Discover Allendale

If you’re looking for a hotel in Allendale, you can plan your stay around the specific themes that define this trip: archaeological sites in Allendale County, the Savannah River, route guidance to American Revolutionary War sites, and a spring event. These highlights appeal to different interests: a site points to early settlement, an exhibit puts artifacts in context, a greenway offers river views, and the turtle races add a seasonal element. You can therefore start planning based on your interests and travel dates.

Archaeology along the Savannah River

The Topper Site is located on the banks of the Savannah River in Allendale County. Excavated artifacts apparently point to human settlement in North America much earlier than previously thought. This remains an interpretation: the finds indicate a significantly earlier beginning, not certainty about the entire history of settlement. For travelers interested in archaeology, this open research question is a particularly compelling way to engage with the site.

The first permanent exhibit of artifacts from the Topper Site has been established at USC Salkehatchie. It includes artifacts, explanatory posters, and an interactive audiovisual kiosk. Several ways of interpreting the finds are presented side by side: the objects themselves, explanatory text, and audiovisual presentation. The exhibit expands on the site by offering these different forms of interpretation; it is distinct from the archaeological sites in Allendale County as a separate attraction.

Sites with different forms

The Lawton Mounds consist of two low, flattened earthen mounds and a surrounding village area enclosed by a ditch and a rampart. The combination of mounds, village area, and defensive features draws attention to the entire complex rather than just the two raised areas. This offers a different way to explore archaeology than the Topper Site, whose significance is associated with the interpretation of excavated artifacts.

The Allendale Chert Quarries Archaeological District comprises fourteen prehistoric sites on the eastern edge of the Savannah River in Allendale County, South Carolina. Unlike the description of the Lawton Mounds as a complex, this name refers to a district containing multiple sites. Its size and prehistoric character give the area a distinct scope: those exploring the region’s archaeological heritage can distinguish between individual complexes and a district made up of several sites.

Rivers and orientation

The rivers also help orient visitors to Allendale County: the Salkehatchie River forms its eastern boundary, and the Savannah River its western boundary. The Lower Savannah River Alliance Greenway also ends at the decommissioned Savannah River Bridge, where it offers views of the river. Archaeological sites, county boundaries, and trails are different ways of incorporating the rivers into your understanding of the region. If you’d like to include the Greenway in your plans, check the current trail directions beforehand.

For sites associated with the American Revolutionary War, Allendale SC250 provides a map with directions to local sites. This resource adds a different historical focus to the archaeological themes. You can use the map for orientation and decide which of the sites described are relevant to your travel plans.

A springtime event

Turtle races take place each spring at the “Cooter Bowl” in front of the Allendale County Courthouse. This event differs from the sites and river features described above, which are permanent attractions: it is tied to a particular season. If you’d like to plan your stay around it, check the specific event dates before you travel.

Discover more destinations: Allendale, Chester County, Lexington, Clarendon, Lee County, Aiken County, Barnwell County, Georgetown.

For the overall travel guide: South Carolina.