Dutch Fork
Encyclopedia
The Dutch Fork is a region of South Carolina
located in Lexington, Newberry, and Richland
Counties between the Saluda River
and the Broad River
where they fork together, forming the Congaree River
. The area is named after the original German settlers of the area, and like the Pennsylvania Dutch
, Dutch here is a corruption of the term deutsch (which means German in the German language). Initial settlement of the area was largely between 1730 and 1766 when the South Carolina government offered incentives for foreign Protestants to settle what was then the backcountry.
, Dutch Fork Middle School, and Dutch Fork Elementary School are three of the nineteen schools of Lexington & Richland County School District Five
which covers much of the Lexington and Richland County portion of the Dutch Fork. The Dutch Square Center shopping mall also alludes to the area in its name. The Dutch Fork cultivar
of the China Rose (Rosa chinensis
) was developed in the area. Since 2005, a monthly newspaper, The Dutch Fork Chronicle, has been published in the area.
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
located in Lexington, Newberry, and Richland
Richland County, South Carolina
Richland County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The 2000 U.S. census recorded its population to be 320,677. In 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau recorded that its population had reached 384,504. It is the second most populous county in South Carolina, behind only Greenville...
Counties between the Saluda River
Saluda River
The Saluda River is a principal tributary of the Congaree River, about 200 mi long, in northern and western South Carolina in the United States...
and the Broad River
Broad River (Carolinas)
The Broad River is a principal tributary of the Congaree River, about 150 miles long, in western North Carolina and northern South Carolina in the United States. Via the Congaree, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean...
where they fork together, forming the Congaree River
Congaree River
The Congaree River is a short but wide river in South Carolina in the United States; It flows for only 47 miles . The river serves an important role as the final outlet channel for the entire Lower Saluda and Lower Broad watersheds, before merging with the Wateree River just north of Lake Marion to...
. The area is named after the original German settlers of the area, and like the Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
, Dutch here is a corruption of the term deutsch (which means German in the German language). Initial settlement of the area was largely between 1730 and 1766 when the South Carolina government offered incentives for foreign Protestants to settle what was then the backcountry.
The Dutch Fork today
Unlike the Pennsylvania Dutch country, the use of a German dialect has not survived. The German heritage is preserved mainly in place and family names and the presence of a number of Lutheran churches, some dating back to the 18th century. Newberry is the only county in South Carolina with over 10% of its population being Lutheran. Dutch Fork High SchoolDutch Fork High School
Dutch Fork High School is a school in the Lexington & Richland County School District Five system, located in Irmo, South Carolina, United States. In 2009 it had approximately 1,956students and is growing at a rate of as much as 5% a year...
, Dutch Fork Middle School, and Dutch Fork Elementary School are three of the nineteen schools of Lexington & Richland County School District Five
Lexington & Richland County School District Five
School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties is a South Carolina school district encompassing a land area of approximately 196 square miles, roughly half of which is situated in each of Lexington and Richland Counties. Student enrollment is at 16,717 as of August 2005...
which covers much of the Lexington and Richland County portion of the Dutch Fork. The Dutch Square Center shopping mall also alludes to the area in its name. The Dutch Fork cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
of the China Rose (Rosa chinensis
Rosa chinensis
Rosa chinensis, known commonly as the China Rose, is a member of the genus Rosa native to Southwest China in Guizhou, Hubei, and Sichuan Provinces....
) was developed in the area. Since 2005, a monthly newspaper, The Dutch Fork Chronicle, has been published in the area.