The Official Web Site of the State of South Carolina

Community

Branchville, South Carolina: A to Z

This page can help you find what you're looking for locally, and when that is not possible, help you find the nearest facility or store that will meet your needs, without having to consult an assortment of directories covering several telephone companies' customers across four counties.The existence of a listing in no way implies a warranty or assurance of quality or satisfaction. The Town of Branchville disclaims responsibility for inaccuracies that may occur in the listings.

Airports

General aviation:

Scheduled commercial service:

  • CHARLESTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
  • COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN AIRPORT

Animal control (complaints)

  • Please call the animal control office in your county of residence, e.g. Orangeburg County if you live in Orangeburg County; Bamberg County if you live in Bamberg County, etc.

Animal shelters (adoptions)

  • MAUDE SCHIFFLEY SPCA, 225 Ruf Road, P.O. Box 1584, Orangeburg, (803) 536-3918
  • ORANGEBURG COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL AND SHELTER (Facebook link)
  • FRIENDS OF ORANGEBURG COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER (Facebook link)
  • MAMAS (Mary Ann Morris Animal Shelter), 254 Slow Pitch Road, Bamberg, (803) 245-7387. All are welcome to adopt a pet from MAMAS, but this shelter does not take in animals from outside Bamberg County.
  • FOCCAS, Friends of Colleton County Animal Shelter, (843) 893-2977, www.foccas-sc.org
  • SECOND CHANCE OF ORANGEBURG ANIMAL RESCUE COALITION (Facebook link) 

Apartments

  • BRANCHVILLE VILLA APARTMENTS, 34 Branchville Lane. 24 units. Southeastern Housing Foundation, (803) 259-4029 or (803) 259-3588.
  • TURNKEY APARTMENTS, off Freedom Road (US 21 South).
  • Also see Senior Citizen housing, below.

Archives

Artist

Arts Center

Athletics, sports and fitness

  • BRANCHVILLE YOUTH SPORTS offers football, baseball, softball and soccer. See the Wellness tab of this web site for details.
  • RMC HEALTHPLEX AT BRANCHVILLE, 7031 Freedom Road. See the Wellness tab of this web site for a photo and details.
  • AMERICAN GYMNASTICS & FITNESS, 3729 St. Matthews Road (US 601) north of Orangeburg.
  • GOLD'S GYM OF ORANGEBURG, 1223 Brickle St., (803) 536-0583.
  • GOLF at the city-owned HILLCREST GOLF CLUB in Orangeburg; the privately owned ORANGEBURG COUNTRY CLUB; the PAW PAW COUNTRY CLUB in Bamberg; and three golf courses in Santee (go to site and scroll down).
  • SHAKEHOUSE BOXING GYM, Bamberg (Facebook link)
  • ORANGEBURG COUNTY YMCA, 2550 St. Matthews Road, Orangeburg (including aquatic park), (803) 268-9622.
  • Santee (county-owned aquatic park)
  • Also see the Wellness page.

Banks

Books (new)

  • SWIFT BOOKS, inside Five Rivers Market, Chestnut Street, Orangeburg.

Books (used)

  • Many of the area's "thrift stores" have a wide selection of used books.
  • The FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY in each county in the area have book sales at regular intervals. The Charleston Friends have a massive once-a-year sale of books, audiobooks, DVDs and more that draws patrons from near and far.

Burning (yard debris)

You must call the South Carolina Forestry Commission's toll-free number for the county in which you are doing the yard debris burning. A recording will tell you how safe it is to burn that day.

  • ORANGEBURG COUNTY -- 1-800-517-9636
  • BAMBERG COUNTY -- 1-800-895-7060
  • For agricultural or forestry prescribed burns or to report a wildfire, call 1-800-777-FIRE.

