- Dove’s Depot in 1974
February 9, 1882: Dove’s Depot becomes “Dovesville”
In 1853, the construction of the first railroad in this section of South Carolina was already underway, and Daniel Dove, a grandson of John Dove, granted the railroad company permission to build tracks on his plantation. Once the tracks were built, Daniel Dove served as the first Depot Agent, and the town soon after got a United States Post Office, dubbed “Dove’s Depot.” However, Col. Reuben Williams, who commanded a detachment under General Sherman, burned Dove’s Depot to the ground in 1865. The village was rebuilt soon after, and it became a busy terminal. By 1882, the village boasted a popular general store, the Dovesville Institute, a highly-esteemed school, and even a Bar Room. In that same year, the citizens of Dove’s Depot petitioned the S. C. Legislature to become incorporated by special Act, which was signed into law by the Governor on February 9, 1882. The Act called for a governing body of “an Intendant and four Wardens.” There were many other provisions, but the most controversial one granted the right to procure a “license to keep a tavern or to retail spirituous liquors within the town limits.” Dovesville existed until June 19, 1936 when declining activity in the area forced the surrender of the Town Charter.
