Up Country

Upland in the northwest of South Carolina, comprising part of the Piedmont, but also including a small section of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is distinguished from the ‘Low Country’, or southeastern section of the state, which is part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain.

The distinct physical features of the Up Country and Low Country led to the development of distinct cultures in each area. The rolling terrain, swift rivers, harder rocks, red clay, and sandy loams of the Up Country, which was settled largely in the mid-18th century from the north, encouraged the development of smaller farms and industry. By contrast, the level alluvial regions of the Low Country, settled from the late 17th century by large landowners, many from the West Indies, stimulated the development of extensive rice and indigo (and later cotton) plantations.