Bus service

  • GREYHOUND buses travel through Branchville daily but the nearest station where they stop and where you can buy GREYHOUND and SOUTHEASTERN STAGES bus tickets is Henry's Truck Stop on U.S. 301-601 South, Orangeburg.
  • The so-called "Walterboro" GREYHOUND bus station is actually a dozen miles to the north, at Circle C Truck Stop, SC 61 at Interstate 95.
  • The CROSS COUNTY CONNECTION serves the City of Orangeburg and has a weekly run to St. Matthews.

Camps

Car and truck repair/truck stop(24 hours)

Car washes

  • (Self-service) Behind The Churn restaurant in Branchville.
  • (Mechanical) Several Orangeburg gas stations have drive-thru car washes.
  • (Full service) FRANK'S CAR WASH, John C. Calhoun Drive, Orangeburg.

Chambers of commerce

  • ORANGEBURG COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, near Edisto Memorial Gardens, Orangeburg.
  • TRI-COUNTY REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, offices in St. George and Holly Hill.
  • BAMBERG COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, 604 Airport Road, Bamberg 29003, info@bambergcountychamber.org

Churches (in town)

  • Branchville Baptist Church, 691 Ott St.
  • Branchville Christian Church, 6907 Freedom Road
  • Branchville Church of God, Freedom Road
  • Branchville United Methodist Church, 420 Barton St.
  • Canaan Baptist Church, 619 Dorange Road
  • Faith and Deliverance Church, Dukes Street
  • House of God, 200 Stephens St.
  • Jerusalem F.B. Holiness Church, Dorange Road
  • Upstart Life Ministries, Barton Street

Churches (outside town but within 29432 ZIP code)

  • Claflin United Methodist Church, Bamberg County (off US 78)
  • Edisto Baptist Church, Edisto River Road (SC 61), Bamberg County
  • Free Gift Baptist Church, 5224 Edisto River Road, Bamberg County
  • Mays Chapel United Methodist Church, 5608 Freedom Road
  • McBranch Baptist Church, 126 Hoghaven Road (off US 78 East)
  • Prospect Southern Methodist Church, Flatwoods Road
  • St. James Baptist Church, Freedom Road, north of Branchville
  • St. Stephen Baptist Church, 5710 Freedom Road
  • Zion AME Church, 4305 Bowman Branch Highway (SC 210)

Circus

  • Bill Brickle's Wonderland Circus, Cope/Orangeburg. Brickle says he is, at the age of 88, the oldest working circus ringmaster in the world.

Colleges and universities

  • See Education tab.

Computer use, by the hour

  • THE HORSE AND CROWN country store, SC 61 at SC 217, Colleton County, (843) 562-8080. Open 9-7 daily except Sunday.

Cowboy church

  • Attend services outdoors on horseback if you want. Indoor seating also available, minus the horse. Read a newspaper article here. 286 Pumpkin Girl Lane, Cottageville, (843) 560-2352.

Diesel fuel

  • BRANCHVILLE FOOD MART, 210 Dorange Road, Branchville, (803) 274-4252 (Facebook link)
  • E-Z SHOP #10, Freedom Road, Branchville (open 24 hours).

Dollar stores (major chains)

  • DOLLAR GENERAL, 7655 Freedom Road, Branchville. Open late.
  • DOLLAR TREE -- Orangeburg, Walterboro
  • FAMILY DOLLAR -- St. George, Orangeburg, Walterboro.
  • ROSES / ROSES EXPRESS -- Orangeburg, Walterboro.
  • And while it's not exactly a "dollar" store, there's a BIG LOTS in Orangeburg.

Dolls

  • DOLL SHOP, 7649 Freedom Road, Branchville. Also known as Jackie's Doll Shop and Dorothy's Porcelain Studio. Handmade collectibles by Jackie Burns. Open by appointment. (803) 274-8127.

Electric utilities

Electronics

  • RADIO SHACK dealer VAUGHN ELECTRONICS INC., 2649 Main Highway, Bamberg

Environmental organization

Fairs

  • ORANGEBURG COUNTY FAIR, Orangeburg, each fall.
  • SOUTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR, Columbia, each fall.
  • Also see festivals, below.

