Most of West Union was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1992. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1959 on, and the census since 1880.
West Union dates to the early 19th century, with settlement documented by the 1830s and incorporation occurring in 1870. Its development was closely tied to nearby Walhalla, established in 1850 from land in the same area and later named the county seat in 1868, linking the towns through early regional growth.
Lake Keowee, created in the early 1970s as part of a Duke Energy hydroelectric and nuclear power generation project, has influenced West Union by providing nearby water‑based recreation and strengthening the area’s connection to the broader outdoor and tourism economy of Oconee County.
West Union elected Dorothy “Dot” Gibson, their first female mayor, from 2002-2004. She was a long time town council member.
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). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (3), the Library of Congress (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
Date?
2019
2019
2019
