Olde English District
Chester, Chesterfield, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Union and York Counties
Welcome to a place that honors its past and looks excitedly to the future. The Olde English District spans seven counties in the north-central area of South Carolina: Chester, Chesterfield, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Union and York. The district received its name because of the region’s early settlement by the English in the mid-1770s, but a lot has changed since then.
Today, there’s camping, hiking, kayaking, dining at local eateries, sipping on beers with friends and doing a little bit of recharging in between. For your next getaway, visit the Olde English District, the gateway to South Carolina’s past, present and future.
Chester
Chester State Park - This quiet 523-acre park provides a tranquil setting which is enjoyed by campers, day-users and nature lovers. The park’s 160 acre lake offers excellent fishing opportunities by land, boat, or fishing piers. Public boat ramp, boat rentals, picnic shelters, playgrounds, nature trails, and the Lakeview Hall meeting facility are available daily. Also available are a 27-hole Disc Golf course and 25 campsites with water & electricity. The campsite has a bathhouse with hot showers, a sewage disposal station, picnic area, playground, fishing lake, fishing boats and canoes for rent, tournament-level disc golf course, nature trails. Park hours: 9 am–sunset daily. Admission charged. Located 2 miles west of Chester on SC 72. (803) 385-2680.
CHESTERFIELD
Cheraw State Park - South Carolina’s first state park is located in the Sand Hills region. Features 9 fully furnished heated and air-conditioned cabins, 15 campsites with water & electricity, 2 large group campsites, a bath house with hot showers, a picnic area, and a playground. Pets allowed on leash. Fishing, boats for rent plus hiking trails on the park's 7,000 acres of forest. The 309-acre lake offers fishing and other recreational opportunities in a beautiful setting. An 18-hole championship golf course with full service pro shop is a popular attraction. Hours: Nov.-Feb. 7am-6pm, daily; March, Sept. and Oct. 7am-8pm, daily; Apr.-Aug. 7am-9pm, daily.
FAIRFIELD
Lake Wateree - Fish for crappie, bass, catfish and bream in one of the state's oldest man-made lakes. With more than 13,000 surface acres and 242 miles of shoreline, the lake is a year-round favorite of campers, fishermen and recreational boaters. This 19 square mile reservoir touches the three counties of Kershaw, Fairfield, and Lancaster. It flows from the Wateree River and into the Catawba River. Free public access areas provided.
KERSHAW
Historic Camden - The Historic Camden Foundation is a private 501(c)3 non-profit museum whose mission is to protect, preserve, and celebrate Camden’s extraordinary Colonial and Revolutionary War history. 107 acres sit atop the original 18th-century property of the city’s founder Joseph Kershaw and the fortified Revolutionary War-era town occupied by British General Cornwallis and Lord Rawdon’s men from 1780-81. General admission and self-guided tour prices are available on the website. Hours are Tue-Sat: 10am-5pm; Sun: 1-5pm. Closed Mondays and major holidays. Guided tours at 10:30am and 2:30pm.
LANCASTER
Andrew Jackson State Park - Created as a memorial to the seventh president of the United States, the park features an Andrew Jackson Museum that details his boyhood in the South Carolina backcountry in the 18th century and a birthday celebration held each March in his honor. The museum is open on Saturdays and Sundays, 1–5 pm and by appointment. Other popular features include living history programs, an 18th-century replica schoolhouse, campground and picnic facilities, a fishing lake and nature trails. Hours of operation: 8am-6pm, daily from Nov.1-March 31; 9am-9pm daily April 1-Oct. 31. Museum hours: Sat & Sun, 1pm-5pm, M-F by appointment or when staff is available. Schoolhouse hours: Mid-March to November, Sat: 1pm-5pm and Sun: 2pm-5pm. Office hours: 11am-noon, daily. Self-guided tours of the park museum and schoolhouse are available during the hours when these facilities are open. Pets are allowed in most outdoor areas provided they are kept under physical restraint or on a leash not longer than six feet. Owners will be asked to remove noisy or dangerous pets or pets that threaten or harass wildlife. Park entrance fee charged for ages 16 and older.
UNION
Rose Hill Plantation - Offers visitors insight into the upcountry cotton plantation of South Carolina’s “Secession Governor,” William Henry Gist. Rose Hill served as Gist’s primary residence during his tenure as governor and during the tumultuous months of pending Civil War. The house, its furnishings, surrounding gardens and outbuildings document the lifestyle and changes experienced by the Gist family and the enslaved African Americans who occupied the plantation from the antebellum era through Reconstruction. Includes a picnic shelter and hiking trail to the Tyger River. Park hours: 9 am–6 pm daily (no admission fee). Mansion tours: Mar–Oct, daily at 11 am, 1 & 3 pm; Nov–Feb, Thurs–Mon at 11 am, 1 & 3 pm. Fee: $5 adult, $4 students, & $3 SC Seniors. No mansion tours on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day. Shelter can be reserved for a fee.
YORK
Carowinds - This amusement park filled with so much fun and excitement it can’t be contained in one state! Features over 50 rides, shows and attractions, including 13 world-class roller coasters, plus Fury 325 the world’s tallest, fastest giga coaster and Carolina Harbor Waterpark. Great dining and entertainment options for the whole family. Additionally, the Camp Wilderness Resort offers tent and RV camping as well as modern cabins. Special ticket packages available. 14523 Carowinds Blvd. (I-77 exit 90, on the NC/SC border).