Fax service

  • BRANCHVILLE TOWN HALL, 7644 Freedom Road. $2 per fax sent or received. Open 8-12, 1-5 weekdays.
  • THE HORSE AND CROWN country store, SC 61 at SC 217, Colleton County, 9-7 daily except Sunday. (843) 562-8080

Festivals

  • RAYLRODE DAZE FESTIVUL, Branchville. Always the last full weekend in September. Many of the events are held in and near Branch Junction, a replica of an Old West town. For information, call Tom Jennings at (803) 274-8831 or visit the Raylrode Daze Festivul page on this website.
  • AZALEA FESTIVAL, Summerville
  • COTTON FESTIVAL, Norway
  • DOGWOOD FESTIVAL, Denmark
  • FESTIVAL OF ROSES, Orangeburg. (May)
  • FROG JUMP AND EGG STRIKING, Springfield (Eastertime)
  • PURPLE MARTIN FESTIVAL, St. Matthews
  • RICE FESTIVAL, Walterboro
  • SCHEUTZENFEST, Ehrhardt. (August)
  • SEE SAW DAZE, Harleyville.
  • TURPENTINE FESTIVAL, Rosinville
  • WORLD GRITS FESTIVAL, St. George

Fire department

  • Branchville's fire station is not routinely staffed. In an emergency, call 911 or Orangeburg County central dispatch. The Branchville Fire Department is operated at the county level, along with most other fire departments in Orangeburg County. To contact the business office during work hours, call Orangeburg County Fire Services in Orangeburg.

Flags (to purchase)

  • CAROLINA VISUALS in Smoaks (843) 562-2010, produces 10,000 American flags a week -- along with state flags, athletic team banners and much more -- for the Valley Forge Flag Company.

Flags (to retire)

  • When "Old Glory" becomes faded or torn, the proper method of disposal is to burn it respectfully. THE AMERICAN LEGION has a collection box in front of its Post home on Riverside Drive in Orangeburg and periodically conducts dignified flag retirement services.

Flowers, liquor and produce

  • STEEDLY'S STOP AND SHOP, 7736 Freedom Road, Branchville, (803) 274-4170.

Funeral homes

  • OTT FUNERAL HOME, 7305 Freedom Road, Branchville, (803) 274-8889.
  • OWENS FUNERAL HOME, 1707 Reeves Branch Road, Branchville, (803) 274-8865. (Facebook link)

Furniture (yard)

Gardens (formal)

  • EDISTO MEMORIAL GARDENS, Orangeburg. Includes a renowned rose varietal test facility and the Centennial Park event venue. Sponsors annual display of Christmas lights. Admission always free.

Genealogical research

See Archives above.

Gifts

  • THE COBBLER SHOP on Freedom Road at the railroad tracks has some interesting home items and concrete yard décor. Open late in the week.

If you can't find what you're looking for in Branchville, here are a few out-of-the way places you might want to visit:

  • COUNTRYSIDE TREASURES, 605 Gardner Blvd., Holly Hill, (803) 496-0142, and at Five Rivers Market on Chestnut Street in Orangeburg.
  • EHRHARDT PHARMACY, 12930 Broxton Bridge Road, Ehrhardt, (803) 267-2124. 8-6 daily, closed Sundays. Educational gifts for children.
  • THE WEST NEST, 7216 Charleston Highway, Bowman, (803) 829-2008. Check their Facebook page for current selections.
  • THE OLD BANK, a Christmas shop and dining room on Washington Street, and the many nearby antique stores in downtown Walterboro.
  • There is also a Christmas store on Broughton Street in Orangeburg.

Greeting cards

  • DOLLAR GENERAL has a wide variety, but BRANCHVILLE PHARMACY is the only store that sells greeting cards that are imprinted "Greetings from Branchville, S.C."

