Clarendon County

Located in South Carolina's Lowcountry, Clarendon County exists as a paradigm of Southern communities. Lake Marion rests against the county's southern border, while cypress trees, whose limbs are decorated with Spanish Moss, flourish in the swampy lowlands. Wildlife abounds, making this a paradise for hunters and fishermen. Clarendon County's history is as rich as its Southern flavor, and many know that while furthering America's cause for independence, Francis Marion fought in the area now called Clarendon and earned his nickname "Swamp Fox." Five Palmetto State governors, all members of Richardson and Manning families, came from the county, and the first South Carolinian crowned Miss America was a Clarendon native. Still, Clarendon residents have shared in America's hardships, too; for within the confines of this small, rural community, they have found themselves time and again confronted with America's battles. Not only did residents fight in the Revolutionary War and the War between the States, but they also fought an important portion of the Civil Rights Movement here. Clarendon County pays tribute to this singular history, as well as to the residents who defined and developed this agrarian community.