Fairfield County, South Carolina

Fairfield County Education, Geography, and History

Fairfield County is a county located in the state of South Carolina. Based on the 2010 census, its population was 23,956. Its county seat is Winnsboro.

Fairfield County is part of the Columbia, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Etymology - Origin of Fairfield County Name

Fairfields was possible named for its fair fields. It is alleged that the county name originated from a statement made by General Cornwallis when he declared "How Fair These Fields" during the British occupation of the area in 1780-81.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Fairfield County History

The origin of the name Fairfield is not known, but local legend attributes it to a remark by Lord Cornwallis about the "fair fields" of the area. The county was formed in 1785 as a part of Camden District. The town of Winnsboro, which was settled around 1755, is the county seat. Fairfield County lies between the upcountry and the lowcountry areas of the state, and it was settled both by Scotch-Irish immigrants from colonies to the north and by English and French Huguenot planters from the lowcountry. In the colonial period this area was a center for the Regulator movement, which sought to bring law and order to the backcountry. During the Revolutionary War, Lord Cornwallis made his headquarters in Winnsboro from October 1780 to January 1781; the county was also invaded by General Sherman's troops during the Civil War. Cotton production was the major economic activity of the area, but the county also produced Winnsboro Blue Granite. Some prominent residents of the county were Regulator leader Thomas Woodward (d. 1779), Revolutionary War soldier Richard Winn (1750-1818), and artist Laura Glenn Douglas (1886-1962).

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 710 square miles (1,839 km²), of which, 687 square miles (1,778 km²) of it is land and 23 square miles (60 km²) of it (3.29%) is water.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Chester County, South Carolina - north
• Lancaster County, South Carolina - northeast
• Kershaw County, South Carolina - east
• Richland County, South Carolina - south
• Newberry County, South Carolina - west
• Union County, South Carolina - northwest

Education

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