LAURENS COUNTY

County Offices
100 Hillcrest Square
Laurens 864-984-5484
www.laurenscountysc.org

Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 248
Laurens 864-833-2716
www.laurenscounty.org

Laurens County is located in the Piedmont Region of South Carolina and is an area of forests and gently rolling hills. It is home to more than 68,000 residents. The Enoree River separates Laurens from Spartanburg and Union Counties on the northeast. Newberry County borders Laurens on the southeast and Greenville on the northwest. The Saluda River and Lake Greenwood separate the County from Abbeville and Greenwood on the southwest.

Lifestyle
Historic Laurens serves as the County seat and the largest city in Laurens County. The first record of the town being officially called Laurens appears on a charter issued in 1873. Today, the public square and most of the surrounding streets are on the National Register of Historic Places as the “Laurens Historic District.”  Thirty percent of the residents of Laurens County live in the two main cities of Clinton and Laurens. The remainder lives in the smaller communities of Cross Hill, Fountain Inn, Gray Court, Hickory Tavern, Mountville, Joanna, Ware Shoals, and Waterloo or in rural areas.

Throughout the year the county offers events for all ages to enjoy throughout the year. With Laurens County within an hour’s drive of Columbia and Greenville, the state’s two largest metropolitan areas, big-name entertainment is close at hand. Presbyterian College provides a variety of lectures, plays, films, art shows, and concerts from September through April. Clinton High and Thornwell High combine talents for their spring theatrical performance, and the Laurens County Community Theater offers several performances of top name productions each season. The Laurens County Chorale performs spring and winter concerts. Local artists have a chance to share their work at The Artists’ Coop located on the historic square in Laurens. Museums celebrating the county’s heritage show the historic changes of the county and the Clinton Museum encourages residents to help preserve the area’s heritage by adding photographs, artifacts from everyday life, Clinton High School annuals, and other items to the permanent collection.

Laurens County is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts with its lakes and rivers, hiking trails, national forests, hunting areas and golf courses. There are many parks in the county plus a variety of indoor recreational activities. Laurens County has two private 18-hole Golf courses: Musgrove Mill, an Arnold Palmer World Class Championship Course. Lakeside Country Club also has swimming and tennis. Rolling S Golf Club is a public 18-hole course. Private and public lakes are numerous, including Lake Greenwood with over 200 miles of shoreline, and Lake Rabon. The Enoree and Saluda Rivers provide excellent fishing, boating.  In addition there are 12 parks with playground equipment and recreational opportunities. Some offer picnic shelters, basketball courts, and ball fields.

Laurens County welcomes spring each year as the landscape burst with flowers. In April, the Spring Tour of Homes showcases the diverse architecture in the city of Laurens, and the Joanna Festival features crafts, rides for kids, food, and entertainment. Ware Shoals’ Catfish Feastival, on the banks of the Saluda River, is held Memorial Day weekend.  During the summer months there’s the Laurens County Relay for Life, the City of Clinton New Kids on the Block, or Comin’ Home to Cross Hill. And as the temperatures cool in October find fun at the Aunt Het Festival in Fountain Inn, Gray Court’s Gospel Music Festival, Squealin’ on the Square in Laurens, and Halloween events for the entire family.  During the holidays, Laurens County shines with seven Christmas Parades; the Spirit of Christmas Past in Fountain Inn, Laurens Lights, “Polar Express” tours, and the Reindeer Run.

 

Laurens County has many attractive neighborhoods, and housing is plentiful, ranging from single family dwellings to apartments.  The county offers a variety of architectural styles from contemporary structures to gracious older homes and small farms. You’ll find older established neighborhoods and brand new subdivisions, but regardless of where you settle in Laurens County, quality housing is available and affordable. Everything about Laurens County says that it is the perfect place to settle in. Newcomer to the county will find small towns with quaint squares, rural communities where everyone pitches in and plenty of business and industry to support the community all come together to make this a great place to call home.

 

Services
While a rural county, Laurens has a past that is tied to manufacturing. Originally textiles dominated the county, but over the past few decades, textiles have been displaced by a wide variety of industries. Michelin, Milliken and Wal-Mart established large warehouse distribution centers and manufacturers include CeramTec, Torrington, Avery Dennison and Norbord built plants. Several automobile parts suppliers established facilities in northern Laurens County to supply BMW’s large upstate automobile plant. The area has seen several recent economic retail developments, and is seeing new capital investment in heavy industry, including a major new transmission production facility for German ZF Group.

Health care is a priority in the County and is well represented by an excellent full-service hospital, healthcare facilities and human service agencies that offer a continuum of care, resources and support to meet the physical, mental and developmental needs of the community. Laurens County is home to an excellent health care system, a continually expanding and improving hospital staffed with outstanding physicians, support by a dedicated emergency medical service staff. Laurens County Health Department and Laurens County Department of Social Services provide numerous programs from health related to training and temporary aid for limited income families. Laurens County Disabilities and Special Needs, Whitten Center, Community Health Services, and Hospice of Laurens County are also important health-related services available to residents.

