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Barnwell, South Carolina

16 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1919 and the latest in 1982. It stands in the Barnwell census division. It lies in ZIP code area 29812. It stands on Barnwell Hill. The Survey maps it on the Barnwell quadrangle. 4,652 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 217 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Barnwell within Barnwell County

On record in Barnwell

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 5 records

Surveyed buildings and structures 1 record

Population over time

2 figures

Barnwell fell from 4,750 to 4,652 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20104,750
20204,652-98 (-2%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

9 surveys from 16 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Photographs

1 photograph,

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.

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

Fires near this place

276 since 1992

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 276 fires within 5 miles of Barnwell between 1992 and 2020, burning about 1,121 acres in total. 6 started naturally. 23 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined100
Debris and open burning95
Misuse of fire by a minor24
Arson/incendiarism23
Equipment and vehicle use17
Smoking7
Natural6
Power generation/transmission/distribution2
Fireworks1
Recreation and ceremony1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
8 September 1999Natural15 acresSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
7 September 1997Misuse of fire by a minorunder an acreSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
5 September 2009Debris and open burning1.0 acresSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
4 September 2007Missing data/not specified/undetermined3.5 acresSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
3 September 2017Debris and open burning7.0 acresSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
29 September 1993Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
23 September 2019Misuse of fire by a minor1.0 acresSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
23 September 2010Debris and open burning2.0 acresSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Barnwell County

Mines and quarries near this place

1 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Barnwell: 1 unknown. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Highway 27 PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknownSedimentary

Every working recorded in Barnwell County

Storms near this place

60 of 65 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Barnwell in 65 storm reports between 1995 and 2025: 38 thunderstorm wind, 18 hail, 4 lightning, 2 tornado. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
August 2005LightningBarnwell1 hurtEmergency Manager reported one person was injured by lightning.
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.
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.
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.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindBarnwell$8,000Sheriff reported trees and powerlines down in the Barnwell area along with street flooding.
November 2011Thunderstorm WindBarnwell$6,000Sheriff reported trees down in the Barnwell 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 2013Thunderstorm WindBarnwell$4,000Sheriff reported a few trees down southwest of Barnwell.
April 2015Thunderstorm WindBarnwell$3,000DOT reported several trees down between Barnwell and Williston.
January 2010Thunderstorm WindBarnwell$2,000Sheriff reported trees down near Mt. Olive Circle.
June 2006LightningBarnwell$2,000Lightning struck the Barnwell Communications Center doing about 2 thousand dollars in damage to equipment.
April 1999HailBarnwell$1,000Spotter and damage survey confirmed hail damage to pickup truck.
April 1999Tornado (F0)Barnwell$1,000Spotter and damage survey confirmed an F0 tornado took down trees and powerlines.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindBarnwell$500Highway Patrol reported a tree down in the road at SC 3 and US 278.
April 2025Flash FloodBarnwell-Emergency Manager reported flash flooding throughout the city of Barnwell. EM observed 4.8 inches of rain at their home and stated that many city streets flooded as storm drains could not handle that amount. Time estimated by EM.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-EM reported multiple trees down on Hwy. 64 in Barwell heading towards Olar.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Barnwell County Dispatch reported widespread trees and powerlines down across the county.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Barnwell Co dispatch reported trees and power lines down across the county. Time estimated.
September 2017Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Barnwell Co SC EM reported several trees down.
July 2013Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-DOT reported large branches down from Barnwell to the Savannah River Site.
March 2012HailBarnwell-Sheriff dispatch reported quarter size hail in Barnwell.
May 2011HailBarnwell-Public reported quarter size hail just south of Barnwell.
April 2009HailBarnwell-Sheriff reported 1 inch hail on the south side of town near the intersection of hwys 278, 3, and 310.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Sheriff Dispatch reported trees and power lines down in the town of Barnwell.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Emergency manager reported a couple of trees down on Longbranch Road.
June 2008HailBarnwell-EM reported nickel size hail about halfway between Barnwell and Hilda on highway 70.
April 2007Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Highway dept. reported trees down on hwy 64.
June 2007HailBarnwell-Savannah River Site reported nickel size hail.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-DOT reported several trees down on hwy 57.
July 2007FloodBarnwell-Savannah River Site reported water flowing over road B and road 7 after several inches of rain fell over the area.
May 2006Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Sheriff reported trees down on Green Branch and Blease Creek roads.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Public reported large limbs down and minor flooding across roads.
February 2005HailBarnwell-Savannah River Site reported golf ball size hail.
May 2005HailBarnwell-Post Office reported penny size hail on hwy 70.
June 2004Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Sheriff reported trees down east of Barnwell on hwy 64.
September 2004Tornado (F0)Barnwell-An F0 took down some trees and powerlines and damaged some signs in Barnwell.
November 2004Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Sheriff reported trees down on Lake Drive.
July 2003Flash FloodBarnwell-Toby creek flooded the bridge at hwy 64 closing the road.
June 2003HailBarnwell-Sheriff reported nickel size hail northwest of Barnwell on hwy 278.
May 2002Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Sheriff reported trees down west of Barnwell.
May 2002HailBarnwell-Sheriff reported golf ball size hail in Barnwell.
May 2002Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Sheriff reported trees down northeast of Barnwell.
July 2002Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Sheriff reported numerous trees down in Barnwell.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Sheriff reported trees down.
June 2001HailBarnwell-EM reported nickel size hail in Barnwell.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Savannah River Site reported trees down and a guard shack overturned.
August 2000Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Electric coop reported trees and powerlines down in Barnwell.
August 2000Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Savannah River Site recorded a gust to 89 mph.
March 1999HailBarnwell-Law Enforcement at the Savannah River Site reported 3/4 inch hail.
March 1999Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Sheriff reported trees down.
July 1999HailBarnwell-Sheriff reported nickel size hail.
April 1999Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Highway Patrol reported trees down along highway 278.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Sheriff reported large branches down on highways 78 and 781.
May 1998HailBarnwell-Sheriff reported 1 inch hail on highway 278.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-Savannah River Site reported trees down and tin roof blown off building.
April 1997Thunderstorm WindBarnwell-no account filed
April 1997HailBarnwell-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Barnwell County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Hells Half Acre0.5 miles16
Happy Bottom0.8 miles16
Yale (historical)2.9 miles16
Hagoods Mill3.2 miles16
Yenome4.3 miles16
Ashleigh4.4 miles16
Snelling5.2 miles16
Long Branch5.5 miles16

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on BarnwellAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q586262The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1244965. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

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.