Richland County, South Carolina

Richland County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat: Columbia
Year Organized: 1799
Square Miles: 756

Court House:

P.O. Box 192
County Administration Building
Columbia, SC 29202-0192

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Richland is possibly named for its rich soil.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

History

Richland County was probably named for its "rich land." The county was formed in 1785 as part of the large Camden District. A small part of Richland later went to Kershaw County (1791). In 1786 the state legislature decided to move the capital from Charleston to a more central location. A site was chosen in Richland County, which is in the geographic center of the state, and a new town was laid out. Columbia subsequently became not only the center of government but an important trade and manufacturing center. Cotton from the surrounding plantations was shipped through Columbia and later manufactured into textiles there. Columbia is also known for its educational institutions, particularly the University of South Carolina, which was founded in 1802. General William T. Sherman captured Columbia during the Civil War, and his troops burned the town on February 17, 1865. The U.S. Army returned on more friendly terms in 1917, when Fort Jackson was established. Confederate general, South Carolina Governor, and U.S. Senator Wade Hampton (1818-1902) was a resident of Richland County, and President Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924) lived in Columbia as a boy.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 772 square miles (1,999 km²), of which, 756 square miles (1,959 km²) of it is land and 15 square miles (40 km²) of it (1.98%) is water. Richland County is situated in the center of South Carolina.

Neighboring Counties:

Fairfield County, South Carolina - north
Kershaw County, South Carolina - northeast
Sumter County, South Carolina - east
Calhoun County, South Carolina - south
Lexington County, South Carolina - west
Newberry County, South Carolina - Northwest

Cities and Towns:

- Arcadia Lakes	town	Incorporated Area
- Blythewood	town	Incorporated Area
- Columbia (County Seat)	city	Incorporated Area
- Eastover	town	Incorporated Area
- Forest Acres	city	Incorporated Area
- Irmo	town	Incorporated Area

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

County Resource Guide

Counties: US Map

The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of our country!"

But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.

Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally, act locally."

Penn Foster High School

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