Page 11 - Florence County, SC Florence County 2032: Connecting Our Past, Defining Our Future

Existing County | Historical Timeline

HISTORICAL TIMELINE

Early Days
of Native Americans created settlements along the banks of the Pee Dee River.
Florence County
Robert Johnson, the first Royal Governor of S.C., created eleven townships. Each
contained 20,000 acres, and each man, woman and child who would improve 50 acres
1730 would receive the land free. Immigrants from Pennsylvania settled in the Pee Dee
area. Settlement was slow so the government offered bounties to people who would
settle in the area.

Francis Marion, "The Swamp Fox", led a militia to fight the British during the American
1780
Revolutionary War.
1856 Henry Timrod founded a school for children. It is currently located in Timrod Park.
Development of the railroad industry led to the settlement of a town, what is now the
1860
City of Florence. The first maps were created.
The Stockade is constructed to house Civil War prisoners. It is eventually closed in
1864
1865.
The South Carolina General Assembly creates Florence County and includes
1888
Timmonsville, Coward, Lake City, and Florence.
1900s Florence County continues to grow through agriculture and settlement.

Mid 1900s I-20 and I-95 are built bringing more people to Florence County than ever before.
1963 Florence Darlington Technical College is founded.

1970 Francis Marion University is founded.

Throughout Florence County continues to diversify its economy with textiles, manufacturing,
1900s-2000s medical, finance, and other industries.
2021 Comprehensive Plan process launched to update last plan adopted in 2017.

Florence County, SC | Comprehensive Plan pg. 10