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Goodness is about character - integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people. ~ Dennis Prager~
Thanks for being a wonderful addition to the Pearl of the Pee Dee, Darlington County. Home to The Darlington Raceway and the National Motorsport Press Association Hall of Fame, boasting local attractions including Byerly Park, Lake Darpo, Kalmai gardens, Centre Theatre and hometown to one of baseball’s best – Los Angeles Dodgers Second Baseman Orlando Hudson. Our little piece of heaven gives life to the true meaning of Southern Hospitality.
The “Lady in Black”, Darlington Raceway is home to NASCAR’S Southern 500. Built by Harold Brasington, in 1949 and completed in 1950, the track went on to host the first Southern 500 on Labor Day of that year, featuring 75 cars in the starting field and attracting more than 25,000 fans. 65 years later, Darlington Raceway is still known as the track “Too Tough to Tame” with names like Baker, Flock, Thomas, Pearson, Yarborough, Petty, Earnhardt and Johnson becoming commonplace in our victory lane. Darlington Raceway’s historical significance, as the original paved super speedway in NASCAR, is unparalleled. Its place in the history of the sport sets it apart from all other tracks, bringing fans the great racing of today mixed with the nostalgia of the past. Darlington Raceway continues to be an active community partner, hosting a variety of community events and participating in numerous local activities each year. It’s a place of history where fans can reminisce about the past and create lasting memories of the present when NASCAR roars into Darlington Raceway each year.
If you’re looking for a perfect getaway, then Lake Darpo is the place for you. Tucked deep in the woods Lake Darpo is a 25-acre lake that sits on a large tract that includes nature trails, screened picnic shelters, game courts, RV sites, and an air-conditioned clubhouse. The actual lake and park facilities were carved from the woods by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Playing home to South Carolina Coon Hunter’s Association each year for their annual hunt, Lake Darpo is one of those serene places that holds undeniable charm for those who enjoy the outdoors.
Not to be outdone, Kalmia Gardens is a mature botanical garden, which encompasses a black water swamp along Black Creek, and uplands of pine, oak, and holly. It has an abundance of naturally-occurring mountain-laurel Kalmai latifolia, its namesake plant, which blooms in great profusion in May. Many animal species live in the dense woodlands as well, and Kalmia Gardens is well known as an excellent birding spot. The centerpiece of the gardens is the Thomas Hart House, built in the 1820s. It and the gardens are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Not to be outdone, Kalmia Gardens is a mature botanical garden, which encompasses a black water swamp along Black Creek, and uplands of pine, oak, and holly. It has an abundance of naturally-occurring mountain-laurel Kalmai latifolia, its namesake plant, which blooms in great profusion in May. Many animal species live in the dense woodlands as well, and Kalmia Gardens is well known as an excellent birding spot. The centerpiece of the gardens is the Thomas Hart House, built in the 1820s. It and the gardens are on the National Register of Historic Places.
There are 23 public schools in Darlington County, serving over 10,000 students. Darlington County can boast of having some of the best educational facilities, including The South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics, an innovative high school for academically motivated juniors and seniors pursuing studies in science, technology, engineering and math—one of only 12 specialized, residential high schools in the nation.
Coker College a private, co-ed four-year liberal arts college ranked among the "Best Colleges" in the South, which was founded in 1908 and is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and home to the Cobras.
Florence-Darlington Technical College, a premium 2-year community college, established in 1963, whose initial enrollment of 250 students now exceeds 6,000 and whose original campus of less than 10 acres has expanded to nearly 240 acres with a modern complex of eight major buildings, including the SIMT building built in 2009.
Darlington County is also home to Many big businesses. Sonoco is an international provider of diversified consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging, and packaging supply chain services, and the world's largest producer of composite cans, tubes, and cores. Sonoco is Fortune Magazine's 2013 World's Most Admi
red Company, was named one of the Top 100 Corporate Citizens by Corporate Responsibility Magazine in both 2011 and 2012, and has been listed among the United States’ 500 largest publicly traded companies for three consecutive years. The Company also provides recycling programs for many large consumer product companies in the U.S. and is credited with being one of the top job providers in South Carolina.
red Company, was named one of the Top 100 Corporate Citizens by Corporate Responsibility Magazine in both 2011 and 2012, and has been listed among the United States’ 500 largest publicly traded companies for three consecutive years. The Company also provides recycling programs for many large consumer product companies in the U.S. and is credited with being one of the top job providers in South Carolina.