History of Kershaw
Kershaw, originally Welsh’s Station, was founded in 1888 when Capt. James V. Welsh (1845-1906) persuaded the Charleston, Cincinnati, & Chicago Railroad to build a depot halfway between Camden and Lancaster, on what was then the county line between Kershaw and Lancaster Counties. The town was incorporated later that year and renamed in honor of Maj. Gen. Joseph B. Kershaw (1822-1894), prominent Confederate general and state senator from Camden.
Kershaw, with a population of 500 by 1890, grew even more dramatically after an 1897 fire which destroyed most of the downtown. By 1900 a guide to Lancaster County called it “a pretty and prosperous town of about fifteen hundred inhabitants.” Among the most significant early businesses here were the Kershaw Oil Mill (1902) and the Kershaw Cotton Mill (1912). The Benton Hotel on S. Cleveland St. was well known and frequently hosted tourists visiting the nearby Haile Gold Mine.
Kershaw, with a population of 500 by 1890, grew even more dramatically after an 1897 fire which destroyed most of the downtown. By 1900 a guide to Lancaster County called it “a pretty and prosperous town of about fifteen hundred inhabitants.” Among the most significant early businesses here were the Kershaw Oil Mill (1902) and the Kershaw Cotton Mill (1912). The Benton Hotel on S. Cleveland St. was well known and frequently hosted tourists visiting the nearby Haile Gold Mine.
National Register Historic Districts
The Town of Kershaw is home to two National Register Historic Districts — the East Richland Street-East Church Street District and the Matson Street District. The historic resources of both date from c. 1890 to c. 1940, with the majority dating from c. 1890 to c. 1920, a particularly significant period of development in Kershaw.
The districts are significant both for their association with the residential development of Kershaw from c. 1890 to c. 1940 and as a reflection of the diverse architectural styles and influences of that period. By 1900 the town of Kershaw was established and the streets were laid out in a grid pattern; it was described as being “correctly, properly and conveniently laid off, with wide handsome streets, raised sidewalks and pavements and pretty young shade trees of oak and elm.” The streets within the districts have historically been among the major streets in Kershaw and these districts illustrate the growth and development of the town for a fifty-year period.
The districts are significant both for their association with the residential development of Kershaw from c. 1890 to c. 1940 and as a reflection of the diverse architectural styles and influences of that period. By 1900 the town of Kershaw was established and the streets were laid out in a grid pattern; it was described as being “correctly, properly and conveniently laid off, with wide handsome streets, raised sidewalks and pavements and pretty young shade trees of oak and elm.” The streets within the districts have historically been among the major streets in Kershaw and these districts illustrate the growth and development of the town for a fifty-year period.
East Richland - East Church District
The East Richland Street-East Church Street Historic District is a collection of 42 residential properties in the eastern area of Kershaw, including portions of E. Richland St., E. Church St., Hart St., Minor St. and Ingram St. The district contains 28 properties contributing to the character of the district.
Among the properties within the district is the Elmo M. Estridge House at 216 E. Richland St. Built c. 1895, the house is a two-story clapboard-sided residence with a hipped-roof with lower gables, cross gables and flush dormers and two interior corbeled brick chimneys. A onestory hipped-roof porch wraps around the north and partially around the east and west facades with a turret on the southwest. The Eastlake porch has turned posts, sawn brackets and spindle work. The balustrade has turned scallped vergeboard and scrollwork is on gables and some dormers. The home was built for Mr. Estridge who served as mayor of Kershaw about the turn of the twentieth century. George W. Malone’s guide to Lancaster County noted in 1900 that this house and the Roy L. Blackmon House, in the Matson Street District, were “the finest residences in the place, exciting great admiration.”
The L.T. Gregory House at 303 E. Richland St. was built c. 1904. It is a twostoriy, hippedroof with pentgabled ell, three-bay aluminum-sided residence with a one-story porch with Tuscan columns wraps partially around the south and west facades. A one-bay balcony is located over the porch in the house’s central second-story bay. Built 19031906 for Dr. L.T. Gregory, prominent Kershaw physician, mayor and one of the organizers of the Kershaw Cotton Mill.
Among the properties within the district is the Elmo M. Estridge House at 216 E. Richland St. Built c. 1895, the house is a two-story clapboard-sided residence with a hipped-roof with lower gables, cross gables and flush dormers and two interior corbeled brick chimneys. A onestory hipped-roof porch wraps around the north and partially around the east and west facades with a turret on the southwest. The Eastlake porch has turned posts, sawn brackets and spindle work. The balustrade has turned scallped vergeboard and scrollwork is on gables and some dormers. The home was built for Mr. Estridge who served as mayor of Kershaw about the turn of the twentieth century. George W. Malone’s guide to Lancaster County noted in 1900 that this house and the Roy L. Blackmon House, in the Matson Street District, were “the finest residences in the place, exciting great admiration.”
