Walhalla South Carolina

Walhalla is a city in Oconee County in Upstate South Carolina. It is the county seat of Oconee county. It is located 16 miles from Clemson University. The population was 3,801 at the 2000 census and actually decreased to 3,647 in 2007. Walhalla covers 3.71 square miles.

Walhalla, whose name means "Garden of the Gods", began as a settlement of German immigrants. Gen. John Wagener, Claus Bullwinkel, John C. Henckel, Jacob Schroder, and Christopher F. Seeba formed the German Colonization Society of Charleston and bought 17,859 acres of land for $27,000 from Reverend Joseph Grisham of West Union on December 24, 1849. The town became the county seat of Oconee in 1868. Soon after, new settlers began to move into the area, eventually reducing the German population.

While much of the original German influence is gone, the town hosts the annual Oktoberfest which I highly recommend for the entire family believe it or not. Walhalla’s points of interests include the St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. I recommend seeing Issaqueena Falls/Stumphouse Tunnel. The downtown area has a variety of shops offering antiques, pottery, jewelry, baskets and clothing.

Stumphouse Tunnel is a reminder of a failed attempt to build a railroad from Charleston, South Carolina to Cincinnati, Ohio after the Civil War. The Cincinnati and Charleston Railroad Company was founded in 1837 by the citizens of Charleston and Cincinnati. The rail line was only completed to Anderson, Pendleton and West Union by the late 1850s. In 1852 the idea of crossing the mountains by rail was revived. The railroad would connect South Carolina's railway system to existing Midwestern railways systems. The Blue Ridge Railroad Company was formed to complete a railway from Anderson, South Carolina to Knoxville, Tennessee and later Cincinnati, Ohio. To cross the Blue Ridge Mountains would require 13 tunnels. Three of the tunnels would be in South Carolina. The two other tunnels that were to be built with the Stumphouse Tunnel in South Carolina would make three in all. The Saddle Tunnel was never completed. The Middle Tunnel was completed but was closed by land slides, and the Stumphouse Tunnel was meant to be 5,863 ft., but in 1859 with only 4,363 ft. completed, the state refused to send more money.

The Stumphouse Tunnel was closed due to rock slides and then the tunnel and the park were turned over from the Pendleton District Commission to the city of Walhalla. Walhalla now operates the park and re-opened the tunnel in spring 2000. The Stumphouse Tunnel is today used as a recreational site. Because the temperature is around 50 degrees and the humidity is about 85 percent year-round, Clemson University decided to temporarily store and age blue cheese there. The environment of the tunnel was later duplicated in the Clemson Agricultural Center and the cheese making was moved there. If you get a chance be sure to try some of the blue cheese from Clemson, it is fantastic. You can get blue cheese dressing with Clemson Blue cheese at Pixie & Bills Resturant in Clemson.

Walhalla is a great place to raise a family or enjoy retirement. With a great climate that features all 4 seasons, close proximity to all of the beauty of Oconee county and the excitement of Clemson University sporting events, Walhalla is a great town. Plus Walhalla has a strong Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club, Blue Ridge Masonic Lodge, Rotary Club as well as residents that all work to make Walhalla a great place to live!

If Walhalla sounds like a place you might like to call home, then please feel free to use this website to search real estate for sale in Walhalla South Carolina!