Calhoun

Formed January 1, 1908 (42^nd county)

Calhoun County (14,122), Saint Matthews (1,845)

The stately dark red/brown brick Georgian Revival structure was constructed in 1913.  It is located on Huff at Dantzier streets.  United States Highway 601 is one block east of the location.  William Augustus Edwards is the architect.  It features columns and a small tower.  Veteran memorials are on the grounds.  The county was established on January 1, 1908 from parts of Lexington and Orangeburg counties as the 42^nd county with Saint Matthews as the only county seat.  It is named for United States Vice President John C. Calhoun.  Saint Matthews is named for the old Saint Matthews Parish, a political division before counties. 

Calhoun County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Council Members.  Two Circuit Court Judges and Four Family Court Judges serve Calhoun, Dorchester, and Orangeburg counties.  Calhoun County is in central South Carolina.  Columbia, South Carolina is directly north and Charleston, South Carolina is southeast of the county.  The county center is 1 mile Southeast of Saint Matthews.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Richland, Sumter, Clarendon, Orangeburg, and Lexington counties. 

The area of the county is 392 square miles.  It is 46 out of 46 in the state.  It ranks 43 out of 46 in population in the state.  It has a density of 36.0 persons per square mile making it 39 out of 46 in the state.  Calhoun County has 15.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 26 travels through the county from northwest to south from Richland County to Orangeburg County.  United States Highway 21 parallels Interstate Highway 26 from Richland to Orangeburg counties.  United States Highway 176 enters joined with United States Highway 21 from Richland County, splits and continues into Orangeburg County.  United States Highway 601 comes in from the north, Richland County, and goes to the south, Orangeburg County.  The county looks like a flattened teapot.  St. Matthews is located near the center of the county.  Saint Matthews is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 13.1% of the county population.  This county is in the Columbia Metropolitan Statistical Area.