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Clarendon County’s story stretches back more than two centuries. Named for Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon and one of the original Lord Proprietors, the county was first established in 1785 and officially chartered as an independent county of South Carolina in 1855.

Rich in history, Clarendon County has played a meaningful role in shaping both the state and the nation. It is proud to have produced five governors of South Carolina and to have served as the backdrop for Revolutionary War campaigns led by General Francis Marion - better known as the legendary “Swamp Fox.”

Manning, the county seat and geographic heart of Clarendon County, is named in honor of John Laurence Manning, who served as governor of South Carolina from 1852 to 1854.

Clarendon County is also the birthplace of several notable Americans who left lasting marks on history and culture. These include Anne Curtiss Burgess, composer of South Carolina’s state song, “Carolina”; Althea Gibson, groundbreaking Wimbledon tennis champion; and Peggy Parish, beloved children’s author and creator of the Amelia Bedelia series. Most significantly, Clarendon County is home to the courageous civil rights pioneers behind Briggs v. Elliott, the first of five cases combined into Brown v. Board of Education. In 1954, this landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision officially ended racial segregation in public schools.

Today, Clarendon County continues to honor its legacy through the Clarendon County Archives - an outstanding public resource preserving the records, stories, and hidden treasures of the county’s past. To learn more, visit: https://clarendoncountyarchives.sc.gov/