Boykin is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...

and

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in Kershaw County,

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

, United States. Its population was 100 as of the 2010 census. Boykin is located on

South Carolina Highway 261 South Carolina Highway 261 (SC 261) is a state highway in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It travels between Yauhannah in Georgetown County to Kershaw County. Although the highway covers more east–west distance, it is signed north� ...

, south of Camden. It is named for John Boykin, an early resident.

History

On May 5, 1860, at least two dozen individuals drowned in the Boykin Mill Pond when a

flatboat A flatboat (or broadhorn) was a rectangular flat-bottomed boat with square ends used to transport freight and passengers on inland waterways in the United States. The flatboat could be any size, but essentially it was a large, sturdy tub with a ...

they were enjoying an excursion on sank after it struck a stump, began taking on water and those onboard panicked and moved toward one end of the boat. It tipped, dumping the more than 50 people on the flatboat into the water. The

Battle of Boykin's Mill Boykin's Mill was the site of the last Union officer killed in action during the American Civil War. It was also the location of the final battle on South Carolina soil. History Brigadier General Edward E. Potter took command of the two Northe ...

was fought in Boykin on April 18, 1865. It marked the last battle of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

fought in South Carolina and was the site of the last

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

officer killed in action during the conflict."Last Union Officer Killed in Civil War Shot by 14-Year-Old Boy", Cotton Boll Conspiracy, April 17, 2015
/ref> Boykin's Mill was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1992.

Midfield Plantation Midfield Plantation, also known as Ellerbe House and Boineau House, was a historic plantation house located near Boykin, Kershaw County, South Carolina. It was built about 1821, and was a two-story, hip roofed, frame dwelling on a high masonr ...

was listed on the

in 1978.

Arts and culture

South Carolina's state dog, the

Boykin Spaniel The Boykin Spaniel is a medium-sized breed of dog, a Spaniel bred for hunting wild turkeys and ducks in the Wateree River Swamp of South Carolina, in the United States. It is the state dog of South Carolina, where it was discovered and further ...

, was originally bred in Boykin in the 1900s, after Whit Boykin experimented with crossbreeding, for which the dog is named after him. September 1 is Boykin Spaniel Day in South Carolina. Every December, the Boykin Christmas Parade takes place downtown.

References

Census-designated places in South Carolina Unincorporated communities in South Carolina Census-designated places in Kershaw County, South Carolina Unincorporated communities in Kershaw County, South Carolina {{SouthCarolina-geo-stub