South Carolina from A to Z

“W” is for WIS Radio and Television. WIS Radio and Television stations in Colombia played an influential role in the development of South Carolina's media as a result of being among the state’s pioneer commercial broadcasters and located in the state’s capital city.

“W” is for Winthrop University. Located in Rock Hill, Winthrop University traces its roots to1886 when Winthrop Training School, a teacher-training school for Columbia teachers opened.

“S” is for Sirrine, Joseph Emory (1872-1947). Architect, engineer.

“S” is for Sinclair, Bennie Lee (1939-2000). Novelist, poet.

“R” is for Royal Council. The Royal Council was a twelve-man governing board created in 1720 to serve as an advisor to the governor, as a court of appeals, and as an upper house of the legislature.

“R” is for Rosenwald Schools. In the early twentieth century, schooling for southern Blacks was neither well planned nor well supported. Julius Rosenwald, a Chicago merchant and philanthropist, made the most significant contribution to the education of southern rural Blacks of the time through construction of school buildings.

“P” is for Poinsett Bridge. Named for Joel Roberts Poinsett, president of the Board of Public Works (1819-1821), the Poinsett Bridge (with a span of 130 feet over Little Gap Creek) was built during the construction of the state highway from Columbia to Saluda Mountain in 1820.

“P” is for Poinsett, Joel Roberts (1779-1851). Congressman, diplomat. U. S. secretary of war.

“P” is for Poetry Society of South Carolina. Those involved with the Poetry Society’s creation in 1920 espoused the idea of a local organization, with its aim to encourage all southern poets.

“P” is for Poellnitz, Baron Frederick Carl Hans Bruno (1734-1801).

“M” is for Montgomery, John Henry (1833-1902). Manufacturer, merchant.

“M” is for Montagu, Lord Charles Greville (1741-1784). Governor.

“M” is for Moncks Corner (Berkeley County; 2020 population 12,497).

“L” is for Lowndes, William Jones (1782-1822). Congressman. In his final important public work, William Jones Lowndes with Henry Clay led the successful effort in the house to pass the Missouri Compromise of 1820.

“S” is for St. Mark’s Parish. South Carolina’s first backcountry parish and by far its largest in land area, St. Mark’s was established in 1757.

“R” is for Ravenel, Harriott Horry Rutledge (1832-1912). Novelist, biographer, historian.

“P” is for Parish, Margaret Cecile (1927-1988). Author.

“O” is for Opera houses. In the period between 1880 and 1920, opera houses flourished in communities across South Carolina.

“N” is for New Era Club. Founded in Spartanburg in 1912, the New Era Club began disguised as a study group.

“S” is for St. Luke’s Parish. In 1767, the Commons House created St. Luke’s Parish by taking territory from St. Helena’s Parish.

“P” is for Pardo, John. Spanish soldier, explorer.

“O” is for O’Neall, John Belton (1793-1863). Jurist, author, social reformer, entrepreneur.

“N” is for New Ellenton (Aiken County; 2020 population 2,189).

“S” is for Seneca (Oconee County; 2020 population 8,850).

“R” is for Rock Hill Movement. Following the 1955 bus boycott in Montgomery and the 1960 lunch-counter sit-ins in Greensboro, African Americans in Rock Hill took the lead in energizing the civil rights movement in South Carolina.

“P” is for Pinckney, Eliza Lucas (ca. 1722-1793). Planter, matriarch.

“P” is for Pinckney, Charles Cotesworth (1746-1825). Soldier, statesman, diplomat.

“M” is for Mennonites. The Mennonites of South Carolina are a Protestant group descended from the Anabaptists of the Reformation.

“L” is for Lowndes, Rawlins (1721-1800). Jurist, governor.

“L” is for lowcountry baskets. Far as long as people of African descent have lived in South Carolina, they have made baskets.

“H” is for Huger, Isaac (1743-1797). Soldier. Isaac Huger was General Nathanael Greene’s second in command of the Southern Department.

“H” is for Huger, Daniel Elliott (1779-1854). Jurist, U. S. Senator.

“H” is for Huck, Christian (d. 1780). Soldier.

“H” is for Howard, Frank James (1909-1996). Football coach. Howard brought attention to the Clemson football program as much as with his colorful, entertaining personality as with his victories.

“G” is for Greer (Greenville County; 2020 population 35,316).

“G” is for Greenwood County (456 square miles; 2020 population 71,074).

“G” is for Greenwood (Greenwood County; 2020 population 23,356).

“C “is for Clemson University. In 1888 Thomas G. Clemson left his Fort Hill property and an endowment to the state in order to create a separate agricultural college.

“M” is for Malaria. Malaria was arguably the most significant disease in the history of South Carolina.

“L” is for Lancaster County (549 square miles; 2020 population 100,926).

“K” is for Kiawah Island (Charleston County; 2020 population 1,626). Kiawah is a small barrier island situated south of Charleston between the mouths of the Stono and North Edisto Rivers.

“J” is for Jamestown. Jamestown was the first Huguenot settlement on the Santee River in what became Berkeley County, across the river form the Georgetown/Williamsburg county line.

“I” is for Iodine. A deficiency of iodine causes an unsightly swelling of the neck and jaw known as goiter. In the late 1920s the South Carolina Natural Resources Commission began a public relations campaign to advertise the high iodine levels found in fruits and vegetables grown in the state.

“D” is for Duke’s mayonnaise. Eugenia Duke mixed her first batch of mayonnaise in her Greenville home sometime in the early twentieth century.

“C” is for Clark, Septima Poinsette (1898-1987). Educator, civil rights activist.

“C” is for Clarendon County (607 square miles; 2020 population 33,415).

“C” is for Claflin University. Responding to the urgent need to educate former enslaved persons, northern Methodists established Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina in 1869.

“C” is for Clemson (Pickens County; 2020 population 17,780).

“H” is for Horry County (1,134 square miles; 2020 population 365,449.

“C” is for Civil Rights Act (1964). The Civil Rights Act of 1964 addressed all spheres of public life--social, political, and economic.