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Barnwell County, South Carolina

65 topographic sheets and 21 fire insurance atlases across 3 places.

Research this county

From the record

6 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

South Carolina within the United States
Barnwell County within South Carolina

What the record shows

  • 3 places in this county were surveyed for fire insurance: Blackville, Barnwell, Williston, between 1890 and 1943.
  • 21 fire insurance atlases survive for the county. Topographic coverage is national; fire insurance survey reached only incorporated places with something worth insuring.
  • 502 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 6 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 6 buildings.
  • 5 of the 6 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 31 populated places in this county; 31 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Photographs

2 photographs, 1898

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

The Lady of Cofachiqui
The Lady of Cofachiqui
Gibbs, George, 1870-1942, artist, 1898. Library of Congress
Salkehatchie Bridge, State Route No. 64 spanning Salkehatchie River, Barnwell, Barnwell County, SC
Salkehatchie Bridge, State Route No. 64 spanning Salkehatchie River, Barnwell, Barnwell County, SC
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress

Places on the National Register

6

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Ashley-Willis Housebuilding200404000650
Banksia Hallbuilding197474001821
Bethlehem Baptist Churchbuilding197979002374
Church of the Holy Apostles Rectorybuilding197272001189
Church of the Holy Apostles, Episcopalbuilding197272001188
Old Presbyterian Churchbuilding197272001190

The county from the air

27 shown

Flown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 900 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 27 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1961-10-01, scale 1:60000
1961-10-01, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1961-10-01, scale 1:60000
1961-10-01, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1961-10-16, scale 1:60000
1961-10-16, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1961-10-16, scale 1:60000
1961-10-16, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-09-01, scale 1:30000
1964-09-01, scale 1:30000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-09-01, scale 1:30000
1964-09-01, scale 1:30000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-09-01, scale 1:30000
1964-09-01, scale 1:30000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-09-01, scale 1:30000
1964-09-01, scale 1:30000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-12-22, scale 1:24000
1971-12-22, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-12-26, scale 1:24000
1971-12-26, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-12-26, scale 1:24000
1971-12-26, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-12-26, scale 1:24000
1971-12-26, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-04-01, scale 1:20500
1974-04-01, scale 1:20500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-04-01, scale 1:20500
1974-04-01, scale 1:20500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-04-01, scale 1:20500
1974-04-01, scale 1:20500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-04-01, scale 1:20500
1974-04-01, scale 1:20500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1977-02-21, scale 1:80000
1977-02-21, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1977-02-21, scale 1:80000
1977-02-21, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1977-02-21, scale 1:80000
1977-02-21, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1977-02-21, scale 1:80000
1977-02-21, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1989-04-02, scale 1:65000
1989-04-02, scale 1:65000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1989-04-02, scale 1:65000
1989-04-02, scale 1:65000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1989-04-02, scale 1:65000
1989-04-02, scale 1:65000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1990-01-01, scale 1:24000
1990-01-01, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1990-01-01, scale 1:24000
1990-01-01, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1990-01-01, scale 1:24000
1990-01-01, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1990-01-01, scale 1:24000
1990-01-01, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

14 stations, 25 gages

The thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that measured the flow of its streams, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.

The 1950 census, district by district

32 districts

Who lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.

