Chapin, popularly known as the "Capital of Lake Murray", is a small lake town located at the northern tip of Lexington 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. Lake Murray separates Chapin from the rest of Lexington County. The population of Chapin was 1,445 according to the 2010 census, and an estimated 1,633 in 2019. Chapin is located approximately northwest of

Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...

, and many people commute there for work; however, the town is considered fringe rural by the US postal service. The town government is set up in the mayor-council form, and the current mayor is Albert Koon. Chapin has four public schools in the area; the first Chapin school was built in 1924. Lake Murray is the main attraction to Chapin and provides boaters with water-related recreation.

History

Chapin is named after Martin Chapin in 1889. After Chapin and Laura Anne Benjamin were married on June 16, 1850, the couple moved down South because of Martin's health (a lung condition). The Chapins were living in

when Martin's doctor suggested he to move to the Piney Woods area. He bought property in this area, and over the years Chapin bought . He built a home in Piney Woods and later a hotel in the 1880s along the new rail line that ran from Columbia to Laurens, the

Columbia, Newberry and Laurens Railroad The Columbia, Newberry and Laurens Railroad was a railroad line between Columbia and Laurens. In 1885, the South Carolina General Assembly issued a charter for the Columbia, Newberry and Laurens Railroad, and the line was officially christened ...

. The railroad provided a way to trade and transport goods to the capital city. Cotton and the lumber industry were flourishing with the railroad providing transportation. After Martin's death on August 31, 1894, Laura Chapin sold their home and moved into the Chapin hotel. On March 28, 1907, Job S. Wessinger, P.M. Frick, and J. S. Honeycut founded the Bank of Chapin. One year later the building for the bank was built. The bank prospered with help from the railroad. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, Chapin was doing well economically. The price of

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...

had risen and the farmers were making plenty of money. As a result, the Bank of Chapin was also thriving during this time. The first high school was built in 1924. Slowly the businesses in Chapin were starting to experience hard times nearing the 1930s. On Thursday, October 15, 1931, the Bank of Chapin did not open, and like other banks around the world, the bank would not allow customers to withdraw their money. Anybody who had money saved in the bank lost that money due to the crash of the stock market, later known as the start of the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

. Another disaster to hit Chapin was the building of the dam on the

Saluda River The Saluda River is a principal tributary of the Congaree River, about 200 mi (320 km) long, in northern and western South Carolina in the United States. Via the Congaree River, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which f ...

that would result in the building of a lake. This lake would take over most of the Chapin families’ farms and homesteads. The building of the dam was started in 1927. In the midst of the Great Depression Chapin started a recreational team sport of baseball. In 1935, the Dutch Fork League was formed where Chapin had its own team. This team helped the unemployed men occupy their time during these difficult times. These baseball games attracted thousands of people. During the 1940s Chapin grew through improvements to the school and opening new businesses. One new business that came to Chapin were filling stations. The next business was a cabinet shop called E. A. Frick and Son. Chapin also built paved roads, a baseball field and established the public library. In 1950 the first post office building was constructed, along with new telephone services. The 1960s were about new and better services. Garbage collection was an issue in the '60s, so the town government bought land and built a landfill. Transportation was the next service provided by access to an interstate highway. On September 7, 1960 a section of Interstate 26 was opened between Columbia and Pomaria. The interstate made Chapin more accessible. Streets in town were also improved. Another improvement of the '60s was the new water system. In 1965 a volunteer fire department was organized, and in 1966 the town had its first ambulance. Chapin also started growing in population as more people moved to the town in the 1960s. During the 1970s new schools were built. Chapin football became a community event, and the school football team won state championships in 1973 and 1974. Also in the '70s churches in the town of Chapin were growing by establishment of Chapin Baptist Church, St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church, Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, and Lake Murray Presbyterian Church. The

Robinson-Hiller House The Robinson-Hiller House in Chapin, Lexington County, South Carolina, was built in 1902. It is significant as a Queen Anne house and for being associated with Charles Plumber Robinson (1867-1944), a businessman who founded C.P. Robinson Lumber ...

was listed on the U.S.

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 v ...

in 1998, and the Chapin Commercial Historic District was added in 2019.