Hardware and plumbing supplies

  • BRANCHVILLE LAWN AND GARDEN, 405 Dorange Road, Branchville(803) 274-8187.
  • ACE HARDWARE -- Orangeburg, St. George, Bamberg, Walterboro, and Harleyville.

Heritage Corridor

Hospitals, doctors, health care facilities

  • Visit the Wellness tab at the top of this web page.

Insurance

  • GAILLARD INSURANCE AGENCY, 7643 Freedom Road, Branchville, (803) 274-8890.

Internet service

  • CENTURY LINK (also the local telephone provider)
  • ORANGEBURG COUNTY BROADBAND, 121 Bridge St., Branchville, (803) 997-0156, info@orangeburgcountybb.org

Job Corps

  • Bamberg. See the Education page.

Job Service

  • SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKFORCE, Orangeburg Workforce Center, 1804 Joe Jeffords Highway, (803) 813-1098.

Laundries

  • (Coin operated, self-serve) BYRD'S LAUNDRY, Freedom Road next to the railroad tracks, Branchville.
  • (Dry cleaners) BOWMAN CLEANERS, Bowman.

Lawn and garden

  • BRANCHVILLE LAWN AND GARDEN, 405 Dorange Road, (803) 274-8187.

Libraries

  • ORANGEBURG COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, 510 Louis St., Orangeburg, (803) 531-4636. Branches in Elloree, Holly Hill, Norway, Santee and Springfield. Bookmobile visits Branchville once a week.
  • BAMBERG COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, Bamberg.
  • DORCHESTER COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, St. George
  • COLLETON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, Walterboro

Malls

  • PRINCE OF ORANGE, Chestnut and Broughton streets, Orangeburg (the area's only enclosed mall). Anchor stores: Belk and JCPenney.
  • ORANGEBURG MALL, Boulevard St., Orangeburg. Anchor store: Roses.

Museums

  • BRANCHVILLE RAILROAD SHRINE & MUSEUM, 7500 Freedom Road, Branchville. Open by appointment. Call Johnnie F. Norris, (803) 274-8104.
  • ARTHUR ROSE MUSEUM at Claflin University, Orangeburg.
  • CALHOUN COUNTY MUSEUM & CULTURAL CENTER, St. Matthews.
  • ELLOREE HERITAGE MUSEUM & GIFT SHOP, 2714 Cleveland St., Elloree, (803) 897-2225.
  • J's TEA-RIFIC TEAPOT MUSEUM, Elloree. Open by appointment only. One block behind the Elloree Heritage Museum.
  • I.P. STANBACK MUSEUM AND PLANETARIUM at South Carolina State University, Orangeburg. (Closed for renovations.)
  • AEROPLANE MUSEUM at Dry Swamp Airport, Cordova.

Nature preserves

  • ACE BASIN, including the GREAT SWAMP SANCTUARY just south of Walterboro.
  • FRANCIS BEIDLER FOREST (Audubon Society), Harleyville (Dorchester County)

Newspapers

  • THE TIMES AND DEMOCRAT (Orangeburg daily) is available in Branchville at E-Z Shop #10, E-Z Shop #20, Branchville Food Mart, andDollar General and by home delivery.
  • THE ADVERTIZER-HERALD (Bamberg weekly) is sold in Branchville from the yellow box outside E-Z Shop #20 on Freedom Road.
  • THE POST AND COURIER (Charleston daily) is available at stores in Bowman, St. George, Orangeburg, and Walterboro, and at stores at SC 63 at I-95, and by mail. No carrier delivery or rack sales in Branchville area.
  • THE STATE (Columbia daily) is available at stores in Orangeburg and by mail. No carrier delivery or rack sales in the Branchville area.
  • USA TODAY is available at stores in Orangeburg and Walterboro and by mail. No carrier delivery or rack sales in the Branchville area. Back issues are often available at BI-LO supermarkets in Orangeburg and Walterboro and at Quick Store on Charleston Highway in Orangeburg.
  • THE NEW YORK TIMES and THE WALL STREET JOURNAL are available at selected stores in the greater Charleston and Columbia/Lexington areas, including Barnes & Noble Booksellers and Earth Fare supermarkets.

