Saluda County Court House - Saluda, SC (2008)

The town of Saluda, county seat of Saluda County, is situated among low, gradually sloping hills fitted for the growing of crops. It was named for the Saluda River, which forms one of the 3.3 square mile town’s borders. Originally, the land was inhabited by Cherokee Indians until 1755 when they signed a treaty with the British to accommodate Scotch-Irish pioneers. The English word “Saluda” came from the Cherokee word “Tsaludiyi”, meaning “Green Corn Place.” Today Saluda is recognized as a National Historic District.

The town of Saluda sits squarely in the center of the county. Two famous heroes of the Alamo, William Barrett Travis and James Butler Bonham were natives of Saluda. Saluda was also the home to a few South Carolina plantations. Most of the plantations in Saluda County grew cotton which became an important crop in the early 1800s.