Geography

Chapin is located in the northern corner of Lexington County at (34.165783, -81.347260). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the town has a total area of , of which , or 0.53%, are water. While Chapin is a part of Lexington County, the creation of Lake Murray by the

Dreher Shoals Dam The Saluda DamFederal Writers Project. ''South Carolina: A Guide To The Palmetto State.'' Volume 5 of American Guide. Somerset Publishers, Inc., 1941. p. 377. or Saluda River Dam, officially the Dreher Shoals Dam, commonly referred to as the Lake ...

cut Chapin off from the rest of the county by road, creating something of an

exclave An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...

Demographics

2000 census

According to the 2000 Census, the incorporated limits of the Town of Chapin had a population of 628. The census counted 249 occupied housing units within the town. Per capita income was $24,124. Median household income within the town limits was $48,750.

2010 census

The 2010 Census recorded that Chapin has a population of 1,445 with 658 total housing units within town limits.

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 1,809 people, 768 households, and 524 families residing in the town.

Government

Chapin's mayor and the town council run for a four-year term. The council has chosen a Mayor-Council form of government. This means that the mayor has more majority status than council members. Chapin's town government is made up of three council members, a mayor pro tem, and a

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

. Currently the Mayor of Chapin is Albert Koon. The Mayor Pro Tem is Mike Clonts along with the council members who are Gregg White, Leland Teal. .

History

In 1940 the mayor was S. J. Cannon. He served a one-year term along with officers W.W. Goza, H. E. Metts, Carl Shealy, and W. B. Fulmer. Other offices voted on during this election were town clerk and policeman. The next year, 1941, W. W. Goza was elected mayor and served until 1944. In 1944, J. L. Amick was elected mayor. Numerous others have served as mayor between J. L. Amick and Albert Koon.

Education

* Chapin High School *Chapin Middle School *Chapin Intermediate School *Chapin Elementary School *Lake Murray Elementary School *Spring Hill High School *Piney Woods Elementary School

History of local schools

The first school in Chapin was located in the Chapin house. In 1924 a high school was built out of concrete blocks and brick. In 1927 the school alma mater “Chapin, Dear Chapin” was composed by Helen Miller. This alma mater is the same one used at Chapin High School today. Chapin schools and churches were the center of life in town according to historian Addison Bostain. Chapin High School had 150 students enrolled in 1929 and the elementary school had 150 students. The school only housed 11 grades. Chapin High School had been built in separate parts since 1924 and by 1940 the high school still did not have a gym. The school auditorium was home to both the

theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actor, actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The p ...

and a

basketball court In basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor, with baskets at each end. Indoor basketball courts are almost always made of polished wood, usually maple, with -high rims on each basket. Outdoor sur ...

. The gymnasium was not built until 1952. The Chapin community built the gym for less than $30,000 dollars. The 12th grade was added to Chapin High School in 1948 as well as the first football team. The football team was a very expensive

investment Investment is the dedication of money to purchase of an asset to attain an increase in value over a period of time. Investment requires a sacrifice of some present asset, such as time, money, or effort. In finance, the purpose of investing i ...

, so in 1952 the Irmo and Chapin High School football teams were combined. Together they were known as the Flying Dutchmen football team. The teams separated again, and Chapin has had its own team since 1959. In 1970 a new high school was built with much better facilities. The school had new labs, band, chorus, and physical educational areas. In addition to a new building, the Chapin football team became a powerhouse for football in state of

. Cecil Woolbright became Chapin High School's head football coach and

athletic director An athletic director (commonly "athletics director" or "AD") is an administrator at many American clubs or institutions, such as colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and ...

in 1968. The Chapin High School Eagles won two

state championships The Brazilian states football championships are the professional adult male soccer competitions in Brazil that take place between January and April for the Northeast, Central-West, Southeast and South regions. In some states from the North Reg ...

and three conference titles in three years. This happened in 1973, 74 and 75, along with a 30-game winning streak. The Chapin High School's mascot is named Cecil the Eagle. A new elementary school opened in August 1977. The school could house 840 children.

Library

Chapin has a

public library A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants. There are ...

, a branch of the

Lexington County Public Library The Lexington County Public Library is the public library system of Lexington County, South Carolina. It has 10 branches, including its Main Library, built in 1998. The library has branches in Batesburg-Leesville, West Columbia, Chapin, Gast ...

