Cherokee

In 1897, lands from York, Spartanburg, and Union counties merged to create Cherokee County.

In 1897, lands from York, Spartanburg, and Union counties merged to create Cherokee County. The Revolutionary War battle of Cowpens was fought in the county. Cherokee County is named in honor of the Cherokee Indians that lived in the area prior to settlement.

Also referred to as the Old Iron District, Cherokee County is known for the iron mines that powered the area’s pre-Civil War economy. Currently, the county relies much more on the manufacturing industry. However, agriculture is also important in the area, and “Cherokee County is one of the major producers of peaches in all of the U.S.” Gaffney serves as its county seat.

Welcome to Cherokee County. Accessed June 01, 2016.
 

Banastre Tarleton | History of SC Slide Collection
Banastre Tarleton | History of SC Slide Collection
Episode 134

Photo

Banastre Tarleton (1754-1833), known to South Carolina revolutionary leaders as "Bloody Tarleton," first came to Charleston as an officer under General Clinton's command in the failed attack on Fort...
Rosa & Winton Eugene Photos | Digital Traditions
Rosa & Winton Eugene Photos | Digital Traditions
Episode 5

Photo

Eugene Pottery, Cowpens, Cherokee County. Interview recorded June 2007 as the Folklife Resource Center continues to document pottery traditions in South Carolina. Winton Eugene is a self-taught potter...
Experimenting with Glazes | Digital Traditions
Episode 1

Audio

Eugene Pottery, Cowpens, Cherokee County. Interview recorded June 2007 as the Folklife Resource Center continues to document pottery traditions in South Carolina. Winton Eugene is a self-taught potter...