Map of Barnwell County, South Carolina

Barnwell County is a county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 20,589. Barnwell County is part of the Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is located in the Central Savannah River Area. Its county seat is Barnwell.

Barnwell County overview:
Name:	Barnwell County
FIPS code:	45-011
State:	South Carolina
Founded:	1800
Named for:	John Barnwell
Seat:	Barnwell
Largest city:	Barnwell
Total Area:	557 sq mi (1,440 km²)
Land Area:	548 sq mi (1,420 km²)
Total Population:	20,580
Population Density:	37.6/sq mi (14.5/km²)
Time zone:	UTC−5 (Eastern)
Summer Time Zone (DST):	UTC−4 (EDT)
Website:	sc-barnwell.civicplus.com

Barnwell County location map. Where is Barnwell County?

Barnwell County location on the U.S. Map. Where is Barnwell County. — Location of Barnwell County in the the United States.

Barnwell County location on the South Carolina map. Where is Barnwell County. — Location of Barnwell County in South Carolina.

History

The Barnwell District was created in 1797 (effective in 1800) from the southwestern portion of the Orangeburg District, along the Savannah River. It was named after John Barnwell, a local figure in the Revolutionary War.

In 1868, under the South Carolina Constitution revised during Reconstruction, South Carolina districts became counties. The government was made more democratic, with county officials to be elected by male citizens at least 21 years old, rather than by the state legislature as done previously.

In 1871 the legislature took the northwestern portion of the county to form part of the new Aiken County, the only county organized during the Reconstruction era. In 1874 the border with Aiken County was adjusted slightly. This county and Barnwell, with populations of blacks and whites that were nearly equal, had extensive violence in the months before the 1874 and 1876 elections, as groups of paramilitary Red Shirts rode to disrupt black Republican meetings and intimidate voters to suppress black voting. More than 100 black men were killed in Aiken County during the violence, especially at Ellenton, South Carolina.

In 1895 white Democrats in the state legislature passed a new constitution, disfranchising most blacks for more than 60 years by raising barriers to voter registration.

In 1897 the eastern third of the county was taken to form the new Bamberg County. In 1919 most of the southern half of the county was taken to form most of the new Allendale County, thus reducing Barnwell county to its present size.

Barnwell County Road Map

Barnwell CountyStreet Map. — Street map of Barnwell County, South Carolina. Source: OpenStreetMap (OSM)

Barnwell CountyMap — Barnwell Countypolitical map.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 557 square miles (1,440 km), of which 548 square miles (1,420 km) is land and 8.9 square miles (23 km) (1.6%) is water.

State and local protected areas/sites

Banksia Hall
Barnwell State Park

Major water bodies

Georges Creek
Parr Pond
Pond B
Salkehatchie River
Savannah River
South Fork Edisto River

Adjacent counties

Aiken County – north
Bamberg County – east
Orangeburg County – east
Allendale County – southeast
Burke County, Georgia – southwest

Major highways

US 78
US 78 Bus.
US 278
SC 3
SC 37
SC 39
SC 64
SC 70
SC 125
SC 300
SC 304

Major infrastructure

Barnwell Regional Airport
Savannah River Site (part)