Pickens County lies in the northwestern part of South Carolina. Both the county and its seat are named in honor of Revolutionary War general Andrew Pickens.
Cherokee Indians inhabited the area first. However, they often fought with the settlers, so the settlers constructed Fort Prince George in 1753 to keep themselves safe. Much of the Cherokee War took place at this fort. Eventually, the Native Americans ceded control of the region to the United States via a treaty in 1777. As a result of this treaty, the land was absorbed into the Pendleton District. In 1826, this district split into two counties, one of which was Pickens County.
For most of its history, Pickens County’s economy depended on either the growing of cotton or the processing of cotton in textile mills. However, in recent decades manufacturing has become an important and diverse industry in the area.
Notable Pickens County residents include John C. Calhoun and his son-in-law Thomas Green Clemson, who gave his father-in-law’s land to the state so that they could establish an agricultural college. This agricultural college later became Clemson University.
History. Accessed June 10, 2016. http://www.co.pickens.sc.us/History/default.aspx
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