Ninety Six is a town in Greenwood County, South Carolina, United States, about northeast of the county seat, Greenwood. As of the 2020 census, the town had a population of 2,096, making it the second-largest municipality in the county behind the City of Greenwood. The town covers a total area of 1.82 square miles, all of which is land.

Geography Ninety Six is in eastern Greenwood County. South Carolina Highway 34 passes through the town as its Main Street; it leads west to Greenwood, the county seat, and east to Newberry.

Lake Greenwood State Park is northeast of town, and Ninety Six National Historic Site is south of the center of town.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Ninety Six has a total area of , all land.

Etymology There is much confusion about the name, "Ninety Six", and the true origin may never be known. Speculation has ranged from the mistaken belief that traders estimated it was from here to the nearest Cherokee settlement of Keowee (it was about ); to a counting of creeks crossing the main road leading from Lexington, South Carolina, to Ninety-Six (a legend proved false); to an interpretation of a Welsh expression, nant-sych, meaning "dry gulch". No one is able to confirm that European founder Robert Gouedy was Welsh, English, Scottish, or German.

Traders passed on information to each other about landmarks and distances along the Cherokee Path, and sometimes created maps. They estimated mileage between streams based on their day's travel. They noted unusual aspects, such as the six creeks that ran unexpectedly south away from the Saluda River and, further west, nine creeks that ran south away from the Savannah River, noting them on maps as "6" and "9". One story suggests that a town in this area and a district both became known as "Ninety-Six", likely related to the evolution of traders' references to 9 and 6, the landmark groups of streams. Using historical accounts and USGS maps, historians have traced the Cherokee Path across present-day Greenwood County – territory that at the time was part of other districts.

Another source suggests the numerical reference was to measuring by chain, a practice which is traditional in English parishes. Even so, the origin of the name "Ninety-Six" remains a mystery. Ninety Six has been noted for its unusual place name.

While the evidence is circumstantial, the place names of Six Mile, South Carolina, 18 mile creek, Three & Twenty Creek, and Six & Twenty Creek, all lead to the 96 miles from Keowee theory. This theory was taught as fact in SC history, in public schools in SC in the late 60s/early 70s.

History Established on the colonial frontier in the early 18th century, Ninety Six soon became a well-known trading post. It was the seat for the Ninety Six District upon its establishment as a town until the district's abolishment in 1799. The town was the site of a siege from May 22 to June 19, 1781 during the Revolutionary War, spanning 28 days. The battlefield is now the Ninety Six National Historic Site, maintained by the National Park Service.

Ninety Six was established on the frontier of the early 18th century, roughly around 1730. For a time it was known as "Jews Land" because some prominent Sephardic Jewish families of London bought extensive property there. The Salvador and DaCosta families bought , intending to help poor Sephardic families relocate from London to the New World. They began to settle it.Pencak, Jews and Gentiles in Early America 1654–1800, p. 124.

The settlement became the capital city of the Ninety-Six District when the latter was established in July 1769.

On August 1, 1776, American militia forces led by Major Andrew Williamson were ambushed by Cherokee and Loyalists near here in the Battle of Twelve Mile Creek. More than 4,000 Cherokee warriors had waged war on a long front beginning in June, from modern Tennessee to central South Carolina. Francis Salvador, a Sephardic Jewish immigrant from London and a planter, was one of the casualties. He was the first Jew to be killed fighting with the Patriots in the Revolutionary War.

The Cherokee were allied with the British in an effort to expel European-American settlers from their territory. In fall 1776, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia raised rebel militias to retaliate. Rutherford's Light Horse expedition had several units that attacked the Cherokee Lower Towns; the Middle, Valley, and Out Towns; and the Overhill Towns, dealing widespread destruction of Cherokee towns and their stores of food.

In 1780 the British fortified the strategically important frontier town with a star fort. From May 22 to June 18, 1781, Major General Nathanael Greene, with 1,000 Continental Army troops, besieged 550 American Loyalists who were defending Ninety Six. General Greene's chief engineer at the siege was Colonel Tadeusz Kościuszko, a Polish officer who became world-renowned for his role in the Revolution; he was wounded at the siege. The Loyalists survived the siege and relocated after the war to Rawdon, Nova Scotia, Canada, with support from the Crown for resettlement.

19th century In the 1840s, life for many farmers in Ninety Six began to move from mostly self-sufficient, smaller farms to a more commercial approach, by farming cotton, an extremely lucrative crop at the time. This transition was dependent on enslaved labor, causing a rise in plantations in the town.

During the Reconstruction era, the then Village of Ninety Six was chartered by South Carolina General Assembly on January 28, 1869.

