Jasper

Formed January 1, 1912 (44^th county)

Jasper County (24,777), Ridgeland (4,036)

The dark red brick Colonial Revival courthouse was erected in 1915.  The facility is at the intersection of Russell Street at 2^nd Avenue.  The courthouse is two blocks south of United States Highway 278.  William Augustus Edwards is the architect of the courthouse.  The facility features columns and veteran memorials on the grounds.  The county was organized on January 1, 1912 from parts of Beaufort and Hampton counties as the 44^th county with Ridgeland as the only county seat.  It was named for Revolutionary War hero William Jasper.  Ridgeland is a geographical name for its location. 

The area of the county is 700 square miles.  It is 20 out of 46 in the state.  It ranks 37 out of 46 in population in the state.  It has a density of 35.40 persons per square mile making it 42 out of 46 in the state.  Jasper County has 28.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 95 crosses through the county from northeast to southwest from Hampton County to Georgia.  United States Highway 17 parallels Interstate Highway 95 from Hampton County to Georgia.  United States Highway 278 comes from Hampton County, northwest, and goes to Beaufort County, southeast.  United States Highway 321 enters from the northwest, Hampton County, and exits to the south, Beaufort County.  United States Highway 601 comes from Hampton County and terminates. 

Jasper County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Council Members.  Two Circuit Court Judges and Five Family Court Judges serve Jasper, Allendale, Beaufort, Colleton, and Hampton counties.  The 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 7.7 miles West of Ridgeland nearer Tillman.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Hampton and Beaufort counties and the Atlantic Ocean and Georgia.  Jasper County is shaped like a small letter q.  Ridgeland is located near the center of the county.  Ridgeland is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 16.3% of the county population.  This county is in the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan Statistical Area.