Darlington Downtown Historic District

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.

From the record

“Darlington Downtown Historic District is a national historic district located at Darlington, Darlington County, South Carolina. The district encompasses 21 contributing commercial buildings in the central business district of Darlington, and built between about 1870 and 1935.”
Wikipedia article Darlington Downtown Historic District, CC BY-SA 4.0.

One of 52 National Register listings published here for Darlington County · listed in 2006 · category: District.

Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service

The listing

Address. Along portions of S. Main St. Pearl St., Public Sq. and Exchange St., Darlington, 29532
When was it listed? July 2006
Category. district
Also known as. City of Darlington MRA
Census division. Darlington
National Register reference number. 06000546 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

Fires near this property

318 since 1992

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 318 fires within 5 miles of Darlington Downtown Historic District between 1992 and 2020, burning about 1,115 acres in total. 2 started naturally. 29 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
Debris and open burning	156
Missing data/not specified/undetermined	92
Arson/incendiarism	29
Equipment and vehicle use	16
Misuse of fire by a minor	12
Railroad operations and maintenance	5
Smoking	3
Natural	2
Power generation/transmission/distribution	2
Recreation and ceremony	1

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

Date	Cause	Size	Reported by	Name on the report
6 September 2018	Power generation/transmission/distribution	3.0 acres	South Carolina Forestry Commission	not named
30 September 2017	Debris and open burning	2.0 acres	South Carolina Forestry Commission	not named
30 September 2011	Railroad operations and maintenance	1.5 acres	South Carolina Forestry Commission	not named
30 September 2003	Debris and open burning	1.0 acres	South Carolina Forestry Commission	not named
29 September 2007	Debris and open burning	under an acre	South Carolina Forestry Commission	not named
23 September 2007	Arson/incendiarism	5.0 acres	South Carolina Forestry Commission	not named
22 September 2010	Debris and open burning	1.0 acres	South Carolina Forestry Commission	not named
17 September 2010	Misuse of fire by a minor	under an acre	South Carolina Forestry Commission	not named

Every fire recorded in Darlington County

Mines and quarries near this property

2 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 2 workings within 5 miles of Darlington Downtown Historic District: 1 unknown, 1 producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Clay, Sand and Gravel, Construction, Clay. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where	Site	Commodity	Status	Recorded
	Darington Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction, Clay	Unknown	Sedimentary
	Darington Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction, Clay	Producer

