South Carolina is called the Palmetto State, named for the distinctive tree that grows along its coast. The Spanish and French also had failed attempts to colonize the Carolinas. In 2007, the Guinness World Record for the tallest sand castle was awarded to Myrtle Beach. South Carolina - South Carolina - History: The first inhabitants of present-day South Carolina likely arrived about 11,000–12,000 years ago. Weird laws in South Carolina include 1) If a man proposes, South Carolina is the only state in the U.S. that grows. Explore these interesting New York facts to explore its wild promise. The tree measures 28 feet in circumference and covers an area of 17,000 square feet with its shade. The first European in South Carolina was Francisco Gordillo in 1521 from. South Carolina is home to the world’s hottest chili pepper, Smokin’ Ed’s “Carolina Reaper,” grown by Ed Currie of the PuckerButt Pepper Company. The first shot of the Civil War was fired on Fort Sumter in 1861.[15]. South Carolina is named for – Charles I of England. Charles Town in South Carolina established the first free or public library in the American colonies in 1698 and the first public museum in 1773. The water tower can hold one million U.S. gallons of water. © 2021 Fact Retriever LLC. The Civil War. Our Leadership. makes it the 11th smallest state in the nation and the smallest state in the Deep South. South Carolina is one of the top three peach-producing states in the nation and, not surprisingly, the state fruit is the peach. Althea Gibson became the first African American to play and win Wimbledon. Children, mistaking the flower for honeysuckle, have been poisoned by sucking its nectar. Minneapolis, MN: Bellwether Media, 2014. 17. Updated December 26, 2013. Currie’s peppers are so hot that often people who eat them will spasm and vomit. South Carolina has some unique town names, including Welcome, Due West, Coward, and South of the Border. See the complete list of the 50 states and their borders here. 29. 5Schuetz, Kristin. The Gullah are descendants of enslaved African slaves who live in the Low Country region of South Carolina. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 4,646 abortions took place in South Carolina during 2018. The abbreviation for South Carolina is SC. Accessed: February 24, 2015. This attracts millions of tourists to the state. Drayton Hall is one of the oldest and best-preserved plantations not only in South Carolina but also in the entire United States. South Carolina officially became a state on May 23, 1788. Humans arrived in the area of South Carolina around 13,000 BC. It is bordered to the north by North Carolina, to the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the southwest by Georgia across the Savannah River. It was a small, D-shaped hut that could shelter a small group of people. The blue background matches the color of the colonial soldiers’ uniforms. The state is home to the oldest minor league baseball venue in … The Palmetto tree is the official state tree of South Carolina. It used to be known as the Iodine State, and even said so on the license plates in the 1930’s. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. P is for Palmetto: A South Carolina Alphabet. South Carolina’s Strom Thurmond was the first U.S. senator ever elected by write-in votes, on November 2, 1954. SC state symbols From SC Amphibian to SC Wild Game Bird, our state symbols honor a wide range of well-known South Carolina icons. The first attempt of any European settlement ever in the United States was in South Carolina. South Carolina (America the Beautiful). When Spanish and French explorers arrived in the area in the 16th century, they found a land inhabited by many small tribes of Native Americans, the largest of which were the Cherokees and the Catawbas. In 2018, an estimated 500,000 people participated in the rally.[12]. [8], 11. Anderson nicknamed “The Electric City” is the place where the first successful long-distance transmission of electricity in the south occurred. While the British originally established Carolina as one settlement, they divided it in 1729 into North and South Carolina to make governing easier. In 1900, nearly 6 of 10 South Carolinians were African American. South Carolina was named after King Charles I and Charles II. She won the women’s singles and doubles at Wimbledon in 1957, and won the U.S. Open in 1958. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, South Carolina is second to California in overall peach production. 26. 21.5% to be exact, and that makes the Palmetto State the 8th smokiest place in … 3“Hell Hole Swamp Festival.” Discover South Carolina. Chelsea, MI: Sleeping Bear Press, 2002. [9], 13. It is one of the most recognizable landmarks for travelers along I-85 between Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina. Here are 18 interesting facts about South Carolina you may not already know. Athough founded in 1663 the first permanent English settlement in South Carolina was established at Albemarle Point in 1670. With these facts about South Carolina, let us learn about its history, geography, economy, people, culture, and more. One of the thirteen original colonies, South Carolina has had a rich and varied history. The bridge was built in 1820 and it is no longer in use. Through our research and travel, Research Maniacs has accumulated a lot of information about South Carolina, which we have organized here for your convenience. