Pendleton, South Carolina

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Pendleton is a very small town located just to the southeast of Clemson. It is primarily comprised of older retirees and southern natives. The main draw is Pendleton Square, which is about a block's worth of shops and restaurants. There is occasionally an arts festival in the square, and nearby is the Clemson Little Theatre, a small theatre that puts on plays every now and then.

Directions

To get to Pendleton, take US 76 south toward Anderson. As soon as you go past the turn for Silas Pearman Boulevard (or Perimeter Road, if you like) bear left onto Pendleton Road, behind the armory. Go about two or three miles and you'll get to a stoplight. Pendleton Square will be on your left. If you turn right at the stoplight, a few hundred yards down there will be an old barn that several Clemson University art students reconstructed, to some extent, as a part of a project. It is somewhat dangerous to walk around (lots of exposed and rusty steel), but interesting. Be careful.

History

Pendleton, named after Judge Henry Pendleton, a native of Virginia, was originally founded by Charleston settlers looking for respite from the malaria and heat of summer. Pendleton was a few days away by wagon, but was cooler and disease-free. For some time, Pendleton was the effective capital of the "back country" of South Carolina. Planned in 1790 as the seat of the old Pendleton District, the town was named for Judge Henry Pendleton of Culpeper, Virginia, who organized the Culpeper Minute Men, one of the South's first Revolutionary companies.

Trivia

Pendleton's population in the early 1900's was higher than it is today. Because so much manufacturing and industry has been moved elsewhere, Pendleton has slowly declined but recently has been capitalizing on its historic-district status.

Additionally, the entire city of Pendleton is on the Register of Historic Places. This makes Pendleton one of the largest entities on the register.

External Links

Clemson Little Theatre
Google Map showing Pendleton