BARNWELL COUNTY

County Offices
57 Wall Street
Barnwell 803-259-3266
http://www.cityofbarnwell.com/home

Chamber of Commerce
367 Fuldner Road
Barnwell 803-259-7446
https://discoversouthcarolina.com/products/5261

The 553-square-mile expanse of Barnwell County draws newcomers to rural charm, natural beauty, and impressive historic preservation. The local economy mixes strong manufacturing and industrial sectors with agriculture, forestry and tourism for a well-diversified base. Transportation amenities are anchored by U.S. Route 278 and a network of state highways, while Augusta Regional Airport provides commercial airline service just 40 miles from home.

Services
State-of-the-art healthcare services are as close to home as Barnwell, home to Southern Palmetto Hospital. This 53-bed acute-care facility provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services including around-the-clock emergency, trauma, and non-emergent care. The renovated emergency department offers nine private suits and serves more than 12,000 patients annually. If advanced care is indicated, nationally recognized health systems are only 40 miles away in Augusta. Operating under Augusta University Health, Augusta University Medical Center at Augusta University and the Children’s Hospital of Georgia rank among the top one percent nationally for the number of physicians on “America’s Top Doctors” list. University Health Care System with the 581-bed teaching facility of University Hospital is one of Georgia’s most comprehensive and largest healthcare providers. Doctors Hospital adds yet another leading institution with numerous specialty centers that include Joseph M. Still Burn Center—the largest inpatient burn center in America.

Newcomers will appreciate the quality of educational opportunities within and near Barnwell County, where three well-managed local school districts excel in favorable student/teacher ratios and individualized attention. All three districts enjoy access to the award-winning Barnwell County Career Center, where students receive hands-on training in relevant, in-demand fields. Some of the finest colleges in the South are nearby, including the University of South Carolina Aiken, recognized among the South’s top baccalaureate colleges by U.S. News & World Report. Aiken County is also home to Aiken Technical College with a recently opened Center for Energy and Advanced manufacturing. Nearby Augusta is the proud home of the flagship campus for Augusta University, offering an unusually rich curriculum for liberal arts, medical, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) disciplines. Other options in Augusta include the award-winning Augusta Technical College and a campus for the private institution of Paine College. Augusta also hosts satellite campuses for several other private colleges: Georgia Military College, Brenau University, Virginia College, and Miller-Motte Technical College.

Lifestyle
Few locales in American can claim the charm of Barnwell County, drawing throngs of visitors each year to celebrated historic sites including churches that date from 1831 to 1899. Barnwell Courthouse has its own story, beginning in 1840 as a government center and moving into another life as a Presbyterian church. In 1967 this historic gem was relocated to Academy Street and serves today as a performing arts center and the proud home of Circle Theatre. Other treasures include Barnwell’s unique Vertical Sundial and the Barnwell County Museum, Irma Morris Museum with its showcase of fine art, the Agricultural Heritage Museum, and Williston Museum. Shopping is a rare pleasure in one-of-a-kind shops, antique dealers, and arts and craft centers like Salkehatchie Arts Center in Allendale. For expanded retail options, Aiken and Orangeburg are just 40 minutes from home. Augusta, Georgia, is only 40 miles away for additional cultural, entertainment, and retail amenities.

Four mild seasons ensure opportunities for year-round outdoor enjoyment, and Barnwell County is brimming over with recreational destinations. Barnwell State Park near Blackville is ideal for relaxing, camping, and cabin rentals in pristine natural settings dotted with great fishing lakes. The park’s community building is frequently used for gatherings and special events. Water-sport enthusiasts can enjoy canoeing and kayaking down Edisto River or the Savannah River along the Barnwell County state line. Popular pastimes include hiking, camping, cycling, fishing, hunting, and golfing—either locally at Sweetwater County Club or at any number of courses around the region. The city of Augusta is globally famous as the site of the Masters Golf Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Closer to home, families enjoy amenities like the disc golf course at Fuller Park or the 100-acre Lake Edgar Brown, both in Barnwell. Special events bring out the entire community to celebrations like the Fourth of July FUN-tastic Family Fest to the spectacular Candlelight and Community Tree Lighting and Christmas Parade. For a rare quality of life that includes an affordable mix of housing options, Barnwell County is a great place to call home in the Augusta-Richmond metropolitan region.

COMMUNITY PROFILES

City Offices
Barnwell 803-259-3266
http://www.cityofbarnwell.com/home

Chamber of Commerce
803-259-7446
https://discoversouthcarolina.com/products/5261

For centuries, the circle fronting the courthouse has served as the downtown heart of the county seat of Barnwell. Home to a full-service hospital and an array of shops and services, the city provides a small but convenient hub for a regional rural population. With a slogan of “Barnwell, Live Well,” this proud community offers an intimate hometown atmosphere where popular activities range from water-skiing on the local lake and playing softball in the park to cheering on the high school team or attending a pancake breakfast at a local church. Recreational opportunities begin just beyond the front doorstep for residents of Barnwell, home to the regional asset of Lake Edgar Brown. Turkey Creek, a tributary of the Salkehatchie River, runs through the city, adding scenic beauty to historic charm. Fuller Park provides a disc golf course, a walking trail, and a seasonal farmers market while Lemon Park features a sports complex and a new playground.

Williston

Town Offices
803-266-7015
http://www.williston-sc.com

Chamber of Commerce
803-259-7446
https://discoversouthcarolina.com/products/5261

Drawing newcomers to small-town charm and a strong community spirit, Williston is conveniently located along the major thoroughfare of U.S. Route 78. Residents are only 20 miles from expanded amenities in Aiken for expanded shopping, dining, and entertainment amenities. Widely known for its equestrian culture including polo matches and fox hunts, Aiken also boasts a rich arts scene and one of the nation’s largest urban forests. Once situated at the center of the Charleston-Hamburg railroad line, the line of the Best Friend locomotive, Williston’s former track site has been designated as historically significant by the South Carolina Department of Archives and included as a site along the South Carolina Heritage Corridor. Residents enjoy the convenience of great public schools along with an option for a private school in nearby Blackville, easy access to a full-service hospital in Barnwell, and first-rate recreational opportunities throughout the county and region.

Blackville

Town Offices
803-284-2444
https://townofblackville.com

Chamber of Commerce
803-259-7446
https://discoversouthcarolina.com/products/5261

Located 45 miles northwest of Augusta, Georgia, along U.S. Route 78, picturesque Blackville offers a country setting for residential development. A drive through this quiet town showcases corn fields, pastures, and rustic barns as well as unique attractions like God’s Acre Healing Springs. Providing “healing waters” to Native Americans and later to Revolutionary soldiers, this artesian well now welcomes locals and visitors who arrive with water containers. Historic structures and landmarks abound in Blackwell, part of the South Carolina Heritage Corridor. The town is also home to a small Mennonite community associated with the “destination restaurant” of Miller’s Bread Basket. Recreational opportunities are available locally at Barnwell State Park, drawing anglers, nature lovers, and campers to pristine natural beauty punctuated by small lakes.