Our History

Lake Hartwell Country is one of 11 regional tourism offices in the state of South Carolina. These offices are called SCATR, or the South Carolina Association of Tourism Regions.

 

Why are we called Lake Hartwell Country? We cover Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens counties, and Lake Hartwell touches all three of these counties. Lake Hartwell is also a major draw for tourism to the area, bringing in over 11 million visitors every year.

​

In addition to tourism promotion, we also strive to preserve the history and culture of our region. Our Visitor's Center is located in historic Hunter's Store in downtown Pendleton, SC. There, we also house one of the largest archive collections of local, historical artifacts in the upstate of South Carolina. Additionally, we have an extensive genealogy library that is open to the public with information about the families that once lived in our region.

​

Stop by to say hello!