Notary service

  • Inquire at Branchville Town Hall, 7644 Freedom Road, or Farmers and Merchants Bank, 7633 Freedom Road.

Orangeburg County

  • The main number for ORANGEBURG COUNTY GOVERNMENT offices is (803) 533-1000. Many county offices are in the County Administrative Centre, 1437 Amelia St., Orangeburg. Many court-related offices are in the Courthouse across the street. Additional county offices are on Ellis Avenue.

Pharmacies

  • BRANCHVILLE PHARMACY, 7615 Freedom Road, (803) 274-8585. Pharmacist on duty. Open 9-2 Wednesdays, 9-6 all other weekdays.
  • In Bamberg -- RITE AID and others.
  • In Bowman -- BOLAND PHARMACY.
  • In Ehrhardt -- EHRHARDT PHARMACY.
  • In Orangeburg -- CVS (2), FRED'S, GROVE PARK PHARMACY, JAMISON'S PHARMACY, KMART, MEDICAP PHARMACY, ORANGE CUT RATE PHARMACY, WALGREENS (2), WALMART.
  • In St. George -- CVS and others.
  • In Walterboro -- CVS, RITE AID, WALGREENS, WALMART, and others.

Photocopies

  • BRANCHVILLE TOWN HALL, 7644 Freedom Road. 8-12, 1-5 weekdays. $1 per copy.
  • THE HORSE AND CROWN, SC 61 at SC 217, Colleton County, (843) 562-8080. Open 9-7 daily except Sunday.

Planetarium

  • I.P. STANBACK MUSEUM & PLANETARIUM, on the campus of South Carolina State University, Orangeburg. Currently closed for renovations.

Plumbing supplies

  • BRANCHVILLE LAWN AND GARDEN, 405 Dorange Road, Branchville, (803) 274-8187.

Post office

  • UNITED STATES POST OFFICE, 250 Edward St., Branchville, (803) 274-8825. Counter is open 7-11 am and 2-4 pm daily, 9-10 Saturdays. This post office also serves a portion of Bamberg County. The mail truck leaves Branchville at 3:45 pm weekdays (earlier on Saturdays) and proceeds to the Charleston sorting facility. (If you want your mail to go to the Columbia sorting facility, mail it at a post office in Rowesville, Bowman, or Bamberg.)

Radio stations

  • One FM station is licensed to Branchville but its office and tower are north of Orangeburg.

Railroad trains

  • FREIGHT: Multiple freight trains pass through Branchville daily. A few carry BMW vehicles from the factory in Greer to the Port of Charleston.
  • PASSENGER: The closest AMTRAK stations are in Denmark, Columbia, Charleston and Yemassee. The Branchville Town Council has endorsed the efforts of a group that is pressing for regularly scheduled passenger train service between Columbia and Charleston, via Branchville.

Schools

  • See the Education tab at the top of this web page.

Senior citizen services

  • BRIAN'S RESIDENTIAL CARE, 4003 Calhoun St., Branchville, (803) 533-0070.
  • OTT'S BRANCH ELDERLY HOUSING, 101 Caboose Court, Branchville, (803) 274-4332.
  • The ORANGEBURG COUNTY COUNCIL ON AGING'S BRANCHVILLE SITEhas programs daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ott's Branch Elderly Housing, 101 Caboose Court. Seniors ages 60 and better, and their spouses, are invited. Events include lunch, bingo, exercise, games, crafts, blood pressure checks, special guest speakers, etc. Details: (803) 274-4177 during the above hours or the Orangeburg County Council on Aging, (803) 531-4663.
  • The CORDOVA COMMUNITY SENIOR CENTER, 160 Mixon Mill Road (off Cannon Bridge Road), has varied programs for its members each weekday morning and selected evenings. (803) 531-4646. www.cordovasrctr.com 
  • Also see the Veterans Services listing below.

