Lake City, South Carolina
Lake City is a city of 5,988 people in Florence County, South Carolina, founded in 1736.
Why visit Lake City
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 9 parks and trails, 21 places to eat, 5 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Lake City Downtown Historic District, W.T. Askins House and Theatre Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 92°F; January lows average 34°F.
Weather in Lake City
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Lake City
Lake City is a city in Florence County, South Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Lake City had a population of 5,903. Located in central South Carolina, it is south of Florence and included as part of the Florence Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From the Wikipedia article Lake City, South Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks6
Lake City Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic district in South Carolina, United States
W.T. Askins House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in South Carolina, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds9
Restaurants and cafes21
China King
Restaurant · Chinese · 0.8 mi
246 Kelley Street
Mo, We-Th 11:00-22:00; Su 12:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
Jarrito's 2 Family Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.4 mi
114 West Main Street, Lake City
Mo-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 12:00-21:00
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza · 0.7 mi
264 John Street, Lake City
Mo-Th 10:30-23:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-24:00; Su 10:30-23:00
Sonic
Fast food · Burger · 0.7 mi
137 North Ron McNair Boulevard, Lake City
Mo-Th 07:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 07:00-24:00; Su 07:00-23:00
9 more on the map.
History
The Lake City area was originally part of Williamsburg Township, which was first settled by a group of Scots-Irish in 1736. It was first called "Graham's Crossroads" and then "Graham", after Aaron Graham, a land owner around the crossroads that now form Church and Main streets in Lake City.
In 1856, the Northeastern Railroad built its main line through the area. This brought new growth to the community. On March 4, 1874, after requests from residents, a city charter was granted to the new town of Graham. On December 24, 1883, the town changed its name to "Lake City", after the swimming lakes just north of town. This was at the request of the locally-serving Lynches Lake Post Office, since there was another post office in South Carolina known as that.
This small town had a population of 300 in 1893, and by 1898 the area had become the leading strawberry cropland in South Carolina.
Lake City was the site of a notorious lynching on February 22, 1898, that resulted in the mob murders of the city's African-American postmaster and his infant daughter.
From the History section of Lake City, South Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay5
Churches and places of worship20
Greater Saint James African Methodist Episcopal Church
Church · Methodist · 0.6 mi
Shopping7
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries22
J. Paul Truluck Creative Arts And Science Magnet
School · 0.8 mi
319 Carlisle Street, Lake City
Lake City Early Childhood Center
School · 1.8 mi
906 North Matthews Road, Lake City
Healthcare2
Map of Lake City
100 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°F | 34°F | 3.6 in |
| Feb | 61°F | 37°F | 3.5 in |
| Mar | 68°F | 43°F | 3.6 in |
| Apr | 77°F | 50°F | 3.2 in |
| May | 83°F | 59°F | 4.2 in |
| Jun | 89°F | 67°F | 4.8 in |
| Jul | 92°F | 71°F | 5.8 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 70°F | 5.8 in |
| Sep | 86°F | 65°F | 4.7 in |
| Oct | 77°F | 53°F | 3.5 in |
| Nov | 68°F | 42°F | 3.1 in |
| Dec | 61°F | 37°F | 3.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Lake City 2 Se (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Florence County has had 24 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-29: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-05: Hurricane Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2023-08-31: Hurricane Idalia (Hurricane)
- 2022-11-21: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Florence Regional Airport (FLO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 22 miles away.
- Johnsonville 18 mi east, about 29 min by car
- Florence 22 mi north, about 35 min by car
- Darlington 31 mi north, about 49 min by car
- Andrews 31 mi south, about 50 min by car
- Aynor 33 mi east, about 53 min by car
- Sumter 37 mi west, about 1 h by car
- Bishopville 37 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- Hartsville 39 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- Conway 41 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Red Hill 43 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Historic Downtown Lake City, Evanoco, CC BY-SA 4.0
- W.T. Askins House, Evanoco, CC BY-SA 4.0
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