If the Post Office Department’s plan to climinale most Fourth Class post offices moves no faster than the pace of the last twenty years, they will still be a rarity in South Carolina two decades hence.
Since 1945 more than 90 South Carolina names have disappeared from the Postal Guide. There are now only 104 Fourth Class offices left in the state.
Among the causalities was Ellenton, which moved lock, stock and barrel to make way for the Savannah River Project, or the H-Bomb Plant as it is known locally. The town was replaced, however, by New Ellenton.
At least three towns changed their names and postal designations. Goldville became Joanna, Tucapau became Startex and Blaney became Elgin. In each case the town adopted the name of its chief industry.
Post offices al Lykesland and Wateree, Columbia’s Richland County neighbors, have been discontinued, and so have Parr, Richtex, Strother and Woodward in Fairfield County.
Horry County lost eight post-offices: Adrian, Allsbrook, Bucksport, Bucksville, Gurley, Nixonville, Toddville and Wampee. But it also gained more new post offices than any other county. The new ones are on the burgeoning Grand Strand: Cherry Grove Beach, Crescent Beach and Windy Hill Beach.
Some generally familiar places that no longer have post offices of their own are: Govan, North Charleston, Paxville, Mars Bluff, Caesar’s Head. Switzerland, Jocassee and Santuck.
Changes have eliminated such colorful or unusual postmarks as Level Land, Honey Hill, Lonestar, Lewis Turnout, White Hall, Badham, Jedburg, Leo, Mars Bluff, Renno, Samaria, Summit, Blue Brick, Four Holes, Crow Creek, Rocky Bottom and Smiths Turn Out
Besides Summit and Samaria, Lexington County also lost Steedman and Columbia Army Air Base, which was liquidated after the war.
Beaufort County has lost two post offices by annexation. Yemassee is now in Hampton County and Hardeeville is in Jasper.
New post office names in the state are Gloverville in Aiken County, Alvin in Berkeley, Hollywood and Jericho in Charleston, and Wallace in Marlboro.
With the shrinking of rural communities, the increasing tendency toward urbanization, and planned automation by postal authorities, postal services may be expected to be centralized more and more in the larger centers of population.
