Cheraw's preserved history along the Pee Dee River in South Carolina
Named for the tribe that once inhabited this region of South Carolina, Cheraw is a small town with a deep history. One of the first official villages established by Europeans in South Carolina and officially incorporated in 1820, Cheraw served as a trade center and shipping port on the Pee Dee River starting in the 1700s. Industry has ebbed and flowed through the centuries for this inland port town, with crops like cotton supporting the local economy. Today, this town, 75 miles outside Charlotte, still has operational farms and many preserved buildings predating the Civil War. "It's a quaint little town. There's a lot of historical value," says Ron Beck, broker at Lewis Realty of Chesterfield County, who grew up in Cheraw. "From a real estate perspective, we have clients moving from up North or up from Florida," he says, noting that the four seasons, lower cost of living and small-town environment attract retirees and other new residents.
Historic landmarks and locally owned businesses in downtown Cheraw
On Market Street in the Cheraw Historic District, locals and visitors can dig into the area's past at the Cheraw Lyceum Museum. The museum's circa-1820 building was once a chancery court. Market Street also has locally owned shops like The Vintage Dandelion and Market Street Gifts & Gallery. Just around the block, Bistro on 2nd Street serves steak and seafood and is one of several popular eateries. Beck recommends El-Sherif's, a Greek and Italian restaurant that's also on 2nd Street. Between 2nd Street and Church Street, History buffs can check out Old Saint David's Church, whose historic congregation was founded under King George III in 1768. For quick trips, Cheraw has a Walmart Supercenter and fast-food chains like Bojangles and Wendy's.
Suburban homes offer classic small-town living
Rural properties and farms on the outskirts of Cheraw transition to tidy suburban homes closer to downtown. "You have homes in the historic district, homes with acreage – It's just a wide mix of different property around here in Cheraw," Beck says. "I can show anything from a mobile home on an unrestricted lot in the morning, to a $350,000 house in the afternoon." Historic homes rarely come up for sale, but surviving properties from before the Civil War include Victorian and Greek Revival styles. Ranch-style homes and cottages needing significant renovations sell for between $40,000 and $100,000, while similar styles with recent updates scale from $100,000 to $365,000. A handful of larger homes on several acres go for between $380,000 and $765,000.
Cheraw celebrates its culture with Jazz Fest and the Sandblast Rally
Each March, Cheraw hosts the Sandblast Rally, a competitive car and motorcycle race between downtown Chesterfield and downtown Cheraw. Spectators watch vehicles take hairpin turns along winding roads that take competitors nearly 90 miles to the finish line. Another popular event in Cheraw is the South Carolina Jazz Festival. Held in honor of jazz legend and Cheraw native, John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie, the festival features dozens of performances throughout the weekend.
Thousands of acres of green space and smaller parks near downtown
Cheraw State Park covers nearly 7,400 acres south of downtown. Lake Juniper has 300 acres of peaceful water suitable for fishing, kayaking and canoeing, and Cheraw State Park Golf Club has 18 holes on rolling fairways. “A number of people drive down from Charlotte because it’s so much more affordable to play golf out here,” Beck says. “The state park is really a gem for us.” Park visitors can camp along the water and among the tall pines or enjoy miles of hiking and biking through the woods.
Just south of the state park, H. Cooper Black Jr. Memorial Field Trial and Recreation Area covers an additional 7,000 acres of trails, campgrounds and forest. This space is particularly popular for its horseback riding, with 20 miles of equestrian trails, stables, arenas and other facilities.
Several other smaller parks are found around downtown Cheraw. Dizzy Gillespie Homesite Park has a statue of the famous trumpeter and jazz-inspired benches and artwork. Caston park has a ballfield and playground behind Matheson Memorial Library.
Chesterfield County School District serves local students
Students attending public schools in Cheraw typically begin at Cheraw Primary School, which serves Pre-K through second grade and has a B rating from Niche. They continue to C-plus-rated Cheraw Intermediate School for third through fifth grade. Older students finish at C-plus-rated Long Middle School and B-minus-rated Cheraw High School. High schoolers have the opportunity to earn college credits through dual enrollment with nearby Northeastern Technical College. Cheraw High also offers honors, Advanced Placement, and Career and Technology Education courses. On Friday nights, alumni, family and students gather to cheer on the Cheraw Braves varsity football team, which won state titles in 2019 and 2020. Private options in the area include Faith Christian Academy, which is not yet rated by Niche and serves Pre-K through eighth grade.
Driving to nearby cities like Charlotte and Fayetteville
Cheraw is also about 75 miles southeast of Charlotte, which is home to Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Fayetteville, North Carolina, is also about 70 miles away. South Carolina Highway 9 and U.S. Route 52 go through Cheraw and connect with major interstates to these larger cities. Locals find medical care close to home at McLeod Health Cheraw, a small hospital with an emergency room.
Written By
Faith Wakefield
