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Small towns have fascinated me for many years. I like to look at all the old structures and wonder what it was like 100 years ago and even earlier before automobiles and electricity, not to mention all the modern conveniences of life today.

I came from the very small town of Lone Star in eastern Calhoun County. Sometime in the early 18th century, families of German, English and Irish descent came by land and by water to settle along the banks of the Santee River. Many came by boat from Charles Town up the waterway. Land grants were given to the various families by the King of England to the Lord Proprietors.

For many years, the inhabitants of this area, known as Amelia Township, St. Matthews Parish, Orangeburg County, bought their supplies from Orangeburg or at Buckingham Landing on the Santee River, where supplies were brought by boat from Charleston.ˇ Later, the firm of Bull and Taylor of Cameron established a store on River Road in the Good Hope area on what is now Highway 267.ˇThis store was called the Lone Star Store, and mail was brought here by mule pack.

In 1893, the Atlantic Coastline Railroad built a railroad through the territory known as the Manchester and Augusta Railroad. It crossed the Santee River just above what is now Low Fall Landing.

The Pee Dee Landing Co. came into the area to buy land to establish a town near the river and along the railroad. The railroad agreed that the train would always stop in Lone Star but, since this was not in writing, the agreement did not hold. The land company secured 24-1/3 acres from Ellison W.L. Gates, grandfather of J. Lewis Gates and a smaller tract from Joseph E. Wiles. A town was to be laid off in town lots and would be called Auburn.

On Feb. 27, 1894, the Pee Dee Land Co. deeded the even numbered lots to Ellison W.L. Gates. The streets were to be calledˇ First, Second, Third and Fourth Streets. These streets ran north and south, and Sumter Street ran east to west. The store owned by Bull and Taylor was dismantled and moved to the corner of First Street and Sumter Street in the town of Auburn. This store is still standing to this day. It was last operated as the Lone Star Store by the Carson brothers, D.W., J.F. and Edsel Carson.

This is one version of the origin of the name “Lone Star.” Another story told by some of the older residents of the community is that the engineer on the train passing through one night saw only one store and one star in the sky when he stopped and named the place “the Lone Star Stop.”

The second store was built by Jeff Buyck and Tom Jackson some time between 1830 and 1860.ˇThe store was operated by C.A. Zeagler, W.J. Zeagler and W.G.Weeks, at different times, of course. The old store was bought from Mr. Weeks by I.L. Wingard and operated by him until his death and then by his son Thomas Wingard.

I.L. Wingard was my father, and Thomas Wingard is my brother. The store still stands today. Another early store was built on the west side of the second store and was operated by several owners prior to being bought by O.K. Zeagler Sr. in 1930 and operated as a post office and a grocery store. This is one of the stores that was sold and moved to Santee several years ago and is now being operated as a restaurant.

Lone Star also once had a depot, a livery stable, a blacksmith shop, a telegraph office, a grade school and a high school, where I graduated in 1951.

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