Town Mayor Roy Smith, Jr. has said, “McCormick is a unique place that offers the quiet traditional quality of life with nature’s amenities at your side.” Indeed, McCormick is a small, quiet town in South Carolina with a population of just 2,216 as of 2021. And for such a small town, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by all that you can experience there.

Not only will you find lots of opportunities to enjoy nature in McCormick, but it's also a dream come true for readers. Books on Main downtown is just one stop for book shopping. It's a bookstore fully staffed by volunteers to support Friends of the McCormick County Public Library.

A brief drive from downtown to the little hamlet of Willington, which has a McCormick address, bookworms will be delighted to browse 40,000 new and used books at the Willington Bookshop! Also staffed by volunteers, all proceeds are used by Willington on the Way (a nonprofit) to support the History Center and restoration projects in this tiny, historic town.

There's a huge selection of books to choose from. No wonder McCormick is such a quiet little town ... everyone is busy reading! Grab something to sip on at the coffee and tea bar while you're here.

Also a part of the bookshop, you can explore the History Center, with diorama displays showing the Huguenot settlement of nearby New Bordeaux in 1764, the establishment of Willington Academy in 1804, and the capture of Fort Charlotte by British troops in 1776. There are also area family genealogies, records of pre-Clarks Hill Lake Savannah River ferries, and many other historical artifacts from the Willington area.

Quilts dating back to the Civil War are also in the History Center, a part of the South Carolina Quilt Trail featuring unique heritage quilt pieces transformed into art.

Once you've finished with the history lesson, head back downtown to Michelle's Restaurant on West Augusta Street for a bite to eat for lunch.

Your options include pizza, sub sandwiches, calzones, a salad bar, and more. The onion petals are a must-try!

For a hiking adventure, check out the Savannah Valley Railroad Trail, a rails-to-trails project with nine out of 20 miles completed. Start at the Barksdale Ferry trailhead and end back in Willington again (or you can always just take the trail rather than the brief drive). The trail will eventually follow the Savannah River on a northwest course from McCormick to Calhoun Falls, cross two counties (McCormick and Abbeville), and link three state parks: Baker Creek, Calhoun Falls, and Hickory Knob.

From May through October, you can pan for gold in McCormick at the Heritage Gold Mine Park. Gold was discovered in about 1850 in the Dorn Gold Mine where the town of McCormick now stands. In 1869, the mine was bought by Cyrus McCormick, an inventor who donated land for the town, named for him in 1882. This mine continued to operate until the 1930s.

McCormick is a wonderful day trip, or if you'd like to stay overnight you can camp lakeside at Baker Creek State Park ...

... or stay in a cabin at Hickory Knob State Park Resort, which has a buffet restaurant, an archery range ...

... an 18-hole Tom Jackson-designed, championship golf course on the shores of Lake Thurmond, and more!

Have you ever visited McCormick, the charming, quiet town in South Carolina? What did you enjoy most about it? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.