Williamston | South Carolina Public Radio

“W” is for Williamston [Anderson County; population 3,791]. Around 1842 West Allen Williams discovered a mineral spring on his property that gave rise to the town named for him. Stories of the spring’s healing properties attracted people to try its waters. By 1850, a small village had grown up around the spring and it had a post office. Originally called Mineral Spring, the village was incorporated as Williamston in 1852. With railroad connections to Greenville and Columbia, Williamston seemed well on the way to becoming a popular resort until an 1860 fire leveled several hotels and much of the business district. One of the last skirmishes of the Civil War took place near the village in May 1865. The original spring is now a part of Williamston State Park where visitors can still take a sip of mineral water.