Page 92 - Florence County, SC Florence County 2032: Connecting Our Past, Defining Our Future

Existing County | Cultural Resources

Dr. James Whitehead (1906-2004) was a
graduate of Lake City H.S. and the Medical
University of S.C. After completing his
internship at Spartanburg General, he
returned to Lake City where he practiced
33° 52.280' N, medicine for 55 years. In 1938 he oversaw
21-41 Whitehead Infirmary
79° 45.030' W the construction of this two-story building,
which was built as a 14-bed obstetric
hospital. With few other local options for
professional medical care, however,
Whitehead Infirmary quickly became the
primary acute care facility in town.
Constructed in 1907, this building originally
housed Farmers and Merchants Bank. In
1934 the newly formed Palmetto State Bank
opened here. On Sept. 5, 1934 the bank was
robbed by three armed men. The bank had
Palmetto State Bank 33° 52.381′ N,
21-42 larger than normal deposits on hand
Robbery 79° 45.283′ W
because it was the height of tobacco
marketing season and the group stole a
reported $114,082. Frank English and his
wife Geneva were the only people tried for
the crime.
The congregation of Willow Creek Baptist
Church can trace its origins to the early 19th
century when it was first associated with
Lynch’s Creek Church. The first meeting
Willow Creek Baptist 33° 6.286′ N, house was built in the neighborhood c.
21-43
Church 79° 35.422′ W 1815. Samuel Timmons, pastor at Lynch’s
Creek, provided itinerant service in the early
years. In 1829 Willow Creek was officially
organized and joined the Charleston Baptist
Association.
The McLeod Infirmary was located here in
1906, inspired by the need to provide access
to local medical and surgical care for people
of the region. Frank Hilton McLeod was
McLeod Medical 34° 11.728′ N, born in Richmond Co., N.C. in 1868 and
21-44
Center 79° 45.951′ W graduated from the Univ. of Tennessee
Medical School. In 1891, he moved to
Florence and chartered the Florence
Infirmary. By the 1920s it was the third
largest hospital in the state.

Florence County, SC | Comprehensive Plan pg. 91