Established on the colonial frontier in the early 18th century, Ninety Six soon became a well-known trading post. It was the seat for the
Ninety Six District upon its establishment as a town until the district's abolishment in 1799. The town was the site of a siege from May 22 to June 19, 1781 during the
Revolutionary War, spanning 28 days. The battlefield is now the
Ninety Six National Historic Site, maintained by the
National Park Service. Ninety Six was established on the frontier of the early 18th century, roughly around 1730. The Salvador and DaCosta families bought , intending to help poor
Sephardic families relocate from London to the New World. They began to settle it. The settlement became the capital city of the
Ninety-Six District when the latter was established in July 1769.
Francis Salvador, a Sephardic Jewish immigrant from London and a planter, was one of the casualties. He was the first Jew to be killed fighting with the Patriots in the Revolutionary War. The Cherokee were allied with the British in an effort to expel European-American settlers from their territory. In fall 1776, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia raised rebel militias to retaliate.
Rutherford's Light Horse expedition had several units that attacked the Cherokee Lower Towns; the Middle, Valley, and Out Towns; and the Overhill Towns, dealing widespread destruction of Cherokee towns and their stores of food.
19th century In the 1840s, life for many farmers in Ninety Six began to move from mostly self-sufficient, smaller farms to a more
commercial approach, by farming cotton, an extremely lucrative crop at the time. This transition was dependent on
enslaved labor, causing a rise in
plantations in the town. During the
Reconstruction era, the then Village of Ninety Six was
chartered by
South Carolina General Assembly on January 28, 1869. at the site of the original settlement and British fort. Ninety Six figured prominently in the
Anglo-Cherokee War (1758–1761). During the
American Revolutionary War, it was a site for
southern campaigns. The first land battle of the revolution south of
New England was fought here November 19–21, 1775. During the 19th century, the town's economy was largely dependent on
textile mills, such as the Ninety-Six Mill. However, as the mills started to shutter, and production began to be
outsourced, the economy started to decline, which led to a
revitalization project in the early 2000s. In the 21st century, Ninety Six benefits from tourism to its historic site and nearby
state park, along with events such as the
Festival of Stars, a
Fourth of July celebration that is hosted yearly by the town.
20th century In the early to mid-20th century, the growth of the textile industry significantly impacted Greenwood and Ninety Six. As mills expanded, mill companies created mill villages to provide housing and amenities for workers and their families. On May 27, 1905, the village incorporated as the Town of Ninety Six. Segregated education for colored children was provided at the Ninety Six Colored School, which served both elementary and high school students until its closure in 1956 when students were transferred to the newly built Edgewood Middle School. The
Southern Railway was constructed through the town and had a stop at Ninety Six, the
Ninety Six station. As well as the railway stop, the
Kinard House,
Moore-Kinard House, and
Ninety Six National Historic Site, are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places.
21st century In 2008, Ninety Six started hosting an annual
Independence Day celebration, known as the
Festival of Stars, and as of 2023 is still running in its 15th consecutive year.
Revitalization of Ninety Six In 2007, the Town of Ninety Six, with the help of
Clemson University, launched an initiative to address the economic decline and deterioration of the city, following the loss of
textile jobs. On July 10, 2007, community leaders, most members of the
Historic 96 Development Association, held a public presentation outlining the plan for the project. The project's mission was to
"restore pride, beauty and a sense of history to the Town of Ninety Six." The project was also awarded a $29,325 grant from the South Carolina Budget and Control Board to fund streetscape improvements on Main and Cambridge Streets. The planning of the project began with a multi-day "
charrette" held in January 2008, where Clemson representatives had public input sessions with residents, businesses, government officials, and tourism leaders. Following the charrette, the town formed a committee and multiple task forces. By 2012, the task force had: • Installed benches, street lamps, signage, and planters downtown. • Restored the
Ninety Six Depot, which was later added to
The National Register of Historic Places in 2011. • Promoted downtown businesses by organizing events like the
Festival of Stars. • Enforced building codes, updated ordinances, and regulated public cleanliness. Many citizens of the town, especially those in more remote areas were trapped in their communities due to the vast amount of trees that had fallen on roads. Many residents took it upon themselves to clear roads, using their own equipment and
power tools to cut trees, allowing some to be able to leave their residences via
automobile. However, as citizens drove around, many rushed to nearby
gas stations to fuel their vehicles, causing havoc, with numerous fights breaking out. The
National Guard was deployed to assist with the recovery efforts, and many troops were stationed at local gas stations. For the next week, Ninety Six residents were left without power, with many soely relying on
backup generators, adding to the need for fuel. Citizens were eager to share what happened, with many needing to file insurance claims, but
cellular signal was extremely weak, with downtown Ninety Six having little-to-no service. In Greenwood County, 23 cell towers were completely out of operation, with an additional 26 on back-up power and with limited range. Nearly a month later, in early November, most residents had their internet service restored. The aftermath of Helene in the town is still visible as of 2025, with many trees lying on the side of roads, and homes with tarps on their roofs. ==Demographics==