Society Hill Depot

While railroading first came to Charleston in 1822, primarily as a conveyance of passengers, the route from Cheraw to Florence, via the Cheraw and Darlington Railroad, did not commence until 1855. Depots were built along the line with connections to two other railroads in Florence. As with most of the depots along this line, Society Hill's being no exception, they were burned during the havoc of March 1865. Our lovely Depot building was rebuilt in 1866 and is the only one of its kind yet remaining in the state of South Carolina from that era, hence its unusual architecture. A true treasure and testament to time and history!

Following the Civil War railways provided the means to move commercial goods and passengers, and in 1898 ACL Railroad acquired the C&D line. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Society Hill continued its long history as a market hub for the surrounding area, due in large part to its ACL rail access. In 1967 the old depot had its last corporate owner with the merger of the Seaboard Coast Line, but branch-line railroading was by then on the wane. While branch-line railroading may have died out, our lovely village with its rich history and deep heritage has not.

Due to 17 years of diligent efforts by Mayor Tommy Bradshaw and his Depot Committee, three substantial grants were acquired to complete the extensive remodeling of this splendid structure. Grants require matching funds and 90% of those were privately raised by the Society Hill Depot Committee. We want to thank the Bradshaw family and heirs for the generous donation of this lovely structure and Mayor Bradshaw for his love of town, family, and history. Without which none of this would have been possible.