Saluda County was founded in 1895 from lands previously belonging to Edgefield County. The county and its seat are both named after the Saluda River, which comprises one of the county’s borders. Notable Saluda County locals include William Barret Travis and James Butler Bonham, both whom played key roles in the Alamo.
Cherokee Indians inhabited Saluda County first. However, they eventually ceded their control of the land to the British via treaty in 1755. Soon after the signing of this treaty, the Cherokee Indians moved north, while Scotch-Irish and English settlers began to come to the area.
Historically, Saluda County served as a mountain resort town for “Summer People”: South Carolinians and Georgians from the Midlands and Lowlands looking to escape the heat. Today, the economy relies more heavily on the advanced manufacturing, research, and chemical industries.
SOURCES: Key Industries. Accessed June 10, 2016. | Saluda History. Accessed June 10, 2016.
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Shealy's Barbecue in Leesville. Mrs. Sara Shealy stirs the green beans at lunch time. April 21, 1983, photo by Perry Baker. Courtesy of "The State" newspaper.
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