Williamsburg

Williamsburg, county, eastern South Carolina, U.S. It is bordered to the south by the Santee River, and the Great Pee Dee River touches the northeastern extremity; the county is also drained by the Black River. Williamsburg county is an agricultural region in the Coastal Plain, with swamps along its rivers. Much of the land is covered in pine and lowland hardwood forests.

The Santee Indians, a small Siouan-speaking tribe, lived in the region in the 17th century. The first inland European settlement in the state, Kingstree, appeared in 1732; it became the county seat. Irish Calvinist settlers established Williamsburg township in the 1730s, naming it for King William III of England. Indigo plantations along the Black River made Williamsburg one of the most prosperous colonial townships. It was the scene of skirmishes during the U.S. War of Independence. Williamsburg county was formed in 1804.

Tobacco is the chief product; farms also produce hogs, soybeans, cotton, and grains. Lumbering and light industry (rubber and plastic products and clothing) contribute to the economy. Area 934 square miles (2,419 square km). Pop. (2000) 37,219; (2010) 34,423.