Vance

History

Vance was previously called Vance's Ferry. Sir William Vance established the ferry about 1766, which served as a crucial shipping link for cotton and trade between Charleston and the upcountry. The ferry was used for over a century by merchants and travellers to cross the Santee River and connect to other towns and cities. The inlet off the river was a convenient place to moor small trading skiffs. Bridge construction and railroad construction decreased river freighting. Over the centuries the town center remained on higher ground along Old Number Six Highway, which originally was a Native American trail. The Town of Vance was incorporated on December 18, 1891 for 30 years. It was re-chartered on April 13, 1921. In the 1940s the river was dammed for hydroelectric power, forming Lake Marion. Although the dam changed the shoreline of the inlet, the location still contains private docks, a marina, and several businesses oriented toward recreation on the lake. The Town Hall manages The Family & Friend Center, which can be rented for various events.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.5 square mile (1.3 km2), all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  6,578
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  4,998
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,954
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  4,952
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  4,819
• Northern Mockingbird

  Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,767
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,677
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,556

Most recent

• M 2.91 — 2026-02-08
  6 km SW of Ladson, South Carolina
• M 2.72 — 2026-01-20
  5 km ESE of Elgin, South Carolina
• M 2.57 — 2025-04-26
  6 km E of Elgin, South Carolina
• M 2.5 — 2024-09-15
  6 km E of Elgin, South Carolina
• M 2.65 — 2024-03-09
  5 km E of Elgin, South Carolina
• M 2.54 — 2022-10-31
  6 km E of Elgin, South Carolina