The Pacolet River is a
tributary
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...
of the
Broad River, about 50 miles (80 km) long, in northwestern
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 = ...
in the United States.
[Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry](_blank)
One of its principal
headwaters tributaries also drains a small portion of western
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
. Via the Broad and
Congaree rivers, it is part of the
watershed of the
Santee River
}
The Santee River is a river in South Carolina in the United States, and is long. The Santee and its tributaries provide the principal drainage for the coastal areas of southeastern South Carolina and navigation for the central coastal plain of ...
, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean.
[ DeLorme (1998). ''South Carolina Atlas & Gazetteer''. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. ] The stream's name has also been spelled historically as "Pacolate River".
Course
The Pacolet is formed by the confluence of its short north and south forks:
*The North Pacolet River rises in the
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a Physiographic regions of the world, physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States, and extends 550 miles southwest from southern Pennsy ...
in southeastern
Henderson County, North Carolina
Henderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 116,281. Its county seat is Hendersonville.
Henderson County is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Histor ...
and flows eastwardly into
Polk County Polk County is the name of twelve counties in the United States, all except two named after president of the United States James Knox Polk:
* Polk County, Arkansas
* Polk County, Florida
* Polk County, Georgia
* Polk County, Iowa
* Polk Count ...
. It then passes near the town of
Tryon and turns southeastwardly into northern
Spartanburg County, South Carolina
Spartanburg County is a county located on the northwestern border of the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 327,997, making it the fifth-most populous county in South Carolina. Its county seat is Spartanburg ...
.
*The South Pacolet River rises in northeastern
Greenville County, South Carolina
Greenville County is located in the state of South Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 525,534, making it the most populous county in the state. Its county seat is Greenville. The county is also home to the ...
, and flows eastwardly into northern Spartanburg County, where it passes the town of
Campobello and is dammed to form William C. Bowen Lake.
The two forks join 10 miles (16 km) north-northeast of
Spartanburg
Spartanburg is a city in and the seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city of Spartanburg has a municipal population of 38,732 as of the 2020 census, making it the 11th-largest city in the state. For a time, the Offi ...
,
and the Pacolet then flows generally southeastwardly, through or along the boundaries of Spartanburg,
Cherokee
The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...
and
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 ...
Counties, through
Lake Blalock and past the town of
Pacolet. It joins the Broad River on the common boundary of Cherokee and Union Counties,
4 miles (6 km) north of the town of
Lockhart Lockhart may refer to:
*Lockhart (surname)
Places
Australia
*Lockhart, New South Wales
*Lockhart River, Queensland
*Lockhart River, Western Australia
United States
*Lockhart, Alabama
*Lockhart, Florida
*Lockhart, Minnesota
*Lockhart, Sout ...
.
In Spartanburg County the Pacolet collects Lawsons Fork Creek, which historically has also been known as "Lawsons Fork of the Pacolet River".
The creek flows for its entire length in Spartanburg County, passing through the city of Spartanburg.
See also
*
List of North Carolina rivers
This is a list of rivers in the U.S. state of North Carolina.
By drainage basin
This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries alphabetically indented under each larger stream's name.
Atlantic Ocean
* North Landing Riv ...
*
List of South Carolina rivers
This is a list of rivers in the U.S. state of South Carolina:
By drainage basin
This list is arranged by drainage basin, from north to south, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name. All rivers in South Carolina drain ...
References
{{authority control
Rivers of North Carolina
Rivers of South Carolina
Rivers of Cherokee County, South Carolina
Rivers of Greenville County, South Carolina
Rivers of Henderson County, North Carolina
Rivers of Polk County, North Carolina
Rivers of Spartanburg County, South Carolina
Rivers of Union County, South Carolina
Tributaries of the Broad River (Carolinas)