1. Angel Oak on John’s Island is thought to be the oldest living thing east of the Mississippi River. It’s believed to be more than 1,500 years old.
“The Angel Oak”byCharleston's TheDigitelis licensed underCC BY 2.0
2. In 1969 it rained Cremora, a powdered non-dairy creamer, in the town of Chester when the plant developed exhaust vent issues and released the powder into the air. Thankfully, the issue was fixed and the people aren’t breathing creamer anymore.
https://ccsearch.creativecommons.org/image/detail/ID8sx0DsEsThfnFofz0DTQ==
3. South Carolina produces more peaches than anywhere in the country, except California. Take that, Georgia.
“Peaches”byJeremy Keithis licensed underCC BY 2.0
4. The world’s smallest police station is in Ridgeway. It’s about as big as a toll booth and was in full use from 1940-1990. The new, upgraded post office is right beside it.
5. South Carolina is the birthplace of barbecue. This can be debated, but the Indians were pit-cooking hogs centuries ago off the coast - or so the story goes.
6. Fortune tellers aren’t allowed to just go around telling fortunes willy-nilly in South Carolina. They’re required to obtain a special permit from the state.
7.There might be a lizard man in Lee County. In 1988 a teenager reported a large scaly creature had attacked his car. The car was badly scratched and police found 14-inch long, three-toed footprints at the swamp sighting. Weeeeird.
8. Frogmore stew is a traditional South Carolinian dish that is not actually a stew, and doesn’t actually use frogs.
9. The first game of golf played in the U.S. took place in Charleston, SC.
10. There are no major professional sports teams in South Carolina. That’s right, no NFL, NHL, NBA, MLS, or MLB. Sorry.
11. South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union, and after striking out on its own the state actually printed its own money and created its own postage stamps.
12. All of these South Carolina town names are 100 percent real: Coward, South of the Border, Due West, Ninety Six, and Welcome.
13. There’s a UFO Welcome Center in Bowman. It was built by a local man, Jody Pendarvis, to welcome aliens whenever they finally decide to land.
14. If you go to Marion and drink water from Catfish Creek, you’ll become infatuated with the area and want to stay forever…. according to the folklore, at least.
15. It’s illegal to fish with a yo-yo or dynamite in the fine state of South Carolina.
16. If you get pulled over in South Carolina for drinking and driving, be aware that South Carolina is the only state in the nation with mandatory videotaping by the arresting officer of the arrest and breath test.
17. Sweetgrass basket making not only originated in the Charleston and Mt. Pleasant communities, but today Mt. Pleasant is the only modern suburb where this type of basketry is still practiced.
18. There’s a mystery tree on Edisto Island. It isn’t actually a tree, but a strange, ever-evolving mish-mash of items hanging from a log. Everything from flip-flops, bottles and chairs are hung on it. The real mystery is who put it there...
19. It is against the law to buy or sell an electric eel in South Carolina.
20. The one and only James Brown was born in Barnwell, SC.
21. God’s Acre Healing Spring in Blackwell, SC is rumored to have healing waters that can cure the sick and wounded. The previous owner of the land officially deeded the land to God.
22. Morgan Island, aka Monkey Island, is an uninhabited island that is home to the only free-ranging colony of rhesus macaque monkeys in the United States. There are around 3,500 monkeys on the island.
23. South Carolina is the state with the lowest percentage of women in state legislature. In 2012 the state only had 10% women in its legislature, while the national average is 23.7%.
24. South Carolinian troops fired the first shots in the Civil War, at Fort Sumter.
25. The largest old growth floodplain on the continent is at Congaree National Park.
26. Myrtle Beach is the Golf Capital of the world, and South Carolina has more than 300 public and private golf courses in total.
27. The fort on Sullivan Island was great for protecting troops during war, since the walls were made of Palmetto logs. They were so spongy that cannonballs bounced off.
28. Wadmalaw Island is home to America’s only commercial tea plantation, American Classic Tea.
29. The first symphony orchestra in America was sponsored by the Saint Cecilia Society of Charleston.
30. Sumter has the largest Gingko farm in the world.
31. The first US Senator that was ever elected by a write-in vote was South Carolina’s Strom Thurmond (R) on Nov 2, 1954 with 139,106 write-in votes.
32. Sassafras Mountain is the highest point in South Carolina at 3560 feet tall. There is not one ounce of Sassafras growing on the mountain.
33. South Carolina wasn’t always known as the Palmetto State. It used to be known as the Iodine State, and even said so on the license plates in the 1930’s. Palmetto trees are way prettier for a flag, anyway.
34. South Carolina owns and operates its own school bus fleet, and is the only state in the nation to do so.
35. Charleston was home to the first public college, the first museum and the first playhouse ever in the United States.
36. Lots of popular movies were filmed in South Carolina, from “The Notebook” and “Full Metal Jacket,” to “Prince of Tides,” “Sleeping with the Enemy,” and of course, “Swamp Thing.”
37. About 10-15 magnitude 3 earthquakes happen per year in South Carolina, but nothing has rivaled the The Charleston Earthquake of 1886. It was the largest quake to ever hit the Southeastern United States, at a magnitude of 7.2.
38. Drayton Hall, built in 1738 is the oldest preserved plantation house open to the public. It remains in nearly perfect original condition.
39. The swamp in South Carolina with the best name by far is Hell Hole Swamp. It has its own yearly festival complete with a tobacco spitting contest and a 10k Hell Hole Gator Trot, also known as the Redneck Run.
40. Summerville is the birthplace of sweet tea. They have a 'Sweet Tea Trail' that guides you through all things sweet tea and southern hospitality.
41. South Carolina is home to the oldest landscaped gardens in the United States, at Middleton Place near Charleston.
42. The world's largest collection of outdoor sculptures is at Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet.
43. North America’s longest cable-stayed bridge is the Arthur J. Ravenel Jr. Bridge, spanning the Charleston Harbor and connecting historic Charleston and Mount Pleasant. What’s your favorite fun South Carolina fact? Tell us in the comments below!
