History

Cherokee County was named for the Cherokee Indians who once made it their home. It was formed in 1897 from parts of Spartanburg, Union, and York counties, and the county seat is Gaffney . During the Revolutionary War the battle of Cowpens, an important victory for the revolutionary forces, took place there on January 17, 1781. Iron mining was an important activity in this region up to the time of the Civil War, and it is sometimes called the Old Iron District. In the mid-nineteenth century the resort at Limestone Springs was a popular retreat for lowcountry planters. Writer Wilbur Joseph Cash (1901-1941) was a native of Cherokee County, as is actress Andie MacDowell.

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