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The purpose of the South Carolina Picture Project is to celebrate the beauty of the Palmetto State while preserving some of its vanishing landscapes.

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Fort Motte Jail

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SC Picture Project / Calhoun County / Fort Motte Jail

This tiny jail in the extinct Calhoun County town of Fort Motte – now part of St. Matthews – was built in 1906. The town of Fort Motte developed here in the mid nineteenth century near the site of a Revolutionary War event known as the Battle of Fort Motte.

Fort Motte Jail

Bill Segars of Hartsville, 2009 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Fort Motte was officially incorporated in 1875. Though the shells of this jail and the post office remain, the town vanished in the twentieth century when the interstate system replaced the community’s railroad.

Fort Motte Jail Rear

Brandi Faulk of Mount Croghan, 2019 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

The three-room brick jail was sufficient for housing the scofflaws of Fort Motte during the early 1900s. The 20×20′ building was divided into an office in the front and two cells in the back. The cells were accessed through doors in the rear of the building, seen below.

Fort Motte Jail Calhoun County

Bill Segars of Hartsville, 2009 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

A cornerstone of the building dated 1906 lists the officers of the jail during that time. Though little of the town remains, this stone documents those who valued law and order in the small and once-thriving community of Fort Motte.

Fort Motte Cornerstone

Bill Segars of Hartsville, 2009 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

The cornerstone reads:

H.H. Cauthen,
Intendant.
B. Walling,
Clerk & Treas.
WARDENS
J.G.Maynard,
E. J. Bouzard,
E.N. Brodie,
J. E. Christie.
1906.

Fort Motte Jail Bars

Brandi Faulk of Mount Croghan, 2019 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Plan Your Trip: Fort Motte Jail

Where is Fort Motte Jail located?
Address: Town Square Street, St. Matthews, SC 29135
GPS Coordinates: 33.739417,-80.692596
What else should I see?
Fort Motte Battle Site 3.2 miles
St. Matthew's Parish Church 3.5 miles
Wateree Country Store 9.1 miles
Wannamaker Home 11.1 miles
Show me more like this!
  • See other South Carolina Jails
    Fort Motte Jail Map

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    ABOUT US

    We are a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to preserve the history of South Carolina’s historic, natural, and cultural landmarks before they are lost to time. This website serves as a permanent digital archive of over 2,300 South Carolina landmarks – and counting. Learn more about our work.

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    ABOUT US

    We are a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to preserve the history of South Carolina’s historic, natural, and cultural landmarks before they are lost to time. This website serves as a permanent digital archive of over 2,300 South Carolina landmarks – and counting. Learn more about our work.

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