Mortgage Broker in Orangeburg, SC

If you only have one day to visit Orangeburg, South Carolina, you’re in for a treat. This charming small town is rich in history, culture, and natural beauty, making it an ideal destination for a quick getaway. The city of Orangeburg was named after William IV, Prince of Orange, who was married to Princess Anne, the daughter of King George II of England. But today, Orangeburg is known for being home to two historically Black colleges, Claflin University, a liberal arts college, and South Carolina State University, a public university.

Beyond visiting these two campuses, here is everything you absolutely can’t miss during your visit.

Start your day at the South Carolina Civil Rights Museum, where you can delve into the town’s vibrant history through fascinating exhibits that showcase local art, artifacts, and stories. Through powerful exhibits, photographs, and artifacts, the museum honors the struggle for equality and justice while educating visitors about South Carolina’s role in the movement.

Next, head to Edisto Memorial Gardens, a stunning escape featuring beautiful azaleas, camellias, and a picturesque view of the Edisto River. The gardens also have walking paths and a lovely gazebo, perfect for a peaceful stroll or reflection. With over 4,800 rose plants within, this is the place to be to see some of the best blooms in town.

After enjoying the gardens, make your way to downtown Orangeburg, where you’ll find a variety of shops and restaurants. Stop for lunch at one of the local eateries, such as Squeaky's Grill, known for its hearty Southern fare. Don't miss trying the fried chicken or a classic Southern BBQ sandwich—both are local favorites. It's comfortable, casual, and just good food.

As the sun begins to set, return to downtown Orangeburg to unwind at a local café or grab a sweet treat Whipped Sweets & Treats on Rodriguez Street. If you really want to indulge in a classic, the banana split is one of the most popular items.

With its blend of history, nature, and Southern charm, Orangeburg offers a delightful experience for any visitor. Make the most of your one-day adventure by exploring these must-see attractions that showcase the best of this underrated gem in South Carolina.

Want to explore Orangeburg, SC soon? Check out these South Carolina hotels and start planning your trip today!

While many businesses within the county faced physical damage to their stores, others have suffered financial setbacks, even if their buildings remained untouched.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — Some residents in Orangeburg County are slowly getting back on their feet after devastating flooding last week caused widespread damage. And in addition to the human toll, the economic impact is still being felt.

While many businesses faced physical damage to their stores, others have suffered financial setbacks, even if their buildings remained untouched.

"No one can tell you where they can remember this amount of flooding and damage to this area that took place in the past ever," said James McQuilla, president of the Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce.

McQuilla is still trying to comprehend the extent of the damage, especially after floodwaters from the Edisto River surged into the Chamber of Commerce's parking lot, rising three feet. The water also flooded the building itself, causing significant damage.

"We had about two and a half feet of water inside the chamber, so we have massive damage, extensive in the chamber," McQuilla explained.

Businesses like Walmart and CVS also suffered damage, with standing water affecting many vehicles parked in their lots.

“There’s been quite a bit of economic loss," McQuilla said. "It may be your car was flooded out because we had a lot of cars in parking lots that were flooded. Now folks can’t get to work. The overall economic impact, I think we are still assessing."

In addition to the damage to businesses, ongoing road closures have made recovery even more challenging. Dozens of roads in the county remain closed due to storm damage.

"The fact that it's so difficult to get around. There were over 100 roads damaged in the county. Whether you had immediate flood damage or your roof leaked, or you woke up and your kids couldn’t go to school or you couldn’t take them to daycare, you were impacted, and there was a lot of that," McQuilla said.

For those in need of assistance—whether for childcare, insurance claims, shelter, or other resources—McQuilla advises calling the Chamber of Commerce. The office is now back up and running after some initial phone outages.

"We are going to be working with city administration and the county to find out what is available for folks who are calling in. For a while, we were not able to answer the phones, but we are back up now," McQuilla said, sounding optimistic.

As recovery efforts continue, the community is banding together to support one another and rebuild from the devastation caused by last week's flooding.

RELATED: Town of North floods catch residents by surprise, cleanup continues

RELATED: Orangeburg County schools to return to class, but with a schedule change

Residents face ongoing road closures and delays as SCDOT continues to repair after floods

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ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. — Orangeburg County is still recovering from the aftermath of last week's historic flooding, which has left many roads impassable. Five days later, emergency services reports that 76 major roads remain closed.

Orangeburg County Director of Emergency Services Billy Staley says recovery might take some time.

“We have some roads that are going to be months to be repaired, and we have some roads that are going to be a week or two," Staley said.

Jordan Dempsey is the assistant chief at the Edisto Fire Department in Cope. He says that several key routes in the district have been severely damaged, making it difficult for them to access parts of their fire district.

"Today, we're just surveying the area that was damaged during the rain, making sure we have access to all of our fire response areas, which alternate routes were having to take due to the washouts in the roads so that we are not in the immediate action of trying to get to someone to either rescue them, extinguish a house fire or get to a medical call or any other vehicle accident so that we have a better route to get there as quickly as possible,” said Dempsey.

