If this were Nevada, we’d be writing about an abandoned, haunted, old ghost town in the desert, where the biggest worry to any visitor would be encountering a friendly ghost or the exact opposite: a chainsaw-bearing zombie itching to start the apocalypse. But this isn’t Nevada, and we all know that our ghosts in South Carolina would never start an apocalypse… right? Read about one of the fascinating ghost towns in South Carolina, and judge for yourself.

But for some residents in the state, it sure may feel like the apocalypse.
Savannah River Site/YouTube
To the former residents of now abandoned South Carolina town of Ellenton - and the five other nearby small towns the U.S. government "acquired" in 1950 - being kicked off your family's land and forced to move against your will is bad enough.
But it gets worse.
SRS.gov
For all these years, the residents of Ellenton have been allowed on specified rare chaperoned occasions to return to the area they once called home. They can walk down what used to be Main Street and reminisce about the old Cassells Co. store and the Esso gasoline they used to fill their cars with.
Savannah River Site/YouTube
But it's getting harder and harder to justify going home to Ellenton, South Carolina even if only for a short walk down Main Street.
Over the decades, more than just the landscape has changed.
City of New Ellenton/Facebook

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Savannah River Site/YouTube
By the very nature of the business that moved into town, the place has become a toxic hazard.
The folks at the Savannah River Site have really stepped up over the years trying to make good for the disruption wreaked upon the residents of Ellenton.
SRS.Gov
They've created foundation after foundation and even granted access in 2015 for a heritage trail walk through Ellenton - an event that seems to have all but disappeared, at least from the Internet that promoted its beginning.
What's more, now that the Savannah River Site has been dubbed the Most Radioactive Toxic Waste Polluted Place on Earth, those same residents might want to reconsider their nostalgic walks down Main Street in Old Ellenton anyway.
Savannah River Site/YouTube
Today, you can't get all the way into what used to be Ellenton. It's truly the epitome of a ghost town in South Carolina. But if you drive on Highway 125 several miles south of Beech Island, you'll encounter an Ellenton marker that's close to the old town. But close only counts in the game of horseshoes. For the families who were displaced in the early 50s, close to home still isn't home. But is radioactive waste enough to keep people away? It should be - and if not, there's always that little caveat that creeps up when someone tries to enter any part of the Savannah River Site without a proper access badge. It's called "the law."
Watch 2015 interviews of some former residents of Ellenton in this promotional video that was released when the SRS announced the approval of the Ellenton Heritage Trail.
ENERGY.GOV - Savannah River Site work/Wikimedia
The following three minute video is from YouTube user Savannah River Site:


In 1950, the federal government earmarked approximately 300 square miles on which to build a new kind of facility (shown above under construction in the 1950s). Later that same year, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and the E. I. du Pont de Nemours Company introduced the concept of the Savannah River Site, a production facility to make plutonium and tritium for the H-bomb.
In all, approximately 6,000 people were moved or forced to move by the government; nearly 700 of those displaced citizens were living in the now abandoned town of Ellenton, S.C.
ENERGY.GOV - Savannah River Site work/Wikimedia
After 50-plus years of operation, the Savannah River Site (shown above in 2010 in a demolition project) is considered to be one of the most contaminated sites in the world. The ground, the streams, the ponds, and even the turtles all test positive for high levels of toxic waste.

Would you want to explore the old Ellenton or any of the other abandoned towns in South Carolina that now lie within the Savannah River Site’s boundaries? Or would you choose to stay far, far away? Can you imagine being forced out of your home and not feeling safe to return even for a visit?

Did you know there are even more deadly and dangerous places in South Carolina?

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More to Explore

Ghost Towns In South Carolina & Related Info

Tori Jane | December 06, 2021

What are some old South Carolina ghost towns?  

South Carolina is an old state, and as such, it’s got its fair share of history and towns that once were and never will be again:

  • Some of these ghost towns are fairly “exclusive” in the sense that they are accessible only by boat, like Anderson, which was flooded a long time ago, and Ferguson, which collapsed as a result of poor business practices and workers seeking better conditions elsewhere.
  • Then, there’s the town of Ellenton, which you should never visit. Why, you ask? Well, it’s radioactive. Literally.
  • There’s also Dorchester, which was settled way back in 1696 by Puritans from Massachusetts, which met its end during the Civil War.
  • Mountville is a ghost town without a whole lot of known backstories as it’s been abandoned for decades and nobody is quite sure of its history.
  • Finally – well, not finally-finally, but finally, for this list – there's the town of Ashwood, which was once a part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal program.

 

For more information about these ghost towns in South Carolina, take a look at this article!  

What are some of the most interesting historic towns in South Carolina?  

South Carolina is a history lover’s dream come true. It seems like no matter where you turn, you’re sure to find some fascinating historic places, markers, and towns. Of course, there are so many historically significant places around the state that it’s impossible to list them all for this paragraph, but there are a few that stick out above the rest:

  • Georgetown, for instance, was the home of Thomas Lynch (senior AND junior), both of whom were signers of the Declaration of Independence.
  • Lancaster was established as far back as the mid-1700s and is filled with fascinating history and architecture.
  • Beaufort is an incredibly interesting town with numerous old plantations filled with rich (and often dark) histories.
  • There’s also Camden, which is the oldest inland town in the entire state.  

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