Arcadia Lakes, SC

Arcadia Lakes is a Richland County town just outside Columbia, built around a chain of lakes and the wooded land that once made up the Douglas mill tract. The 2020 census counted 865 residents. Families began settling the area on larger rural parcels in the early twentieth century, and the community changed as roads widened and subdivisions arrived. By the late 1950s, residents were debating whether to join Columbia or form their own municipality.

Arcadia Lakes chose the second path: a 1959 incorporation vote created a town whose name captures its layout better than any formal description. The town's own shorthand is "Seven Lakes, One Town," and its government remains small, with a mayor and four at-large council members. Richland County handles some shared services, while state or county crews maintain roads depending on the route. The result is a municipal pocket with a clear local reason for existing - keep the lakes, roads, and neighborhood decisions together while Columbia grows around it.