgefield

Many notable people have connections to Edgefield:

• David Drake: An African-American potter who lived and worked in Edgefield. He was special because he could read and write. He even wrote poems on his pottery, which was not allowed for many African Americans at that time.
• James Longstreet: Born in Edgefield in 1821. He became a very important Confederate general during the Civil War. He was a top commander under General Robert E. Lee. Lee called him his "Old War Horse."
• Chris Costner Sizemore: Born in Edgefield. She was a woman with a rare memory condition. Her life story inspired the movie The Three Faces of Eve.
• Paris Simkins: A freedman who started the Macedonia Baptist Church in Edgefield. He served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1872 to 1876.
• Carey Wentworth Styles: He founded the Atlanta Constitution newspaper. He practiced law in Edgefield and published a local newspaper there.
• Strom Thurmond: Born and died in Edgefield. He served in the US Senate for 48 years. He was the only member of Congress to reach 100 years old while still in office.
• Edward G. Walker: Born near Edgefield. He moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and became one of the first black lawyers in that state. He was also one of the first two black men elected to state office in Massachusetts.
• William Garrett Wright: An American poet and editor who spent his early life in Edgefield.

See also

In Spanish: Edgefield (Carolina del Sur) para niños