Lexington

Lexington County lies in the Midlands region of South Carolina. Both the county and its seat were named after the Revolutionary War’s first battle, the battle of Lexington.

Lexington County lies in the Midlands region of South Carolina. Both the county and its seat were named after the Revolutionary War’s first battle, the battle of Lexington. This name is fitting seeing as a number of Revolutionary War battles were fought in the county.

First known as the Saxe Gotha township in 1733, the area acquired its current name in 1785. However, from 1791 to 1804 the county was added to Orangeburg District before becoming its own county again. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the county became smaller as lands belonging to this county were used to create Aiken and Calhoun counties.

The British were the first Europeans to settle in the area. This group created a trading post, later known as Granby, on the Congaree River. In the 18th century, a large number of Swiss, German, and Scotch-Irish immigrants came to the area and began small farms. Many of these small farms became submerged when Lake Murray was made from the Saluda River. However, the economy’s reliance on agriculture created by these small farms continues today. Various types of manufacturing as well as steel processing have also become popular means of income in the county.

Home. Accessed June 09, 2016. http://www.lex-co.sc.gov

Industry Data. Accessed June 09, 2016. http://www.lexingtoncountyusa.com/workforce/workforce_data/industry_data/

Dawn Corley | Carolina Snaps

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Dawn Corley, known as the "Charleston Silver Lady," is a renowned silver expert who has lectured internationally and been featured in magazines and TV shows for her knowledge of antique jewelry. Her...

Lake Murray | From the Sky

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Lake Murray is a 50,000-acre reservoir with roughly 650 miles of sparkling shoreline. Fed by the Saluda River, the lake isn’t just a recreational attraction for locals, but also serves as an essential...

Brodie, Laura | South Carolina Public Radio

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"B" is for Brodie, Laura (1908-2004). Herpetologist. Born on a farm in Lexington County, Brodie began collecting snakes and frogs as a young child. By her teens she had converted an outbuilding into...

Peachtree Rock (S.C.) Stop 7

Episode 10

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Rudy and Jim talk about some of the species of shrub which grow here: Rosemary and Sand Myrtle. Young Longleaf pines, False Foxglove, lichens, Bluejack oak, and Spiked moss also do well in low...

Peachtree Rock (S.C.) Stop 5

Episode 7

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Peachtree Rock – Rudy and Jim visit the actual rock in which the area gets its name. Contrary to popular belief, it is not actually a rock, but merely a large outcropping of sand held together by iron...

Peachtree Rock (S.C.) Stop 6

Episode 8

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Further up the trail where the area has less moisture, we see Turkey Oaks and Longleaf Pines make a return. Sparkleberry, Blazing Star, and Jointweed flowers are common in this area. On one of the...

Peachtree Rock (S.C.) Stop 2

Episode 2

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While walking along the trail, Rudy and Jim find a Fence Lizard resting on a tree trunk. Its camouflage skin is perfect for blending in with its environment, making it difficult for predators to spot...

Peachtree Rock (S.C.) Stop 3

Episode 4

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A little further down the trail, Rudy and Jim come across a sandstone rock, which has cemented over time, due to the abundance of iron in the soil.

Peachtree Rock (S.C.) Stop 4

Episode 6

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Hardwood Forest - On lower ground, where there is much more moisture, Red Maple, Maple Leaf Viburnum, Mountain Laurel, and White Oak trees grow very well in areas like this. Rudy and Jim come across...

Peachtree Rock (S.C.) Stop 8

Episode 11

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Here in this wide open, white sandy area, we see more Turkey oaks and Longleaf pines.

Peachtree Rock (S.C.) Stop 3

Episode 3

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Continuing down the trail, Rudy and Jim find a Black Gum tree, whose leaves are among the earliest to change color in the fall. Blackjack Oak is tree which grows well in poor soils. They come across...

Peachtree Rock (S.C.) Stop 6

Episode 9

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At the same stop, a Canebrake Rattlesnake is found resting up in a tree; a most unusual place to find a rattlesnake!

Peachtree Rock (S.C.) Stop 1

Episode 1

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Peachtree Rock is the edge of the old ocean, located just twenty miles west of Columbia, S.C. This area is part of the “Sandhills” part of the southeastern United States. Fall Line Sandhills- at this...

Peachtree Rock (S.C.) Stop 3

Episode 5

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Rudy and Jim find some Bracken fern, which is a common species of nonflowering plant in the area. And close by, they find a feeding Funnel spider, and a Black Widow spider.

John Derrick Audio Transcripts | Digital Traditions

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The document includes transcripts for John Derrick's audio.

The Godfrey Harmon House | History Of SC Slide Collection

Episode 2

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The Godfrey Harmon House, built in Lexington around 1870 by the founder of the Lexington "Dispatch," burned in 1894. The square columns are an interesting adaptation of a vernacular Greek Revival...

The Main Street Of Lexington | History Of SC Slide Collection

Episode 1

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The Main Street of Lexington, sometime before a devastating fire in 1916 burned many of the business district buildings seen here. The county seat of Lexington County, the area was first settled by...

View Of Columbia From Across The Congaree River | History Of SC Slide Collection

Episode 2

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This view of Columbia from across the Congaree River appeared in the New York "Illustrated News" on January 5, 1861. Courtesy of the South Caroliniana Library.

Map Of Taylor's Farm | History Of SC Slide Collection

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Map of Taylor's Farm, or the original survey plat of Columbia. Before the Revolution, the newly established settlements in the Upcountry of South Carolina did not have much voice in the government of...

Granite Street In Batesburg, 1913 | History of SC Slide Collection

Episode 1

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Granite Street in Batesburg, around 1913. Batesburg and nearby Leesville, both in Lexington County, were named after the families on whose plantations they developed. After the 1890s, the railroads...

Malfunction Junction | History Of SC Slide Collection

Episode 22

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Columbians call this complicated intersection of Interstate Highways 26 and 126 with Bush River Road, just north of their city, "Malfunction Junction." Photo by Todd Houston, June 1987. Courtesy of...

Seaboard Railroad Trestle Across The Broad River | History Of SC Slide Collection

Episode 6

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In 1916, the Broad River flooded between Leeds and Carlisle, making the Seaboard Railroad trestle across the Broad the only passable roadway. Courtesy of the Winthrop University Archives.

Lake Murray Pleasure Boaters Form A Pontoon | History Of SC Slide Collection

Episode 10

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Pleasure boaters on Lake Murray form a pontoon boat raft. Photo by Bill Kalis, June 23,1986. Courtesy of "The State" newspaper.

Showing Off A Favorite Horse | History Of SC Slide Collection

Episode 7

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Patrick Henry Corley, Sheriff of Lexington County, poses proudly with his horse on the main street of Lexington around 1910. The purpose of photographs such as this postcard view was usually to show...