Town of Chesterfield

Chesterfield is nestled between Columbia, S.C. and Charlotte, N.C., in the upper portion of South Carolina’s coastal plain. The town of Chesterfield, named for the English statesman Lord Chesterfield, is the county seat which bears the same name. Looking for agricultural opportunities Welsh settlers from Pennsylvania and Delaware moved into this region in the mid-18th century, later to be joined by Scotch-Irish and English settlers. Leading up to the Civil War, South Carolina's first secession meeting was held in 1860, at the Chesterfield County Courthouse. In 1865 General Sherman's troops passed through this area and occupied the town of Chesterfield. During their brief stay the troops torched the courthouse, destroying all records. The John Craig House (1798), Chesterfield’s oldest house, served as Sherman’s headquarters. Two historic districts are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Old Courthouse (1884