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"B" is for Berkeley County

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"B" is for Berkeley County [1,098 sq. miles; population 142,651]. Created on May 10, 1682, Berkeley was one of South Carolina's first three counties. It was named for two of the Lords Proprietors, Lord John Berkeley Sir William Berkeley. At that time Charleston served as the county’s seat of justice. Over the next two centuries the boundaries and organization of the Berkeley County area underwent several alterations. With the abolishment of the parish system in 1865, Berkeley became part of Charleston County. In 1882, the General Assembly re-created Berkeley County with Mount Pleasant as its county seat. Its area was reduced several times until in 1921 its current boundaries were established. In 1895, Moncks Corner became the county seat of Berkeley County. By the end of the 20th century Berkeley County had evolved from its agricultural past into a Mecca for manufacturing.

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Dr. Walter Edgar has two programs on South Carolina Public Radio: Walter Edgar's Journal, and South Carolina from A to Z. Dr. Edgar received his B.A. degree from Davidson College in 1965 and his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina in 1969. After two years in the army (including a tour of duty in Vietnam), he returned to USC as a post-doctoral fellow of the National Archives, assigned to the Papers of Henry Laurens.