The History of Chester County

Chester is located in Chester County. The county and its county seat were named by settlers who came from Pennsylvania soon after 1755. Chester County and its county seat, the town of Chester, were named for Chester County, Pennsylvania. The county was formed in 1785 as part of the larger Camden District but was later transferred to Pinckney District (1791-1800); it became a separate district in 1800.

Scotch-Irish settlers from Pennsylvania and Virginia moved into this upstate region beginning about 1755. During the Revolutionary War, American forces under General Thomas Sumter were defeated here at the battle of Fishing Creek in August 1780; the Americans were victorious at Fishdam Ford in November of the same year.

Chester, the "City on the Hill," offers a diversity of architectural styles. The ruins of an historic canal and its series of locks completed in 1832 (designed to allow barges to transport goods to and from South Carolina's ports) today form the centerpiece of a 200-acre South Carolina State Park.

In later years the availability of hydroelectric power encouraged the establishment of textile mills in the area. Chester County sits in a prime location just off I-77 in the north-central region of the state between Charlotte, NC and Columbia, SC. Charlotte's Douglas International Airport and Columbia's Metropolitan Airport are both within an hour's drive. CSX and Norfolk Southern Railroads run through Chester along with Springs Industries' short-line railroad that runs between Chester and neighboring Lancaster County. The Chester County Hospital & Nursing Center provides the highest quality of care at the most economical cost to Chester County and its communities.

Over the past five years the hospital has been completely modernized and upgraded to include an all new surgical wing and separate day hospital, pharmacy expansion, conversion of the maternity wing to mostly private labor and delivery rooms, and a new pediatric center. Chester County is well equipped to welcome those with a love of history and an eye for industry.

Today, Chester County is located in one of the most dynamic areas of South Carolina. Ideally situated just to the South of the Charlotte Metropolitan Area and just North of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, the Chester County region is in the earlys stages of economic growth and vitality.