Check out the Fairfield County photo gallery, with pictures of our trip.

Historic Fairfield County, centrally located just northwest of Columbia, is home to several beautiful towns. If you’re looking for a perfect day-trip, Ridgeway and Winnsboro are well suited for nature, history, and architecture buffs of all ages.

The town of Ridgeway boasts a population of 328, a single stoplight, and what may just be the world’s smallest police station – it’s comparable in size to a small powder room. Erected in 1940, it remained in use for fifty years, until the police department moved into the building next door. (At just about twice the size of the original, at least one author has suggested this new building may well be the world’s second smallest police station!) The old station now serves as a tourist information “booth” where visitors can sign a guestbook and collect brochures on nearby attractions.

	CHARLES WRAY HOME		LAURA’S TEA ROOM		POLICE STATION

A walking tour of the town’s historic homes and buildings can be completed in about an hour. Beautiful Victorian-era homes line the two main streets of Palmer and Dogwood and are generally well maintained. The architectural details of homes built by families named Ruff (pronounced “roof”) and Thomas evoked a period when luxury and beauty were embodied by stunning design.

A stop at Laura’s Tea Room is a treat for everyone. The former mercantile has been transformed to accommodate a gift shop on the first floor and a beautiful tea room upstairs. The service is impeccable, and the atmosphere provides a perfect spot to enjoy a few moments’ rest before heading to your next stop.

Ten miles from Ridgeway is the lovely town of Winnsboro, a main source of our state stone, blue granite, and site of the longest running town clock in America! Winnsboro is the county seat and headquarters for the Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce. In fact, their office is located inside the town clock building. This makes for a great place to begin a short tour of Congress Street, which runs through the center of town.

	OLD BRICK CHURCH		WINNSBORO TOWN CLOCK		FAIRFIELD COUNTY MUSEUM

Just up Congress, you’ll find the Fairfield County Museum. The three-story brick building in which it is housed was constructed in the early 1800s as a private home, but was later purchased for use as a girls’ school. It has since undergone numerous transformations, but it retains many of the original architectural details. Director Pelham Lyles and her small team of staff and volunteers are extremely helpful with their knowledge of the area, and they will gladly point out the most significant sites on a map. The museum itself houses numerous artifacts related to the history of the town and its surroundings, which date back to the Revolutionary War.

A stop by the Old Brick Church is the ideal way to round out your day. This simple structure was built in 1788 by the Scotch-Irish immigrants who worshipped there. It is surrounded by an ancient cemetery which is enclosed by a wall made from the same blue granite that was mined locally for decades. Fairfield County offers more than one might expect, so be sure to leave early and pack your camera for this exciting and picturesque tour of one of South Carolina’s most beautiful places!

Incidentally, South Carolina Electric and Gas proposes to build two new nuclear reactors at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station, located in Jenkinsville. The utility company is pushing to begin work immediately, despite opposition by Fairfield County residents.