Hartsville dates to 1760, and 12% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 92% of U.S. towns · #4 of 169 in South Carolina. What drives it
24 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Coker Experimental Farms, a National Historic Landmark, and four historic districts with 78 buildings between them. Below: 11 old photos and papers, maps from 1910 on, and the census since 1890.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1838.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Hartsville’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Hartsville is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #4 of 169 in South Carolina. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Hartsville’s overall grade.
South Carolina towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical South Carolina town has 3.2 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Hartsville’s 139 sits above most of its state (88% of South Carolina towns have fewer) while its 103 historic buildings outnumber those of 90% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1760.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.7 points).
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Hartsville’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The area surrounding Hartsville was once home to several Native American tribes, including the Pee Dee, Catawba, Chicora, Edisto, Sane, and Chicora-Waccamaw, who inhabited the region until European settlers arrived.
Hartsville's first settlement began around 1760. The town is named for Captain Thomas E. Hart, who eventually owned most of the land in the community. Hart started a successful mercantile business, but lost his business and his land during the economic depression of 1837–1838.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Hartsville.
Every building
Hartsville, building by building, 1910–1915
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
In 1760, according to Wikidata. Hartsville’s post office opened in 1838, and the census of 1890 counted 342 people here.
How does Hartsville rank for history?
Hartsville is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #4 of 169 in South Carolina. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Hartsville?
24 listings: 18 buildings, 4 historic districts with 78 contributing buildings, and 2 sites. 103 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Hartsville?
12% of Hartsville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.7 points), against a typical 3.5% for a South Carolina town; the median home was built in 1978.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (11), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (24), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
★ Landmark
c. 1915
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