EDGEFIELD COUNTY

County Offices
124 Courthouse Square
Edgefield 803-637-4000
https://edgefieldcounty.sc.gov

Chamber of Commerce
416 Calhoun Street
Johnston 803-275-0010
http://www.edgefieldcountychamber.net

Taking for its slogan “Home of Ten Governors,” rural Edgefield County claims a unique and colorful history brimming over with unusually dashing figures, statesmen, soldiers, orators, adventurers, and daredevils. Located just across the Savannah River from Augusta, Georgia, this historic area blends a rich agricultural center with the economic strength of global industry. U.S. Route 25 serves as the major artery through the county, while Augusta Regional Airport in Augusta provides commercial airline service.

Services
Access to state-of-the-art healthcare services and resources begins locally at Edgefield County Hospital, a 25-bed facility with 24-hour emergency care for stabilizing and/or treating most medical conditions and injuries. Employing nearly 200, the hospital offers inpatient acute and respite care, comprehensive outpatient services, and maintains a helipad for referral transport. Should the need for advanced care arise, nearby Augusta is home to nationally recognized facilities. Augusta University Health, encompassing Augusta University Medical Center at Augusta University and the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, consistently ranks among the top one percent nationally for the number of physicians on “America’s Top Doctors” list. The 581-bed teaching facility of University Hospital anchors the University Health Care System, one of Georgia’s most comprehensive and largest healthcare providers. Doctors Hospital adds yet another leading institution with a number of centers of excellence including one of the nation’s most respected and largest inpatient burn centers.

Quality education is another hallmark of Edgefield County, where students attend award-winning public and private schools. Those focused on early career training have the advantage of Strom Thurmond Career and Technology Center, with a curriculum dedicated to engagement, enrichment, and hands-on education. The opportunities for higher education close to home are second-to-none, including the University of South Carolina Aiken, consistently recognized among the South’s top baccalaureate colleges by U.S. News & World Report. Adjacent Aiken County is also home to Aiken Technical College with a recently opened Center for Energy and Advanced manufacturing. 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 Augusta Technical College, the only school of its kind in Georgia to win the U.S. Secretary of Education’s Award of Excellence. Augusta also maintains a campus for the private institution of Paine College and satellite campuses for several other private colleges.

Lifestyle
Few places in America can rival Edgefield County for a truly unique mix of historic preservation, artisan culture, agricultural excellence, equestrian attractions—and wild turkey conservation. Some of the oldest and most well-preserved records in South Carolina are on display at Edgefield County Archives & History, including documents dating back to 1785. Throughout the area, historic churches, homes, and buildings stand as living tributes to the architecture and lifestyle of days gone by. Many of these structures house artist studios and businesses today—like the Italianate Victorian-style Carnoosie Antiques, the former home of Edgefield’s only father and son who were governor and lieutenant-governor, respectively. The Edgefield County Theatre Company and Discovery Center is a local museum by day and a dinner theater that packs the house by night. Even the local newspaper was established in 1836—the state’s longest running. The county is also the proud headquarters of the National Wild Turkey Federation, one of the nation’s most respected conservation organizations of its kind.

Four spectacular, mild seasons beckon residents to enjoy outdoor adventures and activities against the backdrop of scenic beauty. Boating, water sports, hiking, camping, biking, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, and golf are all popular pastimes. Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Golf Tournament, is just a few minutes from home. Other premier courses dot the area including Persimmon Hill and Pine Ridge Country Club. Natural and developed recreational attractions in and near Edgefield County include Palmetto Shooting Complex and Hunting Heritage Center, Magnolia Shadows Equestrian Resort, Winchester Museum and its 100 acre Outdoor Education Center, Sumter National Forest, Hitchcock Woods urban forest, Lick Fork Lake, Calhoun Falls State Park and Lake Russell, Bakers Creek State Park, Lake Greenwood State Park, Hamilton Branch State Park, and Hickory Knob State Park. Newcomers will find a world of country pleasures, from Edgefield Farmers Market and Johnston Artist’s Market to rural acres ablaze each spring with the glory of peach blossoms. From local shopping and dining to wonderful special events and seasonal celebrations, Edgefield County offers a rare quality of life near Augusta’s expanded amenities and attractions.

COMMUNITY PROFILES

City Offices
803-275-0010
https://edgefieldcounty.sc.gov

Chamber of Commerce
803-275-0010
http://www.edgefieldcountychamber.net

For more than 225 years, the heart of the town of Edgefield has been Courthouse Square, a charming postcard image that has changed little over the centuries. This small Southern community draws newcomers to a captivating atmosphere and unique attractions that draw thousands of visitors each year. Historic preservation can be seen around every corner, including the finest collection of county records next to those in Charleston. The town’s centuries-old pottery-making tradition remains alive and active, with artists setting up their studios in quaint historic buildings. Local tours give colorful details of the county’s arts and antique community, the area’s wild and violent history, and the men behind the proud title: County of Ten Governors. Few towns can boast of historic treasures like an old-fashioned general store, an artisan distillery, the Turkey Shoppe, a village blacksmith shop, and Ike’s Carpenter Stand—where the owner whittles his artwork while he recalls tales from days long past.

Johnston

City Offices
803-275-0010
https://edgefieldcounty.sc.gov

Chamber of Commerce
803-275-0010
http://www.edgefieldcountychamber.net

Johnston welcomes newcomers to the Peach Capital of the World, a community that produces 60 percent of the state’s peaches along with several other important cash crops in the rolling hills of western South Carolina. Johnston features a quaint downtown district with antebellum-style homes along Main Street that complement the array of locally owned shops and services. Graced by a $250,000 streetscape beautification project, the revitalized business district blends contemporary convenience with turn-of-the-century charm. The three-block commercial area on Calhoun Street dates back to 1888 and still houses the 1904 Maxwell and Halford Drug Store with an active soda fountain. Ideally located near three urban centers, Johnston offers an intimate hometown setting near expanded cultural, entertainment, healthcare, and educational amenities including four colleges and two technical schools.