Churches

The first church established in Chapin was Mt. Horeb

Lutheran Church Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

in 1891. The Chapin

Methodist Church Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related Christian denomination, denominations of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John W ...

was established in 1889, but was not within

town limits City limits or city boundaries refer to the defined boundary or border of a city. The area within the city limit can be called the city proper. Town limit/boundary and village limit/boundary apply to towns and villages. Similarly, corporate limi ...

until 1892. Again in 1892, Mt. Zion

Baptist Church Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

was started with an

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

congregation. Another church for African Americans was St. John's

AME church The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the AME Church or AME, is a Black church, predominantly African American Methodist Religious denomination, denomination. It adheres to Wesleyan-Arminian theology and has a connexionalism, c ...

, which is older than Mt. Zion, but the date is unknown. Much later in 1972 was the start of Chapin

. Lake Murray

Presbyterian Church Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

was organized in 1974. Next to arrive in Chapin was St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church in 1977. Our Lady of the Lake

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

was established in 1978. *Chapin Baptist Church *Chapin Community Church *Chapin Fellowship Bible Church *Chapin Presbyterian Church *Chapin United Methodist Church *Lake Murray Presbyterian Church *Mt. Horeb Lutheran Church *Mt. Zion Baptist Church *Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church *St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church *St. John AME Church *St. Peter Lutheran Church ELCA

Attractions

Lake Murray

Chapin is often referred to as the "capital of Lake Murray". On September 21, 1927, work on the dam for the

was started. The construction finished on June 30, 1930. Chapin families who had lived on Chapin land for over 200 years had to sell and move to make room for the lake that was a result of the dam. The lake was to spread between Dutch Fork and Chapin, becoming wide and long. The earthen dam stands over tall and runs across. Lake Murray has over of shoreline and covers approximately . The dam itself takes up . The nearest arm of the lake reaches within of the town limits. The dam on Lake Murray has been through many changes since it was originally built in 1927. In 1943 were added to the dam's height to help flooding issues. Much later in the 1980s SCE&G added a sheet piling way on the lakeside of the highway again to help with flooding. This sheet piling way raised the height of the dam again. The latest changes to the dam occurred in 2002 when the backup dam was built. The backup dam was built for more protection to withstand earthquakes. The backup dam is made of rock and concrete to withstand the weight of the water behind the dam if any damage were to occur to the existing dam. Lake Murray is not only used to provide electrical power for surrounding areas, it brings boating activities to the area. Lake Murray offers many different types of boating opportunities in addition to recreational areas. Today, the lake has recreational swimming, boating, skiing, fishing, and wake-boarding. The lake also holds fishing tournaments and is home to many kinds of wildlife. Lake Murray is known for its

purple martin The purple martin (''Progne subis'') is a passerine bird in the swallow family Hirundinidae. It is the largest swallow in North America. Despite its name, the purple martin is not truly purple. The dark blackish-blue feathers have an iridescent s ...

striped bass The striped bass (''Morone saxatilis''), also called the Atlantic striped bass, striper, linesider, rock, or rockfish, is an anadromous perciform fish of the family Moronidae found primarily along the Atlantic coast of North America. It has al ...

, and

great blue heron The great blue heron (''Ardea herodias'') is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North America and Central America, as well as the Caribbean and the Galápagos ...

Labor Day Festival

Chapin is home to the Chapin Labor Day Festival. The Chapin Labor Day Festival is held every year in the town of Chapin on Labor Day. The festival lasts for three days starting on the Saturday before

Labor Day Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United St ...

and ending on

. On Monday, the festival activities start off with a parade through town and often features local, state and sometimes national political candidates. The Chapin High School NJROTC also marches in the parade annually. After the parade there is a carnival, Chapin Idol, vendors, food, concerts, and a car show along the historic streets of downtown Chapin.

Notable people

Deepfield Deepfield (often stylized as deepfield) are an American rock band from Charleston, South Carolina, consisting of members Baxter Teal III, Jake Portenkirchner, Ken Becker and PJ Farley. They have released three albums and one EP. The band is cu ...

, rock band; lead singer Baxter Teal *

Iron & Wine Samuel "Sam" Ervin Beam (born July 26, 1974), better known by his stage name Iron & Wine, is an American singer-songwriter. He has released six studio albums, several EPs and singles, as well as a few download-only releases, which include a ...

(born in 1974), stage name of indie-folk singer-songwriter Samuel Beam *

DeWayne Wise Larry DeWayne Wise (born February 24, 1978) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He graduated from Chapin High School in 1997 and was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the fifth round (158th overall) of the 1997 Major League Ba ...

(born in 1978), outfielder in the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...

organization

References

External links

* {{authority control Towns in Lexington County, South Carolina Towns in South Carolina Columbia metropolitan area (South Carolina)