The County affords outstanding educational opportunities at all levels. Public and private schools offer strong college preparatory, vocational and technical programs. Laurens County Schools offer a variety of enrichment programs which take students beyond the normal curriculum. There are three public school districts in the county. Laurens County District 55 covers what is generally the northeastern half of the county while District 56 covers the southwestern half. The Ware Shoals area is covered by the multi-county Greenwood County District 51. There are two public high schools in the county: Laurens (in Dist. 55) and Clinton (in Dist. 56.) Public K-12 education includes Hickory Tavern Elementary, Ford Elementary, Gray Court-Owings, Pleasant View Elementary, E.B. Morse, Hickory Tavern Middle, Laurens Middle, and Sanders Middle. Private K-12 education includes Laurens Academy. Presbyterian College, located in Clinton, is a four year liberal-arts school founded in 1880.

 

Clinton
Town Offices
211 North Broad Street Suite A
Clinton 864-833-7505
www.cityofclintonsc.com

The City of Clinton is truly the gateway to Upstate South Carolina. Located just 45 minutes south of Greenville, 60 minutes north of Columbia, and just over 2 hours from the Charleston Port, Clinton is the perfect location. The town is named for Henry Clinton Young, a lawyer from Laurensville (Laurens) who helped design the layout of the first streets. Clinton is the second largest city in Laurens County with a population of just under 9,000 residents. Clinton is also noted for its very small-town feel and local fare. Notable restaurants include Steamers, Whiteford’s Drive-In and Hickory Hills Bar-B-Que Buffet. Many Clinton residents maintain the tradition of “chewing the fat” at the misnomeric Study Club. The well-maintained railroad tracks and antiquated depot are located in the heart of the town and serve as a reminder of the towns past. Clinton is also home of Presbyterian College, a nationally acclaimed private college with Division I athletics, and the Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy. These add a variety of educational, cultural, and recreational opportunities the community through many of its programs. Recreation is close to home in Clinton, with the Sumter National Forest just minutes away from the City of Clinton and a planned network of greenway trails, the City is any outdoors person’s dream location. Add in the historic Musgrove Mill Revolutionary War, the Musgrove Mill golf course, Lake Greenwood just minutes to the south and all the giant oaks that line the streets of Clinton and new residents can’t help but be happy to call it home.

 

Laurens
City Offices
126 East Public Square
Laurens 864-984-3933
www.cityoflaurenssc.com

Laurens, the county seat, is located in northwestern South Carolina close to where Interstate 385 from Greenville joins Interstate 26. Laurens was once known for its trade of tailor-made clothes. Andrew Johnson, the 17th president of the United States, came to Laurens in 1824 and established a tailor shop on the town square. By 1840, the area was booming and the local landmark courthouse on the square was built. Laurens is home to just under 10,000 residents. In 2005, Laurens was highlighted in The Learning Channel’s Town Haul series. During the filming, several projects completed included a park, a barbershop, a teen club and amphitheater. Points of interest include the Charles Duckett House with collections and displays of early African American life in Laurens County; the Dunklin House, one of the oldest homes in the city and listed on the National Register of Historic Places; the Bethel A.M.E. Church, a Romanesque Revival church built around 1910; and the Artist’s Coop, a gallery featuring original works of local artists. Events include Squealin’ on the Square, an annual barbeque held in October. With a beautiful town square, complete with historic courthouse, annual community celebrations and plenty of recreation all close to home, residents of Laurens enjoy a high quality of life.

 

Ware Shoals
Town Offices
Ware Shoals 864-456-7478
www.wareshoals.org

Ware Shoals is a town in Abbeville, Greenwood, and Laurens counties along the Saluda River. The town is home to just under 3,000 residents.  Ware Shoals is a cozy southern hamlet resting on the banks of the Saluda River where Abbeville, Laurens and Greenwood Counties brush together. Newcomers to this quiet community will find neighbors on their front porches, town sidewalks full of locals and friendly faces offering southern charm and hospitality. This makes this community truly feel like a community.  Whether it’s a fishing pole or a pitching wedge, Ware Shoals offers recreational opportunities for everyone. Whether it’s tubing down the Saluda River or racing at the Ware Shoals Drag Way on a Friday night. Individuals and families have the chance to enjoy affordable, well built homes on large lots. The school system rates as one of the best in the state and Ware Shoals’ close proximity to Greenville, Anderson and Greenwood makes it a fantastic choice for those who want to enjoy the small town lifestyle with big city amenities. Big annual festivals, like the Memorial Day weekend Catfish Feastival draw thousands each year. This is truly a town to call home for those looking to enjoy a bit of the quiet life the way it used to be.