SC Picture Project » Laurens County Photos

Laurens

SCIWAY — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:47:08 +0000

Laurens is a small town in northwestern South Carolina and is the seat of Laurens County. Both Laurens and Laurens County are named for Henry Laurens of Charleston, who was president of the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War. The downtown area of Laurens is anchored by its grand county courthouse and also has several quaint local shops.

SCIWAY thanks frequent contributor Steven Faucette of Williamston for these pictures.

This image is copyrighted. You may not use it without written consent.

Presbyterian College

SCIWAY — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 19:41:13 +0000

Presbyterian College was founded in 1880 and is located in Clinton. Its beautiful 240-acre campus is a blend of new and historic buildings – five of which are listed in the National Historic Register. The college is a private liberal arts school affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. In the pictures below you can see two Presbyterian College landmarks: Bailey Memorial Stadium and Neville Hall.

Dials Methodist Church

SCIWAY — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:31:37 +0000

Dials Methodist Church is located in Gray Court, a small town just north of Laurens. It is home to one of the oldest Methodist congregations in Laurens County.

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The church is named for Martin Dials, a Laurens native and veteran of the Revolutionary War. Its first congregation, known as the Dials Methodist Society, was organized at Dials’ home in 1808 by Bishop Francis Asbury.

The congregation grew rapidly and soon began meeting in Dials’ log cabin near Rabun Creek. In 1835 a new meeting house was constructed on land donated by Dial and the name of the congregation was changed to Dials Church. The present sanctuary, which is located on the same spot as the meeting house, was constructed in 1860.

SCIWAY thanks Michael Crocker of Greenville for submitting this photo he took in August 2011.

Horseshoe Falls

SCIWAY — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:06:34 +0000

Horseshoe Falls, also called Gordons Mill Falls, can be found near Clinton on Cedar Shoals Creek. This beautiful cascade is about ten feet high, and is part of the Musgrove Mill State Historic Site.

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The SC Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism says that in 1780 Edward Musgrove, who once owned these lands, allowed British Loyalists to use his property for their hospital. However, Musgrove’s daughter Mary helped a Patriot soldier hide from the British troops in a small cave near these falls.

Local folklore says that the soldier was called “Horseshoe” because he was a blacksmith, and the information he gathered on the British during his time in the cave helped the Patriots plan an attack. These cascades were eventually named in his honor.

Many thanks to photographer Sarah J Brown of Fountain Inn for providing this lovely photo she took in October 2011. She says that Horseshoe Falls is “a nice surprise after a beautiful short hike. These several small cascades were worth the drive on a Sunday afternoon.”

Directions to the Musgrove Mill Historic park:

From I-26 Westbound, take exit 52 to SC 56 Cross Anchor/Clinton. Turn right onto HWY 56 and drive north for 6 miles. The park entrance will be on the left.

Old Oak Tree

SCIWAY — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:54:34 +0000

This old oak tree sets a striking scene near an abandoned barn in rural Laurens County. Laurens County is named for Revolutionary War leader Henry Laurens. When the county was established in 1785, its residents were predominantly Scotch-Irish and English immigrants. Many were still loyal to England during the American Revolution, and the county was the scene of a few revolutionary battles.

This image is copyrighted. You may not use it without written consent.

Learn more about the history of Laurens County.

Ed Long of Laurens took this picture in September 2008. He says that he was “riding through the county and saw this photo opportunity, took it in color and decided it made a better black and white photo.”

Laurens County Courthouse

SCIWAY — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:54:34 +0000

The Laurens County courthouse, located in downtown Laurens, is on the National Register as an example of Greek revival architecture. The central portion was finished in 1838, with the wings added in 1858. The courthouse is surrounded by historic buildings that make up the town’s city square, which includes restaurants, antique shops, and a neat little movie theater with a wooden floor.

SCIWAY contributor Lyn Freeman says that she was born and raised in Laurens, but had to move away periodically with her father who was in the military. “I always felt at home once I took a spin around the square to see if everything was the same as I left it. The courthouse was comforting to me because it always was the same even when some stores had changed.”