Lindsey Graham’s career carried him from a small-town childhood in Central, South Carolina, to the United States Senate. After his death in 2026, he returned home to be buried beside his parents at Mount Zion Cemetery.
Published on July 28, 1849, the Keowee Courier described Pickens District as one of the healthiest and most beautiful places in America, praising Table Rock, Whitewater Falls, and the region’s crystal-clear rivers while encouraging families to move to the South Carolina mountains.
Step back to July 18, 1857, and discover what life was really like in Pickens District through the pages of the Keowee Courier. From deadly railroad construction accidents and heartbreaking local tragedies to the rise of Florence Nightingale and the promise of the Blue Ridge Railroad, this fascinating newspaper captures a community on the brink of enormous change just four years before the Civil War.
Step back to July 18, 1857, and discover what life was really like in Pickens District through the pages of the Keowee Courier. From deadly railroad construction accidents and heartbreaking local tragedies to the rise of Florence Nightingale and the promise of the Blue Ridge Railroad, this fascinating newspaper captures a community on the brink of enormous change just four years before the Civil War.
Step back nearly 150 years and discover what life was like in Pickens County through the pages of the Pickens Sentinel published on July 11, 1878. This inaugural installment of our From the Pickens Sentinel Archives series explores dramatic front-page stories, a glimpse into education at Central High School, local politics, everyday life, historic advertisements, and the people who helped shape the Upstate we know today.
Discover why Table Rock Mountain, Pumpkintown, and the Oolenoy Valley often receive more snow than the rest of South Carolina. From the Blue Ridge Escarpment to local winter legends, learn how geography creates one of the state’s most fascinating weather patterns.
A summer storm, a hilltop that stayed dry, and a story that has inspired generations. Discover how Miracle Hill Ministries got its name and why this Pickens County landmark remains one of the Upstate’s most fascinating pieces of history.
Before pharmacies, urgent care centers, and modern medicine, mountain families relied on home remedies and generations of folk wisdom. From onion syrup for coughs and sourwood honey for colds to warnings about black cats, broken mirrors, and rocking chairs, these Appalachian traditions offer a fascinating glimpse into life in the Upstate’s past. Some remedies may have worked, others were rooted in superstition, but all were part of the rich cultural heritage passed down through generations in the Blue Ridge foothills.
For generations, stories of Easley’s mysterious Troll Bridge have been passed down through late-night conversations, campfires, and local folklore. From tales of strange cries in the darkness to cars that wouldn’t start, the legend became one of the area’s most enduring mysteries. But where was Troll Bridge, and what stories do you remember hearing? Help us preserve this fascinating piece of Easley history.
From Cherokee towns along the Keowee River to the railroad depots of Easley and the textile mills that powered generations of families, Pickens County’s story is one of resilience, growth, and transformation. Explore how this corner of the South Carolina foothills evolved from a frontier wilderness into one of the Upstate’s most treasured destinations—where history, mountains, lakes, and small-town traditions continue to shape life today.