Town of Ridgeway
Ridgeway takes its name from the ridge which bisects this lower area of Fairfield County between the Broad and Wateree Rivers. When the Charlotte and South Carolina Railroad was completed in 1850, the new railroad followed the ridge north of Columbia towards Winnsboro. Ridgeway, at 625 feet above sea level, is the highest point on the Southern Railway between Augusta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina.
The earliest settlers of the Ridgeway area of lower Fairfield District appear to have been Scots-Irish Presbyterians in about 1790s. The Aimwell Church was built about 1790. Over the years, many churches have been built, burned, and rebuilt to serve as the center of life in the small community. Some of the first settlers had come from Scotland and Ireland by way of Virginia and North Carolina, whereas others had come directly to South Carolina by way of Charleston from Ireland during the potato famine of the late 18th century.
Town of Winnsboro
The town of Winnsboro, county seat of Fairfield County, had its beginnings in the middle decades of the eighteenth century. When in 1761 the Cherokee War was brought to a close, the upcountry was open for settlement, and many more whites came into Fairfield. In addition to the French Huguenots and Irish from the coastal country, there came Germans, Swiss, and Scots-Irish from Virginia and the mountains of Pennsylvania. In the 1770′s Winnsboro had its first notable progressions toward the establishment of a town. Colonel Richard Winn, from Virginia, had settled here. Richard, as a deputy surveyor, had purchased lands in the area as early as 1771. By the time of the Revolutionary War, the Winn surname was so thoroughly associated with the place that “the Borough” adopted it.
The full dramatic impact of the Revolution fell upon Winnsboro in 1780. The British Army arrived on October 29th, 1780, and were to remain for the rest of the year. The encampment is said to have been on or near the present site of Mt. Zion Institute. The Cornwallis House is located on North Zion Street, a short distance from Mt. Zion. Apart from the heavy drain of food and supplies for British use, little damage was done to the town. British forces left Winnsboro early in January 1781. The Cornwallis House is now a private residence whose owner blends fine teas which are available online.
Town of Jenkinsville
Nestled in the western portion of Fairfield County among the Broad and Little Rivers, Jenkinsville and Monticello were among the county’s earliest settlements in the 1740’s. The recently incorporated town of Jenkinsville is home to the beautiful Lake Monticello and is one of the few places in the state to fish for small mouth bass.
Jenkinsville is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government and has been successful in receiving grant funding for sidewalks, curbing and street lights. They also have a lovely recreation area on the shores of Lake Monticello which offers paved walking trails with varying degrees of difficulty, tennis courts, baseball field and of course piers for the anglers.
7980 State Highway 215 S Jenkinsville, SC 29065 - View Map Phone: (803) 345-3691