Efforts were even made to create a "Ninety Six County", but largely failed due to Greenwood, the bigger railroad city. Greenwood then became the county seat of the newly formed Greenwood County in 1897, in which the town was included. Since the late 20th century, the National Park Service has operated the Ninety Six National Historic Site at the site of the original settlement and British fort. Ninety Six figured prominently in the Anglo-Cherokee War (1758–1761). During the American Revolutionary War, it was a site for southern campaigns. The first land battle of the revolution south of New England was fought here November 19–21, 1775.

During the 19th century, the town's economy was largely dependent on textile mills, such as the Ninety-Six Mill. However, as the mills started to shutter, and production began to be outsourced, the economy started to decline, which led to a revitalization project in the early 2000s. In the 21st century, Ninety Six benefits from tourism to its historic site and nearby state park, along with events such as the Festival of Stars, a Fourth of July celebration that is hosted yearly by the town.

20th century In the early to mid-20th century, the growth of the textile industry significantly impacted Greenwood and Ninety Six. As mills expanded, mill companies created mill villages to provide housing and amenities for workers and their families.

The Ninety Six Mill Village included churches, company stores, recreational facilities, and modest brick homes maintained by the mill. Residents often had wages to cover rent and goods purchased at the store, which then created a system where daily life revolved around the mill. The villages hosted social events, church activities, and local sports teams (such as mill-league baseball) Although the mills have since closed, many of the original homes remain, and the village is now known as the Historic Ninety Six Mill Village.

On May 27, 1905, the village incorporated as the Town of Ninety Six.

Segregated education for colored children was provided at the Ninety Six Colored School, which served both elementary and high school students until its closure in 1956 when students were transferred to the newly built Edgewood Middle School.

The Southern Railway was constructed through the town and had a stop at Ninety Six, the Ninety Six station. As well as the railway stop, the Kinard House, Moore-Kinard House, and Ninety Six National Historic Site, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

21st century In 2008, Ninety Six started hosting an annual Independence Day celebration, known as the Festival of Stars, and as of 2023 is still running in its 15th consecutive year.

Revitalization of Ninety Six

In 2007, the Town of Ninety Six, with the help of Clemson University, launched an initiative to address the economic decline and deterioration of the city, following the loss of textile jobs.

On July 10, 2007, community leaders, most members of the Historic 96 Development Association, held a public presentation outlining the plan for the project. The project's mission was to "restore pride, beauty and a sense of history to the Town of Ninety Six."

The initiative received broad support from locals, raising $28,533 of its $29,333 planning budget through pledges from the town, the Ninety Six Chamber of Commerce, Greenwood County, and local businesses. The project was also awarded a $29,325 grant from the South Carolina Budget and Control Board to fund streetscape improvements on Main and Cambridge Streets.

The planning of the project began with a multi-day "charrette" held in January 2008, where Clemson representatives had public input sessions with residents, businesses, government officials, and tourism leaders. Following the charrette, the town formed a committee and multiple task forces.

By 2012, the task force had:

Installed benches, street lamps, signage, and planters downtown. Restored the Ninety Six Depot, which was later added to The National Register of Historic Places in 2011. Promoted downtown businesses by organizing events like the Festival of Stars. Enforced building codes, updated ordinances, and regulated public cleanliness.

Hurricane Helene impact

In the early morning of September 28, 2024, Hurricane Helene swept through the town of Ninety Six, taking trees and power lines with it, alongside damaging over 350 houses. Many citizens of the town, especially those in more remote areas were trapped in their communities due to the vast amount of trees that had fallen on roads. Many residents took it upon themselves to clear roads, using their own equipment and power tools to cut trees, allowing some to be able to leave their residences via automobile. However, as citizens drove around, many rushed to nearby gas stations to fuel their vehicles, causing havoc, with numerous fights breaking out. The National Guard was deployed to assist with the recovery efforts, and many troops were stationed at local gas stations. For the next week, Ninety Six residents were left without power, with many soely relying on backup generators, adding to the need for fuel. Citizens were eager to share what happened, with many needing to file insurance claims, but cellular signal was extremely weak, with downtown Ninety Six having little-to-no service. In Greenwood County, 23 cell towers were completely out of operation, with an additional 26 on back-up power and with limited range. A week after the disaster, as power began to be restored, residents were able to heat and cool their homes, but many were still left without internet service, leaving them unable to work. Nearly a month later, in early November, most residents had their internet service restored. The aftermath of Helene in the town is still visible as of 2025, with many trees lying on the side of roads, and homes with tarps on their roofs.

Demographics Ninety Six is the 187th largest city in the state of South Carolina, placing it in the middle of the state's city population rankings. As recorded in the 2020 census, Ninety Six had 2,076 residents, the highest count in town's history. Between 2010 and 2020, the town gained only 78 residents. In 2020, there were 706 households, and 520 families residing in the town.

2020 census