Bethune, SC

Bethune is a small town in Kershaw County, South Carolina, United States. The 2020 census counted 315 residents. Bethune is part of the Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. Europeans first moved into the area in the early 1800s, finding members of the Kadapaw tribe living in the area. The Bethune Chicken Strut is an annual festival that takes place every April. The festival includes a parade on Main Street, a classic car show, carnival rides and live musical performances. Bethune has a public library, a branch of the Kershaw County Library. That mix gives Bethune a clear local shape within South Carolina, with older layers still visible in current places.

The local scoop is a place whose streets, landmarks, and institutions keep its earlier story close to the present. Originally, the settlers named the town "Lynchwood", and in 1828 they established a post office. Bethune is located in northeastern Kershaw County 20 miles northeast of Camden, the county seat, and 35 miles southwest of Cheraw along U.S. Route 1. South Carolina Highway 341 crosses US 1 in the center of town; it leads northwest 17 miles to Kershaw and south 16 miles to Bishopville.