Inman–a small town in the Upstate of South Carolina that 2,321 people call home. The town I want to talk about more, the town that I’ll spend the next few weeks diving into–our community, business and leaders and the ideas the community and leaders have to further build up Inman.

However, in order to build you have to have somewhere to start–the history.

The Upstate, much like the rest of South Carolina, was once populated by Cherokee Indians but as settlers started moving inward, they relocated.

A major part of the history of the Cherokee’s in the Upstate was uncovered in The Pardo Stone dug up by a farmer in the Upstate. It’s a 17 inch long, 12 inch wide, and four inch thick stone with carvings of different symbols in them and has been proven to be an Indian artifact.

Along with the Pardo Stone, there are many more pieces and buildings in Inman that are major parts of history that we sometimes may not think about, especially our churches.

Shiloh Methodist Church’s congregation formed in 1786 after the war, and while the original building isn’t still standing due to a fire, the current one was rebuilt in 1825, which still classifies it as a major part of our history. It is currently the oldest standing building in the Upstate and one of the oldest in South Carolina.

However, Inman really brought people in not by the churches or buildings, but when the train depot for the first railroad from the Upstate to Asheville, N.C. was built here. Although it brought in people and trade, there was nothing for them to stop and see, so they continued to pass through.

According to “The History of Inman,” by Jimmie Lou Bishop Brown, William M. Gowan was a major part in building Inman. Gowan bought 142 ½ acres of land in 1857 where Inman is now located in order to grow the town from a few homes, three buildings and a railroad depot to a place where people would grow their families and start their lives.

As Inman continued to grow, they began developing their local government and named their first mayor in the late 1800s: Elijah Independence Bishop. The Bishop family would forever be a major part in the growth and history of Inman.

Overall, Gowan’s plan seemed to work. Inman has grown from a town in 1890 with a population of 134 to a town of 2,321 men, women, children and families that currently call Inman their home.

However, the growth isn’t finished. There are more businesses, people and events that are wanted in and coming to Inman.