Hampton

Formed January 1, 1878 (33^rd county)

Hampton County (18,561), Hampton (2,701)

The red brick Victorian and Italianate courthouse was built in 1878.  It sits on West 1^st Street between Elm and Oak streets.  United States Highway 601 is Elm Street in the town.  Hoover, Mauldin, and Browning are the combined designers.  The building was enlarged in 1925 and renovated and enlarged in 2008.  It features columns and a balcony.  Veteran memorials and a fountain decorate the grounds.  Hampton County was created on January 1, 1878 from Beaufort County as the 33^rd county.  Varnville was the first county seat until 1878 when Hampton took over.  The county and county seat are named for Civil War General Wade Hampton. 

Hampton County government consists of a sheriff and 4 Council Members.  Two Circuit Court Judges and Five Family Court Judges serve Hampton, Allendale, Beaufort, Colleton, and Jasper counties.  Hampton County is on the southwest border with Georgia.  The Savannah River forms its western border.  Charleston, South Carolina is east and Columbia, South Carolina is northeast of the county.  The county center is 6.3 miles South-Southeast of Hampton nearer Varnville.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Bamberg, Colleton, Beaufort, and Jasper counties and Georgia and Allendale County. 

The area of the county is 563 square miles.  It is 29 out of 46 in the state.  It ranks 41 out of 46 in population in the state.  It has a density of 33.0 persons per square mile making it 43 out of 46 in the state.  Hampton County has 44.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 95 clips the eastern tip from Colleton County to Jasper County.  United States Highway 278 crosses through the county from northwest to southeast from Allendale County to Jasper County.  United States Highway 321 comes from Allendale County, northwest, and goes to Jasper County, southeast.  United States Highway 601 enters from the northeast, Colleton County, and exits to the southeast, Jasper County.  The county resembles a small letter r leaning southeast.  The City of Hampton is located in the northern quarter of the county.  Hampton is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 14.6% of the county population.