Welcome Letter from the Mayor of Blythewood
Come visit, stay, and live in Blythewood, South Carolina! I welcome you to our historic southern town. Our community was founded by Native Americans who settled in the area. They called our area “Doko” which means “gathering place.” The community grew when early pioneers built a railroad watering station here to service the rail steam engines running between Columbia/Charleston and Charlotte. Today, Blythewood sits in a convenient location halfway between the Smoky Mountains and South Carolina’s world-famous beaches and between the beautiful Lakes Murray and Wateree.
The Blythewood area is home to several excellent, award-winning schools in the Richland County School District Two including five elementary schools, three middle schools, and two high schools. Academics, the arts, sports, and community service are foremost in our children’s educational experiences. Blythewood is also home to the University of South Carolina Equestrian Team, winner of the national championship title in 2014. A pristine golf club, Cobblestone Park, is in our town center and hosts numerous golf outings including the NCAA Southeastern Conference Ladies’ Golf Championship and the annual Women’s South Carolina Golf Association’s Open Tournament.
We celebrate community culture with numerous town events each year in the areas of education, the arts, sports, family, and community. Many of our popular gatherings include:
January – Trinity United Methodist Church Regan Roberts Memorial Youth Basketball League
February – Blythewood Historical Society & Museum Black History Month Celebration
March – Blythewood Chamber of Commerce Ribfest (rib cooking competition at Doko Meadows Park), and the Parks Hutto Memorial Golf Tournament at Cobblestone Golf Club
April – The Blythewood Doko Rodeo, the Blythewood Chamber of Commerce Par 3 Palooza Golf Tournament (Cobblestone Golf Course), the Blythewood High School Diamond Invitational Baseball Tournament, and Blythewood Farmers’ Market opens through November
May – Memorial Day Observance (local area cemeteries)
June – Dixie Youth Baseball & Softball District Tournaments at Blythewood Baseball Park. Blythewood is the home of the 2022 Dixie Youth Minor League World Series Champions!
July – Fourth of July Celebration Concert and Fireworks Display at Doko Meadows Park and Palmetto Citizens’ Federal Credit Union Amphitheater
August – National Purple Heart Day Observance at Town Hall and the Women’s South Carolina Golf Association’s Open Tournament at Cobblestone Golf Club
September – The ‘Big Grab’ 50-mile Yard Sale
October – Blythewood Chamber of Commerce Oktoberfest and Volksmarch, the Blythewood (5A) High School Tournament of Bands, and the Westwood (4A) High School Tournament of Bands
November – Blythewood Historical Society & Museum Veterans’ Day Observance, Blythewood Artists’ Guild Holiday Market, and the Blythewood Rotary Club Christmas Tree Sale
December – Town Christmas Tree Lighting at Town Hall, our annual Christmas Parade downtown (organized by our Chamber of Commerce), and the Westwood High School’s ‘Queens of the Castle’ Ladies Basketball Invitational
We have a beautiful, state-of-the-art events center, Doko Manor (as well as our Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union Amphitheater), which offers a great venue with 5,000 square feet of usable interior space for weddings, family reunions, business meetings, and cultural events. The park surrounding Doko Manor has a popular playground and a one-mile walking trail used by the community. Richland County Public Library recently donated the many kiosks that serve as our book walk for families to read while they walk along the popular trail. We recently expanded our park with the purchase of nearly 40 acres of open space that we are currently developing for public use. Also, our kids’ playground is continuing to expand, and it now has shade and artificial turf for sustainability. Coming soon will be a nature preserve boardwalk to the north of the town hall across McLean Road.
The Greater Blythewood Chamber of Commerce hosts many business leaders who share their expertise with our community. The Chamber awards several graduating high school seniors with scholarships for college. Blythewood After Five also brings business and community members together to network using different business locations as host sites. Our Chamber is actively involved with welcoming our newest industry neighbor, Scout Motors, to our town, as they bring 4000+ new high-tech jobs to the midlands in the coming years.
Our Historical Society and Museum is equally busy presenting the history of the area and sharing historical information with students and families. The Rotary Club, Lion's Club, Blythewood Masonic Lodge, the Christian Assistance Bridge, and the Hope Optimist Club are some of the very active civic organizations bringing support in many areas to the citizens of Blythewood.
Blythewood is home to many historic churches attended by generations of Blythewood families. Our local churches have many community events such as Friday Food Truck Night, Friday Movie Night, Easter Egg gatherings, Trunk-or-Treat, and a ‘Back to School Bash.’ Many of our churches recently celebrated their 150th anniversaries!
Blythewood is a town with many family restaurants and stores. Eight businesses in our town were recently highlighted in a Historical Society “Walking Retail Tour” telling the history of their origins. A replica of our old Town train depot building continues to serve our community as a music business and café.
Located along I-77 just 15 miles north of Columbia, SC, and about an hour south of Charlotte, NC, Blythewood has always been attractive to families searching for the virtues of small-town living. Although we are now growing by leaps and bounds, our town continues to celebrate good neighbors, community diversity, and prosperity for all.
We have a big vision by anyone's standards, with a detailed comprehensive, ten-year plan to get us there. We welcome you to discover Blythewood and enjoy our warm friendly attitude toward life and each other.
If you would like to learn more about Blythewood, visit the Blythewood Town Hall Official website at www.townofblythewoodsc.gov, or like us on Facebook. We thank you for your interest in Blythewood and remember, you are always welcome!
With warmest regards and always in your service,
~Bryan
Bryan S. Franklin
Mayor, Town of Blythewood, SC
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