  • 6-1Barnwell township: Barnwell town: Barnwell town - That part Bounded by Town limits; Town limits; Main, Peachman; Town limite
  • 6-2Barnwell town - That part Bounded by Peachman, Main; Burr, Gilman; Town limits; Town limits
  • 6-3Barnwell town - That part Bounded by Main; Town limits; Gilman; Burr
  • 6-4Barnwell township - That part east of Turkey Creek, outside Barnwell town
  • 6-5Barnwell township - That part west of Turkey Creek, outside Barnwell town
  • 6-6Dunbarton town, comprising parts of Bennett Springs, Red Oak, and Richland townships: Dunbarton town - That part in Bennett Springs township
  • 6-7Dunbarton town - That part in Red Oak township
  • 6-8Dunbarton town - That part in Richland township
  • 6-9Bennett Springs township - That part outside Dunbarton town (Remainder of Bennett Springs township is in Dunbarton town)
  • 6-10Hilda town - comprising parts of Blackville and Georges Creek township: Hilda town - That part in Blackville township
  • 6-11Hilda town - That part in Georges Creek township
  • 6-12Blackville township, outside Hilda town: Blackville town: Blackville town - That part north of Southern Railway
  • 6-13Blackville town - That part south of Southern Railway
  • 6-14Blackville township - That part north of Southern Railway, outside Blackville town
  • 6-15Blackville township - That part south of Southern Railway, outside Blackville and Hilda towns (Remainder of Blackville township is in Hilda town)
  • 6-16Four Mile township - That part north of State Hwy. 64 and northeast of State Hwy. 28
  • 6-17Four Mile township - That part south of State Hwy. 64 and southwest of State Hwy. 28
  • 6-18Georges Creek township - That part outside Hilda town (Remainder of Georges Creek township is in Hilda town)
  • 6-19Great Cypress township: Kline town
  • 6-20Great Cypress township - That part outside Kline town
  • 6-21Red Oak township, outside Dunbarton town: Snelling town
  • 6-22Red Oak township - That part outside Dunbarton and Snelling towns (Remainder of Red Oak township is in Dunbarton town)
  • 6-23Richland township - That part outside Dunbarton town (Remainder of Richland township is in Dunbarton town)
  • 6-24Rosemary township
  • 6-25Williston township: Elko town
  • 6-26Williston town: Williston town - That part north of Southern Railway
  • 6-27Williston town - That part south of Southern Railway
  • 6-28Williston township - That part northeast of U.S. Hwy. 78, east and southeast of Spur Branch, and southeast of State Hwy. 37, outside Elko town
  • 6-29Williston township - That part southwest of U.S. Hwy. 78, and east of State Hwy. 37, outside Elko town
  • 6-30Williston township - That part southeast of State Hwy. 39, northwest and west of Spur Branch and northwest and west of State Hwy. 37, outside Elko and Williston towns
  • 6-31Williston township - That part northwest of State Hwy. 39, outside Williston town
  • 6-32Four Mile township: Ellenton town - That part in Barnwell County, comprising part of Four Mile township (Remainder of Ellenton town is in Silverton Township, Aiken County)

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

1,110 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 1,110 of them, burning about 6,672 acres. 88 started naturally and 80 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined356
Debris and open burning337
Equipment and vehicle use134
Natural88
Arson/incendiarism80
Misuse of fire by a minor48
Smoking25
Power generation/transmission/distribution19
Railroad operations and maintenance11
Other causes4
Fireworks3
Firearms and explosives use3
Recreation and ceremony2

The five largest, by the area the report gives. One of them was set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
16 February 2002Missing data/not specified/undetermined300 acresSavannah River ForestSNELLING
23 May 1999Natural231 acresSavannah River ForestSNELLING
24 March 2011Debris and open burning183 acresSouth Carolina Forestry CommissionTIMPLETON CREECH
9 February 1996Missing data/not specified/undetermined170 acresSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
15 August 2015Power generation/transmission/distribution147 acresSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
8 May 2018Debris and open burning134 acresSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
15 February 2016Debris and open burning125 acresSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
14 March 2018Arson/incendiarism82 acresSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1952 to 2025

60 of 310 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 310 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 22 injuries and about $13,516,280 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind201
Hail67
Tornado25
Flash Flood6
Lightning6
Flood3
Heavy Rain2

