South Carolina’s oldest cities

Georgetown

Posted: Jun 26, 2022 / 12:38 PM EDT

Updated: Jun 26, 2022 / 12:38 PM EDT

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) – Why, South Carolina, your towns don’t look a day over 235!

In fact, people have resided in the state for much, much longer.

American Indians are estimated to have lived in the area for more than 11,000 years. The first white European settlement is believed to have been founded in the 1520s, and South Carolina gained statehood on March 26, 1776, after becoming a royal colony in 1719.

Cities and towns weren’t chartered – meaning that it legally became a city or a town – until a bit later.

Two cities were chartered before the 1800s, and more than 250 received a charter between 1800 and 1900, according to information from a report by the South Carolina Research, Planning and Development Board.

In comparison, Myrtle Beach was chartered in 1938, making it a fairly young town in face of the state’s history.

At least one of the state’s oldest cities is now a ghost town, and others have maintained small populations.

Here are the top 10 oldest towns in South Carolina, according to when they were chartered:

10 – Edgefield

County: Edgefield

Chartered: Dec. 18, 1830

10 – Barnwell

County: Barnwell

Chartered: Dec. 18, 1830

8 – Hamburg

County: Aiken

Chartered: Dec. 19, 1827