Bamberg

Formed January 19, 1897 (40^th county)

Bamberg County (13,313), Bamberg (3,079), Denmark (3,178)

The red brick Federalist Revival courthouse was built in 1897 on a square at the intersection of 2^nd Street and Main Highway.  Main Highway is United States Highway 301.  L. F. Goodrich provided the building designs.  The courthouse was remodeled in 1950 and relocated and enlarged in 1952.  Veteran memorials are on the grounds.  An Annex was added in 2016.  The county was formed on January 19, 1897 from Orangeburg County as the 40^th county with Bamberg as the only county seat.  Bamberg County and its county seat are named for the owner of the local stagecoach station, William Seaborn Bamberg.  Bamberg County is the birthplace for 1 South Carolina Governor, N. Nikki Haley. 

Bamberg County government consists of a sheriff and 7 Council Members.  One Circuit Court Judge and Three Family Court Judges serve Bamberg, Aiken, and Barnwell counties.  Bamberg County is in southern South Carolina.  Columbia, South Carolina is north and Charleston, South Carolina is southeast of the county.  The county center is 7.5 miles South-Southwest of Bamberg.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Orangeburg, Dorchester, Colleton, Hampton, Allendale, and Barnwell counties. 

The area of the county is 396 square miles.  It is 44 out of 46 in the state.  It ranks 44 out of 46 in population in the state.  It has a density of 33.6 persons per square mile making it 41 out of 46 in the state.  Bamberg County has 52.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 78 crosses the county from east to west from Orangeburg County to Barnwell County.  United States Highway 301 enters from the northeast, Orangeburg County, and exits to the southwest, Allendale County.  United States Highway 321 comes from Orangeburg County, north, and joins United States Highway 301 into Allendale County.  United States Highway 601 is joined with United States Highway 301 from Orangeburg County, splits and heads southeast into Colleton County.  The county looks like a pyramid.  The City of Bamberg is located in the northern quarter of the county.  Bamberg is the county seat and Denmark is the largest city.  Bamberg is 23.1% of the county population.  Denmark is 23.9% of the county population.