OFF THE FRONT PORCH: Life In Edgefield County Is Quality

Continued Investment Bodes Well For County’s Future

Ten years ago, a rural sociologist at Iowa State University released the results of a study exploring the question, “What Drives Quality Of Life In Iowa Small Towns?” Iowa isn’t South Carolina, of course, but the Palmetto State certainly has its share of small towns.

Three such small municipalities – Edgefield, Johnston and Trenton – exist right here in Edgefield County, along with numerous unincorporated communities with their own unique geographic and cultural identities. The Iowa State study examined areas identified as “minor towns,” with populations of around 1,000 residents, and “major towns,” with about 3,000 residents.

The latest U.S. Census data from 2020 showed a total population of 25,657 here in Edgefield County with projected growth to have put the population to nearly 29,455 by 2024. About 7,400 of these folks live in the Edgefield-area census tract, with around 2,000 in Johnston and approximately 200 in Trenton.

It is certainly well-documented that growth in the Southeast Edgefield County census tract continues at a remarkable pace. In 2020, that area counted 9,987 residents, with about 3,100 more living in the Stevens Creek census area. Meanwhile, the Pleasant Lane tract in the northern part of the county identified around 756 folks.

So, most of the communities in Edgefield County fall easily into either a “minor town” or “major town” classification – even those areas without an existing municipal structure but a shared cultural identity like “Merriwether.” This reality presents both a challenge in meeting the basic needs of these areas – law enforcement, fire protection, emergency medical services, water and sewer, and other infrastructure – and wide-open opportunities to leverage this growth to improve quality of life.

Since launching Edgefield County News three weeks ago, I have been deliberate about trying to partake of the variety of cultural opportunities that exist here. I’ve sat at Three Star Vineyard and Orchard on two consecutive Saturdays and enjoyed frozen wine beverages accompanied by live music. I’ve attended the Southern Authors Expo at the new Johnston Genealogical Research Center.

Last weekend, I dropped by Friday’s opening day of Sarah’s Farm Adventure in Trenton, then spent almost all day Saturday at the Edgefield Block Party hosted by Christine’s Farm To Fork. I do need to visit the Merriwether community soon when some events there get on my radar. (To our friends in that area: Please let me know when something’s happening there I need to cover.)

It’s already on my schedule to take active roles in both the upcoming Edgefield Italian Festival in October and the Edgefield County Christmas Parade in December. In my mission as publisher-editor of this publication, I feel sure I will spend most every weekend and countless days and nights covering events across this county.

Encouraging More ‘Civic Engagement’ Is Key

The 2015 Iowa State research shows that four major factors were drivers of perceived quality of life in the 43 “minor towns” and 49 “major towns” studied.

The study concluded that “small towns wishing to improve their community’s quality of life should focus on four areas: (1) increasing civic engagement, (2) enhancing social capital, (3) retaining elder populations, and (4) creating jobs in goods-producing industries.” While once again Iowa is not South Carolina and vice versa, these truths likely apply to our state and by extension, to Edgefield County.

Increasing “civic engagement” means encouraging residents to get involved in local projects and become active members in local organizations that promote improved quality of life. One fine example of that principle in action was the teamwork involved in staging this past weekend’s Edgefield Block Party. Christine Smith of Christine’s Farm To Fork drew a number of downtown merchants and nonprofit organizations into the mix.

Currently, Nino Colarossi and his team at Mario’s Pizzeria in Edgefield are trying to pull off a similar feat in planning next month’s Italian Festival. Likewise, the partnership between the Town of Johnston and the Old Edgefield Genealogical Society is helping the old red-brick cotton warehouse in downtown Johnston become a cultural lightning rod, with more investment on that stretch of Calhoun Street likely in the future.

The construction of Fox Creek High School in 2004 on the southern end of the county has provided a focal point for families and business enterprises to further invest in that community over the past 21 years. The debut of Sara’s Farm Adventure last fall holds the promise of Trenton becoming one of the premier destinations for agritourism in South Carolina, if not the entire Southeast.

Is There A Coming ‘Renaissance’ In Our County?

In the Iowa State study, the concept of “social capital” was linked to how communities view themselves and self-assess their strengths and weaknesses. The study stated that towns with high quality of life “rate their communities as better kept-up (rather than run-down), more supportive, more open to new ideas, more trusting, and more safe. Further, over the past 20 years these towns became more open to new ideas and more tolerant.”

Much of that perception of our communities stems from how our government leaders and other entities invest in such “selling points” as beautifying our streetscapes, providing more diversity in our cultural and recreational opportunities, and supporting and incentivizing small business investment. Empty storefronts in our downtowns and run-down facades of public buildings and privately-owned properties certainly do not help build “social capital.”

Another factor in growing “social capital” can be creating special events and other opportunities that tear down real or perceived divisions in prevailing cultural groups and that invite ALL Edgefield County residents to participate. Celebrating cultural identity is a beautiful and necessary exercise in preserving cultural diversity; inviting EVERYONE to share in those celebrations and making all feel welcome and part of the larger human family is a recipe for progress.

The word “renaissance” is a pretty strong word that is so often overused, but all indications are that Edgefield County is sitting on the cusp of a genuine cultural and economic renaissance. More investment in agritourism, more community partnerships to create new artistic and cultural opportunities, more investment in the economic revitalization of the Edgefield, Johnston and Trenton downtown areas – all of these hold the promise of driving meaningful growth and improved quality of life here.

With major investments of new high-tech employment opportunities just over the line in Aiken County, with the new Meta data center and ancillary industries coming to Sage Mill Industrial Park, improved quality of life in and around the Bettis and Trenton communities in Edgefield County offers the chance for the less-than-bustling Edgefield County Industrial Park to see new vibrancy as an overflow of what’s happening on the Aiken County end of Bettis Academy Road.

Ongoing projects to convert the old Kendall Mill into new loft apartments and the long-anticipated rebirth of the inn on Edgefield’s Town Square, and the efforts to fully utilize the Edwards Building in Johnston, all point to a vigorous decade ahead for Edgefield County. Here at Edgefield County News, we’re pretty excited about the future. More events, more new construction projects, more small businesses – all of these will give us a LOT of “good news” stories to cover for years to come.

Keep growing, Edgefield County, and keep us busy.