Page 79 - Florence County, SC Florence County 2032: Connecting Our Past, Defining Our Future

Existing County | Cultural Resources

Florence Stockade

A historical marker defines this site where, from September 1864 through February 1865 approximately 16,000
Union soldiers were held captive in Florence. A stockade was constructed here to accommodate prisoners,
previously incarcerated at Andersonville and other prisons in south Georgia. These prisoners were moved as a
result of Gen. William T. Sherman's Union Forces heading to Savannah in the now famous "March to the Sea."
Approximately 2,802 Union soldiers died and many are buried as "unknowns" in the adjacent Florence National
Cemetery. The Friends of the Florence Stockade held an official public opening on May 31, 2008. The site now
includes parking area, and offers an interpretive gazebo and guided walking trail with interpretation about the
history of the stockade.
Hewn Timber Cabins

Francis Marion University maintains two historic, hewn timber cabins on its campus. The cabins, which date to
the mid-19th century, were the living quarters for slaves, and later, for sharecroppers. They are a part of the legacy
of the land, and part of the region’s historical heritage as well. The cabins were relocated a short distance from
their original locations on the Wallace Gregg farm to their current setting on Wallace Woods Drive after the
founding of FMU. The cabins are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Guided tours of the cabins are
available by appointment.
Jamestown

Determined to own his own land rather than to rent or sharecrop, former slave Ervin James (1815-1872) bought
a 105-acre tract here in 1870. His five sons and a son-in-law later divided the tract into individual farms, and other
area families purchased additional land, creating a rural community of some 250 residents that flourished for 70
years. Among its institutions were Jamestown Cemetery, Summerville Methodist Church (now Bowers Chapel
United Methodist Church), established about 1880, and an elementary school founded in 1926. Only one of the
settlement’s original houses remains. A large family reunion, with educational programs open to the public, is
held each July.
SC BBQ Trail

Florence County and the greater region boast many stops on the SC BBQ Trail. The map below shows those sites,
but you can directly search for them on this site: https://destination-bbq.com/sc-bbq-map-locator/

Stops on the SC BBQ Trail in and around Florence County

Florence County, SC | Comprehensive Plan pg. 78