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
May 1989Tornado (F2)not stated12 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
February 1975Tornado (F2)not stated5 hurt, $250,000no account filed
April 1983Tornado (F3)not stated2 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
January 2017Tornado (EF2)Ashleigh1 hurtThe tornado initially touched down just west of Monarch Road in Barnwell County about 4.5 miles north of the town of Barnwell. It tracked to the ENE through Barnwell State Park, then across Highway 3, and Bufords Branch Road, just south of Blackville, then continued to the ENE and moved out of Barnwell County and into Bamberg County near US Hwy 78. Most of the damage observed along the path was rated EF0 or EF1, but the tornado did briefly strengthen into a weak EF2 as it crossed|through Barnwell State Park. Hundreds of hardwood and softwood trees were either snapped at the trunk or uprooted. Numerous trees fell on homes resulting in roof damage. Several structures were either heavily damaged or destroyed. The greatest structural damage occurred to a single wide mobile home along Highway 3 just SW of Blackville which rolled several times and had the floors separated from the undercarriage. The female resident of this home was trapped and sustained injuries. Other structures suffered extensive roof damage, including several chicken houses.
August 2005LightningBarnwell1 hurtEmergency Manager reported one person was injured by lightning.
June 2000Thunderstorm WindBlackville1 hurtEOC reported trees down on homes.
October 1989Tornado (F2)not stated$2,500,000no account filed
January 1972Tornado (F1)not stated$2,500,000no account filed
August 2023LightningBarnwell$2,000,000Hagood Avenue Baptist Church in the town of Barnwell was struck by lightning and caught fire. The fire caused extensive damage to the church.
June 1995Thunderstorm WindBarnwell$500,000Trees and powerlines down in Barnwell.
June 1952Tornado (F1)not stated$250,000no account filed
April 2011LightningBarnwell$80,000The People-Sentinel reported a home was destroyed by fire that was started by a lightning strike.
June 1995Thunderstorm WindBarnwell$50,000Winds blew down many trees and powerlines throughout county.
April 2011Thunderstorm WindBlackville$46,000Sheriff reported numerous trees down in the towns of Blackville and Barnwell. Some trees fell through an outbuilding and into a garage apartment on Hagood Ave. in Barnwell.
February 2003LightningBlackville$30,000A mobile home was destroyed by a fire started by a lightning strike.
June 2007Thunderstorm WindBarnwell$25,000Emergency Manager reported an intense microburst destroyed a 40'X 60' building, took down many trees (one split a home), took siding off a few homes, and twisted metal fences.
May 1973Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
June 2010Thunderstorm WindBlackville$18,000Edisto Electric reported powerlines down across much of northern Barnwell county.
May 1998Thunderstorm WindBlackville$15,000Police report tree down on car. Many other large branches down in area.
June 2015Thunderstorm WindWilliston$12,000Williston City Police had multiple reports of trees and powerlines down including Janet Street. Dime size hail also occurred.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindBarnwell Co Arpt$12,000Sheriff reported trees and powerlines down at the Barnwell County Airport.
April 2011Thunderstorm WindSnelling$12,000Sheriff reported numerous trees down in the Snelling area.
August 2009Thunderstorm WindSnelling$10,000Savannah River Site reported a measured wind gust to 73 mph with numerous trees down on site.
March 2013Thunderstorm WindSnelling$8,000DOT reported trees down in the Snelling area.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindBarnwell$8,000Sheriff reported trees and powerlines down in the Barnwell area along with street flooding.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindHilda$8,000Sheriff reported large trees down on November and Hartzog roads.
September 2000Thunderstorm WindWilliston$7,000Sheriff reported trees down in Williston, one fell onto a liquor store.
November 2011Thunderstorm WindBarnwell$6,000Sheriff reported trees down in the Barnwell area.
November 2011Thunderstorm WindHilda$6,000Sheriff reported trees down in the Hilda area.
November 2011Thunderstorm WindBlackville$6,000Sheriff reported trees down in the Blackville area.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindBarnwell$6,000Emergency Manager reported 2 mobile homes were moved off their foundations and had minor damage to them. A few trees and numerous large branches were also down.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindBarnwell$5,000Sheriff reported a couple of trees down from Hwy 3 and Pineneedle road to near Galilee and South Toby Creek roads.