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. The State of South Carolina is located in the southeastern United States. Before South Carolina was known as the Peach State, it was the Iodine State. GEOGRAPHY AND LANDFORMS Shaped roughly like a triangle, South Carolina is bordered by North Carolina in the north, the Atlantic Ocean in the east, and Georgia in the south and west. 1Crane, Carol. Nearly a quarter of the soldiers from South Carolina who fought in, Columbia is the capital of South Carolina. Carolina is named after King Charles I. Carolus is the Latin word for Charles. South Carolina was one of the original 13 colonies that formed the United States. However, the structure stands intact to this day. South Carolina is the 9th largest state in the United States in terms of total area with 82,931 square kilometers (32,030 square miles). South Carolina is one of the original thirteen colonies. South Carolina (Celebrate the States). The term “Gullah” may derive from Angola, where ancestors of some of the Gullah people likely originated. South Carolina is the nation’s leading peach producer and shipper east of the Mississippi River. The earliest house found in South Carolina was built about 3,000 years ago. Its two bordering states are Georgia and North Carolina. South Carolina’s state reptile, the loggerhead turtle can live for fifty years in the wild and it can weigh up to 400 pounds. Columbia is the capital and second largest city of the U.S. state of South Carolina. Its most influential cities are Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Greenville, Spartanburg and Florence. This number includes abortions performed on out-of-state residents but does not include abortions performed on South Carolina residents in other states. On June 2, 1863, Harriet Tubman, who had been born into slavery, led Union troops on a raid to Hilton Head, South Carolina. Sturgis motorcycle rally is the world’s largest motorcycle rally. The first club for golfers in the United States was created by Scottish settlers in Charleston, South Carolina, on September 29, 1786. The 65-foot-tree has survived hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. Wild hogs roam much of South Carolina. 1829 - South Carolina native Andrew Jackson becomes the seventh President of the United States. South Carolina is the only state in the United States to own and operate its own school bus fleet. South Carolina became the 8th state in 1788 and is the 23rd largest state by population with about 5 million residents. South Carolina (nicknamed: Palmetto State) has 46 counties. 34. Approximately 30 Native American tribes lived in South Carolina at the time the first Europeans arrived in the region. South Carolina began as the Carolina colony which combined modern day North and South Carolina. Cape Hatteras, at 210-feet-tall, is the tallest brick … 28. South Carolina is home to the Sandhills, which are ancient dunes from what used to be South Carolina’s coast 20 million years ago when the, By the middle of the 18th century, 9 out of the 10 wealthiest people in the American colonies lived in South Carolina. Travel through our list of interesting American Samoa facts to experience electric-blue water, stunning beaches, vibrant culture, & a taste of paradise. Flickr/Jeremy Keith. The name “Carolina” is from the Latin “Carolinus” meaning “of Charles.”. New York, NY: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2010. The City of Myrtle Beach is in the center of the Grand Strand, a 60-mile crescent of beach on the South Carolina coast. All of these milestones occurred in South Carolina and were the first of their kind in the United States or world. 8“The Swamp Thing.” IMDB. Hilton Head, an island off the coast of South Carolina, attracts over 2 million tourists every year. The state’s capital is Columbia. All 9 lived in the Charleston area and had grown rich. 18. The Hispanic community is growing and amounts to 3.7% of residents. The state also has the oldest landscaped gardens in the U.S., at Middleton Place near Charleston. South Carolina is home to the legendary Angel Oak Tree, which shades an area of 17,000 square feet with its enormous limbs. The South Carolina Colony was founded by the British in 1663 and was one of the 13 original colonies. Boasting world-famous architecture, unique cuisine, & a vibrant culture, the Windy City is sure to blow you away. 25. Our information goes way beyond the state flower and state bird. Charles Town, the site of the first European settlement was renamed to Charleston in 1783. The nectar is also toxic to honey bees. Read more at Who Is South Carolina Named For? South Carolina’s state flower is the Yellow Jessamine. Many of the original settlers came from the Caribbean island of Barbados, including the n… All rights reserved. To this day, surveyors walk through the landscape to figure out exactly where the lines are. 23. 30. South Carolina has one of the lowest percentage of women serving in state legislature.