The L.T. Gregory House at 303 E. Richland St. was built c. 1904. It is a twostoriy, hippedroof with pentgabled ell, three-bay aluminum-sided residence with a one-story porch with Tuscan columns wraps partially around the south and west facades. A one-bay balcony is located over the porch in the house’s central second-story bay. Built 19031906 for Dr. L.T. Gregory, prominent Kershaw physician, mayor and one of the organizers of the Kershaw Cotton Mill.
Matson Street District
The Matson Street Historic District is a collection of 39 primarily residential properties in the western area of Kershaw, including portions of North and South Matson St., W. Church St. N. Cleveland St., W. Richland St., W. Marion St. and W. Sumter St. The district contains 26 properties contributing to the character of the district.
Among the properties within the district is the Roy L. Blackmon House at 311 N. Matson St. Built c. 1897, it is a two-story, hipped-roof with front gable ell and blind gable dormer, clapboard sided residence. Decorative features include scrollwork in the dormer and gable and a two-tiered Eastlake porch similar to the porch on the south façade. The typical window is one-overone light double-hunt sash and the entrance is a single door with transom-light flanked by two smaller double hung-sash windows. The house was built for Mr. Blackmon and George W. Malone’s guide to Lancaster County noted in 1900 that this house and the Elmo M. Estridge House, in the East Richland-East Church District, were “the finest residences in the place, exciting great admiration.”
The John T. Stevens House at 225 W. Richland St. was built c. 1916-20. It is a two-story, hipped-roof, brick, Colonial Revival residence with projecting end bays. It has a one-story full-façade veranda supported by paired Tuscan columns with fretwork roof balustrade on the north façade and porte cochere on the west façade. The house has elaborate interior woodwork and plaster moldings. It was built for Mr. Stevens (1869-1950), a prominent Lancaster County businessman. Stevens was a frequent business partner of textile entrepreneur Leroy Springs and a leader in the cottonseed and cotton oil industry in the state. He established the Kershaw Oil Mill, Lancaster Cotton Oil Co. and Marion Oil Co., and also served as president of the SC Cotton Seed Crushers’ Association. In addition, Stevens served as president of the Bank of Kershaw, president of the Kershaw Telephone Co., vice president of the Kershaw Cotton Mill, and vice president of the Lancaster and Chester Railrooad. The house was designed by J. Carroll Johnson who also designed the First Presbyterian Church.
The First Presbyterian Church (Kershaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church) at 201 N. Cleveland St. was built c. 1916. It is a brick church with a Roman Doric pedimented portico with colossal columns. Other features include an octagonal steeple, semicircular-arched side windows and quoining. This church was designed by J. Carroll Johnson, one of the known twentieth-century architects of Columbia. Johnson was commission by John T. Stevens after he designed Stevens’ house on W. Richland St.
(Source: SC Dept. of Archives & History)
Among the properties within the district is the Roy L. Blackmon House at 311 N. Matson St. Built c. 1897, it is a two-story, hipped-roof with front gable ell and blind gable dormer, clapboard sided residence. Decorative features include scrollwork in the dormer and gable and a two-tiered Eastlake porch similar to the porch on the south façade. The typical window is one-overone light double-hunt sash and the entrance is a single door with transom-light flanked by two smaller double hung-sash windows. The house was built for Mr. Blackmon and George W. Malone’s guide to Lancaster County noted in 1900 that this house and the Elmo M. Estridge House, in the East Richland-East Church District, were “the finest residences in the place, exciting great admiration.”
The John T. Stevens House at 225 W. Richland St. was built c. 1916-20. It is a two-story, hipped-roof, brick, Colonial Revival residence with projecting end bays. It has a one-story full-façade veranda supported by paired Tuscan columns with fretwork roof balustrade on the north façade and porte cochere on the west façade. The house has elaborate interior woodwork and plaster moldings. It was built for Mr. Stevens (1869-1950), a prominent Lancaster County businessman. Stevens was a frequent business partner of textile entrepreneur Leroy Springs and a leader in the cottonseed and cotton oil industry in the state. He established the Kershaw Oil Mill, Lancaster Cotton Oil Co. and Marion Oil Co., and also served as president of the SC Cotton Seed Crushers’ Association. In addition, Stevens served as president of the Bank of Kershaw, president of the Kershaw Telephone Co., vice president of the Kershaw Cotton Mill, and vice president of the Lancaster and Chester Railrooad. The house was designed by J. Carroll Johnson who also designed the First Presbyterian Church.
The First Presbyterian Church (Kershaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church) at 201 N. Cleveland St. was built c. 1916. It is a brick church with a Roman Doric pedimented portico with colossal columns. Other features include an octagonal steeple, semicircular-arched side windows and quoining. This church was designed by J. Carroll Johnson, one of the known twentieth-century architects of Columbia. Johnson was commission by John T. Stevens after he designed Stevens’ house on W. Richland St.
(Source: SC Dept. of Archives & History)