Mount Croghan is one of the three oldest towns in Chesterfield County. Cheraw and Chesterfield are the other two. The name of the hill around which Mount Croghan was built, and which has been the only name the community and town have ever known, dates back almost two hundred years to 1780 and the Battle of Camden.
Mount Croghan got its name from Major Croan, a French officer who was well known during the Revolutionary War. While traveling to Virginia after the Battle of Camden, Major Croan made camp on a hill just above the present site of Mount Croghan and gave it this name. By 1809, Mount Croghan was a voting precinct and had a post office.
Elizabeth Academy
Elizabeth Baptist Church is another important landmark. The first covenant of the church was established by Elders Joel Gulledge and Samuel Timmons in 1825. The cemetery of Elizabeth Church is one of the oldest in the county.
Pictured above is Elizabeth Baptist Church
In 1836, the people of Mount Croghan were concerned about organizing a school to educate their children. At that time, academies were important types of schools, and it was decided that an academy should be established. Mary Burch donated the land for the school, which was built about a mile north of Mount Croghan at the old Elizabeth Church. Joseph Burch, Stephen Jackson, John Huntley, Sandy May, Joel Baker, and Samuel Timmons contributed their time and materials to make the school possible.
When the academy opened, it was the only school within a radius of twenty miles. Alexander Whitton served as the first teacher.
The importance of the old Elizabeth Academy continued to grow, becoming a central place for both education and social life in the community. It was considered equal to a high school, and many students who attended were later regarded as some of the best educated individuals in Chesterfield County.
Mount Croghan was burned by General William T. Sherman and his army in 1864 during the Civil War, resulting in the loss of many historical records. During this time, the academy was also destroyed. Union soldiers reportedly used swords and bayonets to search the grounds to ensure nothing of value was hidden there.
The Mt. Croghan Academy ultimately closed in the year 1900.
Early Mt. Croghan
In the early 1900s, Mt. Croghan was a growing farming town with eight to ten stores. The Chesterfield and Lancaster Railroad, located south of the town, provided transportation for merchants and agricultural goods.
The Mt. Croghan Methodist Church was built in 1907 and still stands on its original site. It originated from Antioch Church on Hornsboro Road, which no longer exists.
Pictured above is Mt. Methodist Church
Mt. Croghan Baptist Church developed from Elizabeth Baptist Church and held services at the school until its own building was completed in 1922.
On October 3, 1911, a group of citizens applied for a Charter of Corporation for the Town of Mount Croghan, noting a population of 150 residents. The charter was granted by Secretary of State R.M. McCrown and officially recorded on May 28, 1914.
The year 1909 marked a significant milestone for the town. Believing strongly in the value of education, the community established a school, which was completed in 1912.
Pictured above is the Mt. Croghan School
The Great Depression began in the late 1920s and lasted into the mid-1930s, significantly affecting Mount Croghan. The Mt. Croghan Bank, once the strongest in the county, failed during this time. Before the Depression, a dollar was valued at $1.18; during the Depression, it dropped to 38 cents.
The Mt. Croghan School gymnasium was constructed in 1932–1933 using white stone gathered by local residents. It was the first project of its kind in South Carolina to receive approval from President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
On September 3, 1931, Mt. Croghan experienced another devastating fire, destroying an entire block of five stores, including businesses owned by Rufus Nicholson, Press Tucker, and D.F. Nicholson, along with other establishments. After this fire, the town never fully regained its former prominence.
Beginning in the 1950s, Mt. Croghan’s population declined due to increased industry in nearby towns and a decrease in farming.
According to the 2010 census, the population was 195.
The town limits extend one mile in radius and include the business district, two churches, and residential homes.
Mount Croghan is located ten miles east of Pageland and ten miles west of Chesterfield.