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S. 416

STATUS INFORMATION

Senate Resolution
Sponsors: Senators Cromer, Knotts and Setzler
Document Path: l:\council\bills\rm\1044htc11.docx

Introduced in the Senate on January 25, 2011
Adopted by the Senate on January 25, 2011

Summary: Town of Lexington

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
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   1/25/2011  Senate  Introduced and adopted

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

1/25/2011

TO CELEBRATE THE OCCASION OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TOWN OF LEXINGTON, AND TO CONGRATULATE AND COMMEND MAYOR RANDY HALFACRE AND THE CITIZENS OF LEXINGTON FOR ONE AND A HALF CENTURIES OF SHOWCASING BOTH THE BEAUTY AND PROGRESS OF THIS GREAT SOUTH CAROLINA TOWN.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina Senate are pleased to join the Town of Lexington in celebrating the milestone of its one hundred fiftieth anniversary; and

Whereas, settled in the early years by immigrants from Germany and Switzerland and those moving south from Pennsylvania and Virginia, Lexington is nestled deep in the heart of central South Carolina and is rich in history; and

Whereas, a direct descendant of the old royal township of Saxe Gotha, this town was one of eleven established in 1735 by the colonial government of King George II to encourage settlers of backcountry South Carolina. It served as a protective buffer between powerful Indian tribes to the west and older settled plantations of the Lowcountry; and

Whereas, the name Saxe Gotha was given in honor of the marriage of the King's son, Fredrick Louis, Prince of Wales, to Princess Augusta of the German Duchy of Saxe Gotha. The couple became the parents of King George III of England; and

Whereas, the territory of colonial Saxe Gotha covered most of present-day Lexington County and was traversed by two important early Indian trails. The Cherokee Path followed roughly modern U.S. 378, and the Occaneechi Path, today's U.S. 1. These ancient trading paths and the highways that later developed from them have had an enormous impact on historical development; and

Whereas, despite the disruptive Cherokee Indian War of 1760 and the "Regulator" unrest that followed, the town flourished as a largely self-sufficient area of small-scale farms. Major crops in the eighteenth century included corn, wheat, tobacco, hemp, flax, beeswax, and livestock; and

Whereas, during the American Revolution, several skirmishes occurred here. The Battle of Tarrar Springs was fought just one mile east of Lexington on November 16, 1781; and

Whereas, by 1861, when it was incorporated as a town, Lexington boasted a diverse population of lawyers, physicians, tradespeople, artisans, and farmers. There were two churches, several schools, a carriage factory, a saw and gristmill, a tannery livestock yard, tinsmiths and blacksmiths, and a weekly newspaper, the Lexington Flag. Major crops included primarily cotton, corn, sweet potatoes, and lumber; and

Whereas, in 1865, the town was virtually destroyed by occupying Union Army forces guarding General Sherman's western flank. The courthouse, district jail, and St. Stephen's Lutheran Church were put to the torch, as were most businesses and homes; and

Whereas, today, Lexington is a thriving community of more than forty thousand residents in its retail trading area. It is growing rapidly north to Lake Murray, south to Red Bank, west to Gilbert, and east toward Columbia; and

Whereas, during its anniversary year of 2011, the Town of Lexington plans various celebratory events to commemorate its one and a half centuries of community life and to anticipate a bright future enhanced by the rich heritage of the past. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, celebrate the occasion of the one hundred fiftieth anniversary of the Town of Lexington, and congratulate and commend Mayor Randy Halfacre and the citizens of Lexington for one and a half centuries of showcasing both the beauty and progress of this great South Carolina town.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be provided to Mayor Randy Halfacre.

This web page was last updated on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at 10:01 A.M.