Our Towns and Cities

City of Chester (Population: 6,955)

Chester is South Carolina's "City on the Hill". The county seat and the largest municipality in Chester County, the city abounds with historic and architecturally significant buildings.

The City's Historic District encompasses 250 acres and boasts some 475 different properties, including the City's downtown area, or "Hill District".

Chester's famous hill features many handsome structures in a number of architectural styles with their original Victorian-era facades still standing.

Since the 1980's a number of individual merchants have taken the lead to revitalize the downtown area. The most significant improvement was the city-sponsored streetscape project of 1996. Completed with the help of substantial grant awards, the $1.8 million project further improved the beauty of this charming Southern town. The project has been so successful that visitors from other towns and cities have come to Chester to gain ideas and input on downtown revitalization.

Town of Great Falls (Population: 2,161)

Winding streets and enormous rock outcroppings are among the unique features of Chester County's river town - Great Falls.

Great Falls is the County's second largest municipality and got its name from the nearby waterfalls on the Catawba River. Industrialist James B. Duke, founder of Duke Power Company, played a major role in the early development of the town. In the early 1900s, Duke led the effort to harness the power of rapids in the nearby Catawba River with the construction of a hydroelectric plant.

Town of Fort Lawn (Population: 819)

Fort Lawn is Chester County's third largest municipality. Two of the county's busiest highways (S.C. 9 and U.S. 21) converge in Fort Lawn. The name of the town was derived from one of the town's earliest families, the Forts. The town was chartered in 1892.

Town of Richburg (Population: 409)

The town of Richburg is located in the heart of the County's major growth area along Interstate 77. The interstate access as well as available industrial land, water and sewer service has made this area of Chester County attractive to new industries.

Town of Lowry's (Population: 204)

Lowry's is a quaint, historic agricultural community nestled in the northwestern section of Chester County. This rural town is a close knit neighborhood of farmers and small businesses. Their annual Christmas parade draws in thousands of visitors to see the horses and tractor pulled floats.