Think you know all the important stuff about South Carolina already? Think again. Whether you were born here, or moved to South Carolina at some point in your life, you’re constantly learning more and more about the Palmetto State. And that’s good! There is a lot to learn about the best state in America. Here are 12 things about our wonderful home that you may not have known were true:

1. The first ship to cross the Atlantic from America was built in South Carolina.
Flickr/Gregory Moine
Men left behind from an exploring expedition built a makeshift vessel to get back home.
2. The first public library was built in Charles Town on St. Phillips Street.
Flickr/David Mulder
It opened in 1700 and was only open for 14 years.
3. The first female artist hailed from South Carolina.
Flickr/Dean Hochman
Henrietta Dering Johnston's passion was pastels. She lived from 1670-1729.
4. We have our very own watermelon!
Bradford Watermelons
The Bradford family from Sumter has been growing South Carolina's own watermelon variety for more than 170 years. It's called the Bradford Watermelon.
5. The first music society in the colonies was formed in South Carolina.
Flickr/Thomas Quine
It was called The St. Cecilia Society and was founded in Charles Town.
6. The first public museum in the colonies was founded in 1773.
TripAdvisor/RachelRaven
It was in Charles Town and is now located on Meeting Street in Charleston.

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7. The first railroad junction ever was located in South Carolina.
Facebook/Branchville Railroad Museum
After a railroad was built between Charleston and Hamburg, a stop was created in Branchville - and the first rail junction in the colonies was created. The year was 1838.
8. We had the first commercial tea farm.
Flickr/Dmitriy
It was located in Summerville and was planted in 1890.
9. The first all-electric textile plant.
Flickr/Children's Bureau Centennial
The present day South Carolina State Museum is in the building of the former Mount Vernon Mills in Columbia. It became the first all-electric mill in the US in 1893.
10. The world's hottest pepper was created in South Carolina.
Flickr/sashimomura
The Carolina Reaper was created in Fort Mill and reaches more than 2 million on the Scoville Scale of hotness.
11. We built the first cargo ship without rivets.
Flickr/Scott Robinson
Built in Charleston in 1930, the first ship without rivets spared the vessel an additional 18,000 pounds of added weight from the rivets.
12. SC elected the first US Senator to win an election with write-in votes.
Flickr/Thomas Cizauskas
On November 2, 1954, Senator Strom Thurmond (1902-2003) became the first US Senator in history to win an election with write-in votes. Thurmond received an unprecedented 139,106 write-in votes to win the election by a landslide.

Surprised by any of these? We were! For more South Carolina fun, here are 15 adventurous things you can do in the state without spending a dime!

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