Cross Keys is an

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 ...

Union County, South Carolina Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 27,244. Its county seat is Union. The county was created in 1785. Union County is coterminous with the Union, SC, Micropolitan Sta ...

. Historically, it was the site of the "large and prosperous" Cross Keys

plantation A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...

. A

post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional ser ...

was established at Cross Keys in 1809 and operated until 1909. The Cross Keys House, a plantation home built in 1812–1814, stood at the intersection of two important early highways (the Old Charleston Road, now known as Old Buncombe Road, and Old Ninety-Six Road, also known as the Old Piedmont Stage Road) and was a stop for early travelers in the area. The site is listed on 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 ...

. Also listed is Padgett's Creek Baptist Church.

Name

According to local history, Cross Keys was named following the travels of two British brothers from Charleston into

the Upstate The Upstate is the region in the westernmost part of South Carolina, United States, also known as the Upcountry, which is the historical term. Although loosely defined among locals, the general definition includes the 10 counties of the commerc ...

of South Carolina. One brother, who had been in charge of sailing their ship, came across an area of land in southern Spartanburg County which he decided to settle, thus creating the community of Cross Anchor. Meanwhile, the other brother, who held the ship's keys, ventured into Union County, settling the locale now known as Cross Keys.

References

External links

Historic Cross Keys - The Bobo House and Plantation
Unincorporated communities in Union County, South Carolina Unincorporated communities in South Carolina {{SouthCarolina-stub