RELATED: Orangeburg County schools to return to class, but with a schedule change

The South Carolina Department of Transportation does not have a timeline as yet on when repairs will be completed but in a statement to News19, SCDOT said, “SCDOT is expediting these repairs. Crews have been working since last week and will continue to work until we get those roads repaired and reopened. We appreciate the public’s patience as we continue to work to make repairs.”

RELATED: Town of North floods catch residents by surprise, cleanup continues

Staley is urging residents to avoid driving around barricades and roadblocks.

"Please do not move the barricades, the cones, or the barrels and drive around them. We're still in the process of evaluating and repairing roads, and that's super critical," said Staley. "This morning, an 18-wheeler had tried to drive around a barricade and got stuck."

Orangeburg County Office of Emergency Services is asking residents who sustained damage to their properties or businesses due to the flooding to report their losses for possible assistance through FEMA.

Published: Nov. 11, 2024 at 6:06 PM PST|

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (WIS) - Students in Orangeburg County will return to class Tuesday after widespread flood damage to roads from last week’s heavy rain canceled classes for three days.

Orangeburg County School District will operate under the following modified school schedule:

• Tuesday, November 12, 2024 – 2-Hour Delay

• Wednesday, November 13, 2024 – 2-Hour Delay

• Thursday, November 14, 2024 – 1-Hour Delay

• Friday, November 15, 2024 – 1-Hour Delay

In addition to the schedule changes, all out-of-district field trips are canceled for this week.

The district also says after-school programs at North Middle/High School and Dover Elementary School have been suspended for the week as a safety precaution.

District officials said it will return to a normal schedule on Monday, November 18, 2024.

Superintendent Dr. Shawn Foster told WIS News 10 bus drivers came to work on Monday and drove their routes in their personal vehicles looking for alternate routes to schools.

One parent said they felt reservations about the return to classes with more than 100 road closures in the county.

“I really do think they should leave the kids home until they get the roads situated. I do care about the other kids, the bus drivers, safety for everybody,” said Dynekeqwa Robinson.

“Our bus drivers. I want to commend them. They came in today. In their personal vehicles they are driving their routes to see how to make modifications and/or adjustments,” said Foster.

“We want kids in school but the fact of the matter is in many circumstances, we couldn’t have gotten them there anyway,” Foster added.

In addition to the reopening of schools, Orangeburg County Emergency Management said the shelter at Orangeburg city gym, and the water distribution site in Neeses both closed Monday after opening last week upon Gov. Henry McMaster’s declaration of a State of Emergency.

A spokesperson with the South Carolina Emergency Management Division says the State of Emergency is still in effect.

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Copyright 2024 WIS. All rights reserved.

In less than 12 hours, the storm turned local streets into rivers, damaging roads and submerging properties, including local stores.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — Orangeburg is beginning cleanup efforts after heavy rainfall Wednesday night flooded streets, parks, businesses, and residential areas, forcing evacuations and temporary closures.

In less than 12 hours, the storm turned local streets into rivers, damaging roads and submerging properties, including local stores. The storm has left some residents in shock, recalling the severity of the flooding.

"Oh, hurricane Hugo was bad. But this, this water here was worse,” said George Randolph, a long-time Orangeburg resident.

Randolph was among those who saw first-hand how severe the flooding was.

"Walmart, it flooded out Walmart. I saw they had to get employees out on a boat. That’s real bad. I’d never seen that—getting them out on a boat in a grocery store? That’s crazy," he said.

RELATED: Missing Cordova woman dead after vehicle found in floodwaters, authorities say

For some, the storm's aftermath has been nothing short of surreal. Doris Mack, who has lived in Orangeburg for 64 years, described her harrowing commute to work Thursday morning as rain continued to fall.

"It was rough because I had to go across the bridge and everything; I hit something, I don't know what I hit. It was just awful. Rain was pouring. It was just awful," she said.

Meanwhile, Frances, a long-time resident of Bamberg, was shocked when she learned just hours earlier that parts of Orangeburg had been completely submerged.

"My granddaughter told me that Orangeburg could be flooded, so I was kind of weird about coming today," she said. "But it looks good today," said Frances, who expressed relief she was not in the area during the height of the flooding. "I’m glad I wasn’t here, though, during that."

RELATED: 'We never dreamed of this' | Orangeburg County residents reel from historic flooding, damaged homes and memories

Despite the water levels beginning to recede, many residents still face challenges with road closures throughout the city. Randolph, who tried to navigate the area after the storm, described the frustration.

"They blocked all the roads off. I tried to get around from one town to the next. Took me going through four different towns to get back into Orangeburg," he said.

While people are relieved the worst is over, many say they were not prepared for the extent of the flooding.

"I don’t think anyone was expecting this," Mack said.

News19 is still awaiting information on whether the Orangeburg County School District will reopen schools on Monday after they were closed Friday due to damaged roads.