History & Genealogy

This 1859 arsenal was used before and during the War for storage of arms and ammunition. It has hollow wall construction to ventilate and keep powder dry. In 2019, a park approximately .4 acre in size was completed. It contains landscaped plant features, picnic shelter, tables, benches, pedestal water fountain, and brick walking path around the perimeter of the park.

This is one of the two known such campgrounds in the Olde English District, and one of only a handful that remain in the state. Founded in 1878 and situated on eleven acres of land in rural Winnsboro, it includes Camp Welfare African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AMEZ) Church, its cemetery, the open-air arbor and many small cinder-block or wood houses known as tents. The annual religious and fellowship services or "camp meetings", held in August, are very well-attended. The church, like many in the South, was started after the Civil War as a brush arbor church. Please contact Ms. Michaela Brown before visiting.

In its early days, Carmel served as a worship center for the students and faculty at Brainerd Institute. The organizing of the church, as led by Reverend Samuel Loomis in 1868, was known as the Chester Mission. Since its beginnings, Carmel has focused on the religious training of African-American youths. View from outside; open on Sundays. Special tours by advance appointment.

The vision for the Catoe Chapel began in 1946 when African Americans working on the Catoe plantation approached the owner for land to build a church closer to where they lived. Sometime between 1947-48, John Catoe donated the lumber from an old house and actually helped with the building of the church. In 1949, services began in a 16 x 14 foot building that was named Catoe Chapel Holiness Church in honor of her benefactor. The original church was remodeled and expanded three times. A new modern facility was dedicated on December 24, 1996 and sits on property adjacent to the original structure. The church's founding mother, Mother Martha Brown, is buried in a cemetery located between the two church buildings. View from outside; open on Sundays.

This is believed to have been the first separate African-American congregation established in Kershaw in the early 20th century. The church was named for Isom Caleb Clinton, a former slave who was a prominent minister in the AME. Zion Church and was ordained a bishop in 1892. The present church was built in 1909 and has undergone few alterations since that time. It stands as an intact example of the Gothic Revival style church architecture common in the period, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is representative of an early 20th-century institution in Kershaw's black community. View from outside; open on Sundays.

This building sits on property that once belonged to the Coulter Memorial Academy, Chesterfield County‘s first school for African-American students. The restaurant took its name from the school, which began offering junior college courses in 1933 and continued until 1947. Charles “Neil” Cole, a local teacher and businessman, sought to fill a void by providing a lunch counter that served black students during the time of segregation. He opened the College Inn in 1935 and employed mostly students from Coulter Academy. He served local diners, including Cheraw native Dizzy Gillespie. The restaurant, now operated by Cole’s daughter, Carolyn Cole-Green, serves mouth-watering ribs and more in this historic setting. Open for dinner, Thurs-Sat.

Erected in 1905 at the town square to honor the men who gave their lives for the confederacy, the monument is made of granite and stands 41 feet high with Location: Town Square, Gadsden Street.