Representative Bill Sandifer represents South Carolina’s House of Representatives District 2, which includes primarily Oconee County with a small section of Pickens County. South Carolina’s District 2 is a wonderful place to live, work, play and visit. Known as the “Golden Corner” of South Carolina, the district is located at the foothills of the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains in the northwest corner of South Carolina.
As part of upstate South Carolina, the district is known for its unmatched scenic beauty, mountain and lake environments, first-class business climate, and recreational amenities. Here you will find dazzling waterfalls, sparkling lakes and rivers, scenic highways and charming valleys. In addition to its natural splendor, District 2 is a proven, successful location for business and industry with one of the best business climates in the Southeast. Widely recognized as an effective competitor in the global marketplace and strategically located midway between Atlanta and Charlotte, District 2 is home to Fortune 500 Companies such as Duke Power, Johnson Controls, Inc., Engelhard Corporation, and Jacobs Chuck Manufacturing.
Oconee County
Oconee County takes its name from a Cherokee word meaning “land beside the water.” The county was formed in 1868 from Pickens District, and the county seat is Walhalla. This area was home to the Cherokees, but the Indians relinquished their lands in treaties signed in 1777 and 1816.
Beautiful Lakes Hartwell, Keowee and Jocassee, majestic waterfalls, and the Chattooga National Wild & Scenic River are found in Oconee County. The Upstate’s “Golden Corner” is virtually surrounded by water, making it a recreational mecca for outdoors enthusiasts. Located here are Oconee Station and the William Richards House, both built when the Upstate was part of America’s first frontier. Duke Power’s World of Energy offers high-tech, hands-on exhibits about electricity and the environment. Duke’s Bad Creek Visitors Center conducts exciting tours around the hydroelectric plant’s facility. The top apple-producing county in the area, Oconee is home of the annual Apple Festival in Westminster.
Seneca
Christened “The City of Opportunity” by its founders, “Seneca City” is the largest city in Oconee County. The city was founded in 1873 where two railroad lines connecting Atlanta and Charlotte crossed. Taking its name from an Iroquois word, Seneca is bounded by 18,500-acre Lake Keowee to the north, and to the west and south is Lake Hartwell. Seneca recently adopted the motto “City of Smiles, City with Style.” For more information on Seneca, go to http://www.seneca.sc.us/.
Tourist Information
- Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Highway
- Duke Energy’s World of Energy
- Lake Hartwell
- Lake Jocassee
- Pendleton District
- Savannah River Scenic Highway
- South Carolina State Parks
- South Carolina State Trails
- The Upcountry