“Belton Township was named for the town of Belton, and it was named in honor of Judge John Belton O’Neal. He was the first president of the G. and C. railroad and Belton came into existence as a station and junction. Miss Josephine Brown suggested the name of the new town. An act to organize townships and define their powers and privileges became a law in 1868; therefore, townships were a reconstruction measure.” (Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC)
City Directories and History: (Southern Railway Combined Depot) The Belton Depot is significant for its historical association with the railroad’s role in the development of Belton. It is also architecturally significant as an example of the prevailing turn of the century genre for depot design. This one-story brick depot,
constructed ca. 1910, remains the focal point in downtown Belton. Situated on the west side of the Belton Public Square, the Belton Depot was built by the Southern Railway to replace earlier station facilities housed in several small buildings. The original plans credit the design to the company’s Office of Chief Engineer in Washington; however, the specific architect remains unknown. The rectangular plan features a prominent tin shingle hip roof with flared eaves supported by massive wooden diagonal brackets. The section housing the freight area is topped by a lower profile hipped roof. Brick walls are laid in common bond with stringcourses and segmented arch window and door openings. The depot was designed for a combination of passenger, office and freight storage uses. The railroad played a principle part in the development of Belton, which was incorporated in December 1855. The land was surveyed for rail use in 1849, and in 1853, the first train passed through Belton. The present railroad depot provided facilities for the textile industries which were located in and near Belton in the early twentieth century. Listed in the National Register August 13, 1979.
View the complete text of the nomination form for this National Register Property.(Courtesy of South Carolina Department of Archives and History)
Note from R&R contributor, Jim Philips – 2017: Pulled up the picture of the depot in Anderson, SC. I believe it still stands. There is also a nearly identical one in Belton, SC, my home town. My grandfather, James K. Phillips Sr., was sent there by Southern Railway ca 1915 to manage this then-new depot. He brought along his relatively new bride, Ollie, and infant son, my dad. The building still stands, and now is home to the Belton Area Museum and SC Tennis Museum. The renovated structure is named for my 6th grade teacher, Ruth Drake. It is currently managed by Allison Darby, a local lady, who has written a published history of the town. Stop in if you’re ever cruising the upstate around Belton/Anderson/Abbeville. The area drips with history!
Belton was named in honor of Judge John Belton O’Neal, railroad magnate, lawyer, and historian. Miss Josephine Brown, daughter of Dr. George Brown, suggested the name for the new town. Belton first came into existence as a station and junction of the C. and G. railroad of which Judge O’Neal was the first president. The
town was made up from grants of land to three Revolutionary soldiers—Joseph Brown, Charles Clemments (or Clements) and Christopher Williams. In 1851, Dr. Brown began selling lots in the proposed village. W. C. Pruitt bought the first lot, April 2,1851, for $20.00. The second and third lots were sold to William J. Brown and E. W. Breazeale for $31.55
respectively. Each lot was approximately 75 X 215 feet and fronted on Railroad Street, the main thoroughfare. The name Belton appeared on the deed of the first church to locate in town—The Broadway Presbyterian Church, August 21, 1851. The church was originally situated near the Abbeville District line and was called Brad-a-way. Tradition claims it was originally formed in the 1700’s. It was moved to Broad-way Creek about five miles from Belton in the early 1800’s, and was called Broadway. A school was first built in town during the summer of 1851, and the first teacher was W. C. Brown, who also read medicine under his uncle, Dr. George Brown. W. C. Brown later graduated from Medical College in Philadelphia in 1855. Belton’s first store was run by J. B. Lewis and was moved from the small community of Stuartsville (or Stauntonville), a few miles north of Belton. The store also housed the first post office, and Mr. Lewis served as postmaster. George Brown and his son-in-law, A. R. (Wit) Broyles, built a hotel on the southeast comer of the town square. It was sold in 1855 to G. W. McGee. The depot was completed and the first passenger schedule was issued May 12, 1853. That was a gala occasion and 3,000 people came from nearby towns to celebrate. Belton was incorporated as a town in 1855 and the first census was taken in 1860. Belton was first referred to as “Sugar Hill.” It is the highest point on the railroad between Greenville and Columbia, and it would seem plausible to call it “Hill” and then someone added “Sugar.” The town was next referred to as “Brown,” for George Brown, a large land owner. It was not known as Belton, until the railroad came through and then it was named to honor John Belton O’Neal.
(Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC)
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