History of Estill

The Town of Estill is located in the southern half of Hampton County, South Carolina. It traces its origins to the community of Lawtonville, which once stood about a mile to the west. Lawtonville was largely destroyed during the Civil War when Union Army divisions, part of the 15th Corps, passed through the area en-route from Savannah, Georgia, to North Carolina. After being rebuilt, the town suffered a second destruction—not from war, but from the unpredictable forces of capitalism and economic change.

The town of Estill is named for Colonel John Holbrook Estill, a key figure in its formation. In the early 1900s, the need for a rail line connecting Augusta, Georgia, to Savannah led to the construction of a new route by what would later become the Seaboard Air Line Railroad. As a result, the community of Lawtonville was displaced, and in 1905, the new town was incorporated as Estill, replacing the old name altogether.

 

* Photos by Carl Norton courtesy of Shari Pevey.  

west railroad ave
West Railroad Avenue looking North circa 1950
east railroad
East Railroad Avenue looking North circa 1950
3rd street
3rd Street looking East circa 1950