Every working recorded in Darlington County

Storms near this property

60 of 100 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Darlington, the town this property stands in, in 100 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 49 thunderstorm wind, 34 hail, 5 heavy rain, 4 tornado. The reports record 4 injuries. 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.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
July 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	3 hurt, $5,000	Flying debris reportedly caused damage to some windows at the Huddle House. Three people were transported to the hospital with undetermined injuries, most likely attributable to flying glass. The time was estimated based on radar data.
May 2006	Tornado (F1)	Darlington	1 hurt, $400,000	A National Weather Service Storm Survey concluded an F1 tornado with winds estimated to 100 mph tracked along a path 1000 yards long and 15 yards wide causing spotty damage along South Center Rd near the intersection with Lake Swamp Rd. Four homes were damaged and a mobile home and one old house were destroyed. One person suffered minor injuries. There was also a report of golfball size hail with trees down on houses and barns along South Center Rd.
August 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$200,000	Downburst wind from a thunderstorm hit the Plantation Parks Mobile Home Park and knocked 19 manufactured homes off their blocks. One home flipped upside down. No injuries.
May 2000	Hail	Darlington	$150,000	A severe thunderstorm caused dime size hail in the city of Darlington, and 2 inch hail just to the south. Strong gusty wind caused tree and roof damage to the Landmark Motor Inn, 2 miles south of the city, and overturned a mobile home in Oats, 8 miles south of Darlington. The County Agricultural Service reported several areas of crop damage near highway 401.
August 2004	Flash Flood	Darlington	$100,000	no account filed
July 1996	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$100,000	no account filed
September 2004	Tornado (F0)	Darlington	$75,000	A tornado snapped trees, some of which fell onto several homes and damaged roofs.
August 1994	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$50,000	Highway Patrol reported power lines down in Darlington.
May 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$30,000	A large tree around 3 feet in diameter fell onto a trailer and severed it. A storm chaser observed the tree and reported it rotted. A male sleeping inside at the time was unharmed. The trailer was located on Wire Road. There were no other trees or limbs down in the area.
May 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$30,000	The 911 center reported numerous trees and power lines down. Newspaper articles said that the roofs of an Asian market and a discount tobacco store were blown off.
June 1998	Lightning	Darlington	$30,000	no account filed
August 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$20,000	EMC reported trees down...road signs damaged...and minor structural damage to several homes.
July 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$15,000	Spotter reported a tree fell on a house and car. Power lines were also reported down.
September 2004	Tornado (F1)	Darlington	$8,000	Tornado snapped several trees and damaged a mobile home.
June 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$5,000	There were around 100 power outages reported in the city of Darlington and just outside of the city.
June 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$5,000	Five trees were reported down in the city of Darlington. The time was estimated based on radar data.
July 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$4,000	Trees were reported down at the intersection of Darlington Avenue and S Dargan Street.
July 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$3,000	Trees were reported down on N Main Street.
June 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$3,000	Trees were reportedly uprooted along Lawson Road. The time was estimated based on radar data.
June 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$2,000	A tree was blown down on power lines on West Broad St.
August 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$2,000	Power lines were reported down along E Billy Farrow Highway about a half mile west of U.S. 52.
June 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$2,000	Power lines were reportedly down on North Main Street. The time was estimated by radar.
July 2009	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$2,000	Two large oak trees were reported down near North Spain Street and Cashua Street.
January 2020	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$1,000	Trees were blown down near a Piggly Wiggly in Darlington.
June 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$1,000	A tree was reportedly down on Mineral Springs Road.
June 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$1,000	A tree was reported down at the intersection of Lawson Road and Spring Street.
June 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$1,000	A tree was reportedly down at the intersection of Whit Street and Plum Street.
June 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$1,000	A tree was reported down at the intersection of Gilchrist Road and Smith Avenue. The time was estimated based on radar data.
April 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$1,000	A tree was reported down in roadway.
July 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$1,000	A tree was reported down in the 600 block of Gilchrist Road. The time was estimated based on radar data.
July 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$1,000	A tree was reportedly down in the roadway at the intersection of Pocket Road and Oxford Drive. The time was estimated based on radar data.
July 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$1,000	A tree was reportedly down on North Main Street near Citi Trends. The time was estimated based on radar data.
July 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$1,000	A tree was reportedly down on Gilchrist Road near the intersection with Wire Road. The time was estimated based on radar data.
August 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$1,000	A tree was reportedly across the roadway at the intersection of Oleander Drive and Mineral Spriings Road. The time was estimated based on radar data.
May 2012	Hail	Darlington	$1,000	Hail to the size of quarters was reported.
June 2010	Hail	Darlington	$1,000	Hail reportedly fell along Highway 52. The hail was measured at up to 0.88 inches.
June 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$1,000	A large tree was reported down along Alabama Drive.
May 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$1,000	no account filed
July 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	$500	Large limbs were reported broken and down.
April 2011	Hail	Darlington	$500	Hail to the size of quarters covered the ground.
June 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	-	Tree down on Chestnut St in Darlington according to HAM radio report.
May 2020	Hail	Darlington	-	Hail was reported on North Myrtle St.
September 2020	Flash Flood	Darlington	-	Flash flooding was reported on Main Street. More flooding on Pearl Street and on Race Track Rd at Padgett Lane.
May 2019	Hail	Darlington	-	Nickle size hail was reported.
August 2015	Flood	Darlington	-	Flooding was reported at the intersection of South Main and Broad Street.
July 2015	Flood	Darlington	-	Flooding was reported at the intersection of Cashua Ferry Road and Pocket Road.
October 2015	Flood	Darlington	-	Roads closed in Darlington due to flooding.
July 2013	Flood	Darlington	-	Flooding was reported on Main Street near Broad St. The road had to be closed as water rose to the bottom of car doors.
June 2010	Heavy Rain	Darlington	-	The fire department reported that South Main Street was closed due to high water between East Broad Street and Pearl Street.
July 2010	Heavy Rain	Darlington	-	South Carolina Highway patrol reported that Railroad Ave was closed due to street flooding.
March 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	-	Emergency Manager reported trees were down.
June 2008	Hail	Darlington	-	Report of quarter size hail.
June 2008	Hail	Darlington	-	Report of hail up to the size of quarters. Report relayed by WBTW.
June 2008	Hail	Darlington	-	Hail up to the size of quarters was reported. Report relayed by WBTW.
June 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	-	Two trees, up to 18 inches in diameter, were blown down at the Darlington Country Club.
August 2008	Hail	Darlington	-	Penny size hail was reported along Mineral Springs Road.
August 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	-	Numerous trees were reported down. A trained spotter estimated the winds at up to 60 mph.
August 2008	Hail	Darlington	-	Nickel size hail was reported.
August 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	-	A trained spotter measured a wind gust to 72 mph.
March 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Darlington	-	One large tree was reported down at the intersection of Newman Swamp Road and Lee State Park.

Every storm recorded in Darlington County

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

Listed places nearby

6 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Property	Distance	Listed
Manne Building	under 500 feet	1988
Darlington Theatre	under 500 feet	2024
South Carolina Western Railway Station	0.2 miles	1988
First Baptist Church	0.2 miles	1991
Carnegie Public Library	0.2 miles	1980
Mrs. B. F. Williamson House	0.3 miles	1988

Sources for this property

National Archives record	The nomination case file for reference 06000546 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia article	Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Darlington County	All 52 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
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.