Skating (roller)

  • JAMMERS, near the Orangeburg Municipal Airport. Open weekends.

Storage

  • BRANCHVILLE MINI STORAGE. For details, inquire at Branchville Lawn and Garden, 405 Dorange Road, (803) 274-8187.

Telephone and Internet service

  • CENTURY LINK provides land-line telephone and Internet service in the Branchville area.
  • ORANGEBURG COUNTY BROADBAND, Bridge Street, Branchville, offers Internet service in the rural areas surrounding Branchville.

Theaters (Community)

  • ORANGEBURG PART-TIME PLAYERS. Performances in the BLUEBIRD THEATER, Russell Street, downtown Orangeburg. They also have a Junior OPTP program for youths.
  • CALHOUN PLAYERS. Performances in the old school in Cameron. Home of the Calhoun Players. They also have a junior program for youths.
  • LOURIE THEATER, St. George.
  • DANE THEATER, Denmark.

Theater (Drive-In)

  • The Big Mo in Monetta, S.C.

Theaters (Movie)

Nearest multiplex is in Summerville. There are others in Charleston and Columbia metro areas. Two independent theaters of special note:

  • THE NICKELODEON, 1607 Main St., beside Mast General Store, Columbia, SC 29201, (803) 254-8234. Nonprofit. Specializes in independent and foreign films. www.Nickelodeon.org
  • TERRACE THEATER, 1956-D Maybank Highway, Charleston, SC (James Island) 29412, (843) 762-4247. A mix of current releases, independent and foreign movies, and film festivals. www.TerraceTheater.com

Do ticket prices leave you reeling? SPOTLIGHT CINEMAS, 527 St. Andrews Road, Columbia, shows "second run" major motion pictures for just $2.00.

UFO Welcome Center

  • The nearest UFO Welcome Center -- in fact, the only one we know about -- is in Bowman, behind the United gas station on US 178, one block east of the IGA. Jody Pendarvis' creation stands 16 feet tall and 39 feet in diameter and has been featured on television everywhere from here to Japan.

Urgent care medical facilities

  • In Bamberg, Orangeburg and Santee. See the Wellness page for details.

Veterans services

  • There are VETERANS AFFAIRS offices in Bamberg and in the Orangeburg County Administrative Centre, 1437 Amelia St., Orangeburg.
  • There is a VA MEDICAL CLINIC in Orangeburg.
  • Orangeburg County provides regularly scheduled bus transportation to the VA MEDICAL CENTER in Columbia.
  • There is also a VA MEDICAL CENTER in Charleston.
  • FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS, which operates 7 clinics including in Orangeburg and St. George, is now approved to provide VA benefits. Call (803) 531-6900.
  • The VETERANS VICTORY HOUSE is a veterans nursing home in Walterboro.
  • Various veterans organizations are active in the area, including the AMERICAN LEGION and VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS.

Veterinary emergency care

  • There are many veterinarians in surrounding towns and cities, but the nearest 7 day/24-hour pet hospital is SOUTH CAROLINA VETERINARY EMERGENCY CARE, 132 Stonemark Lane, Columbia. It is off Interstate 26; exit at St. Andrews Road or Piney Grove Road exit to Fernandina Road. Call (803) 798-3837.

Wrestling

  • Pro wrestling events in Orangeburg usually take place at the NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY on Stonewall Jackson Boulevard in Orangeburg.

X-rays

  • See the Wellness tab at the top of this web page.

YMCA

  • ORANGEBURG COUNTY YMCA, St. Matthews Road, Orangeburg. Features an aquatics park and more. Offers similar services in Santee.

Zoos

  • BEE CITY, off SC 61 in Colleton County. Petting zoo, restaurant, gift shop, and more.

  • RIVERBANKS ZOO, Columbia.

Town of Branchville
7644 Freedom Road (P.O. Box 85)
Branchville, SC 29432
(803) 274-8820 or (803) 274-8000
FAX (803) 274-8760