January 2015Thunderstorm WindAshleigh$4,000Public reported several trees down along SC6-169 between Hwy 37 and Hwy 3 which is between Barnwell and Blackville.
November 2014Thunderstorm WindRobbins$4,000Local law enforcement reported trees down on the Savannah River Site on State Road 125 near the Allendale county line.
July 2013Thunderstorm WindElko$4,000Sheriff reported trees down on Ferrells Mill Road.
August 2013Thunderstorm WindWilliston$4,000Utility Company reported some outages due to large limbs on lines near the town of Williston.
January 2013Thunderstorm WindBarnwell$4,000Sheriff reported a few trees down southwest of Barnwell.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindSnelling$4,000EM reported trees down on Seven Pines Road 1/2 mile north of Hwy 64.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindBlackville$4,000DOT reported trees down near Blackville on secondary roads.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindRobbins$4,000Savannah River Site reported trees down on the east side of the facility just southwest of Hwy 125.
May 2009Flash FloodBlackville$4,000Sheriff reported flooding on several roads in and around Blackville with 1 to 3 feet of water.
April 2015Thunderstorm WindBarnwell$3,000DOT reported several trees down between Barnwell and Williston.
July 2015Thunderstorm WindHealing Spgs$3,000SKYWARN spotter reported several trees down along Gardenia Road.
June 2013Thunderstorm WindLyndhurst$3,000The County Dispatch reported trees down on Kingfisher Road.
June 2013Thunderstorm WindYenome$3,000The County Dispatch reported trees down along Hwy 3 near Red Oak Road.
June 2013Thunderstorm WindKline$3,000The County Dispatch reported trees down along Poplar Road near Hwy 278.
July 2013Flash FloodKline$3,000County Dispatch reported flooding at the intersection of Equire Road and Big Fork Road and also on Hwy 278 flooded near the Allendale County line just south of Kline.
June 2013Thunderstorm WindWilliston$3,000Augusta TV station reported trees down in Williston.
August 2012Thunderstorm WindHealing Spgs$3,000Sheriff reported trees down near the intersection of Ebenezer and Healing Springs Road.
August 2012Thunderstorm WindRobbins$3,000SRS dispatch reported trees down on SC Hwy 125 and on Savannah River Site Road F.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindBlackville$3,000Sheriff reported a couple of trees down in Blackville.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindWilliston$3,000Savannah River Site reported trees down near the Williston barricade.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindHealing Spgs$3,000DOT reported several trees down on Jones Bridge road.
April 1999Tornado (F1)Williston$3,000KC4JMV and damage survey confirmed an F1 tornado took down numerous trees and powerlines along a 2 mile path. Minor damage was also done to a home.
April 1999Tornado (F0)Hilda$3,000An F0 touched down on the east side of Hilda and damaged a small farm. One shed was destroyed, some equipment, and a few trees were down.
May 1995HailSnelling$3,000,,,,,,,,Thunderstorm Winds Trees blown down by thunderstorm winds
July 2015Thunderstorm WindElko$2,000Highway Patrol reported trees down at Williston Way and Deering Road.
August 2015Thunderstorm WindSnelling$2,000Dispatch reported powerlines down in Snelling.
April 2015Thunderstorm WindYenome$2,000Sheriff reported trees down on Hwy 300 and Annie Laurie Drive.
July 2013Thunderstorm WindAshleigh$2,000Highway Patrol reported trees dwon along Hwy 3 near Barnwell State Park.

Mines and quarries

1 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 1 working inside this county. It is closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Kennedy PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every populated place in the county

31

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on. The 3 places that were also surveyed for fire insurance come first, with the number of atlases and photographs held for them.

The vanished settlements of Barnwell County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

Recorded here

Blackville, South Carolina

16 topographic sheets and 8 fire insurance atlases, 1890 to 1943

Barnwell, South Carolina

16 topographic sheets and 7 fire insurance atlases, 1891 to 1943

Williston, South Carolina

16 topographic sheets and 6 fire insurance atlases, 1898 to 1932

Everything this county holds

The complete index, with nothing left out. Each of these is a separate record with its own page: a federal survey report, or the case file that argued a property on to the National Register. Both are public domain and reproduced word for word.

Surveyed structures

1 structure

The vanished settlements of Barnwell County, the places these records name that are no longer on the map.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.