Been spendin' most their lives, livin' in a poultry paradise! This is chicken country, for sure! The poultry industry is the largest employer in the region and Batesburg-Leesville is home to the annual South Carolina Poultry Festival, which draws around 100,000 fans of feathered frivolity to town the second Saturday of each May.
This community has been called the gateway to the South Carolina Midlands
Been spendin' most their lives, livin' in a poultry paradise! This is chicken country, for sure! The poultry industry is the largest employer in the region and Batesburg-Leesville is home to the annual South Carolina Poultry Festival, which draws around 100,000 fans of feathered frivolity to town the second Saturday of each May.
This community has been called the gateway to the South Carolina Midlands. Roughly halfway between Columbia, S.C. and Augusta, Georgia, this is a very new town, at least officially. The communities of Batesburg and Leesville elected to merge in 1992 and kept the name of both. Perhaps the people from each town felt like the bride who doesn't want to give up her name and elects to hyphenate it. Of course, the history of each town prior to that goes back a few more years. They each began as competing trading posts on the road from Columbia to Augusta. Batesburg, located to the west, catered more to farmers and destinations to that side while Leesville's business came more from those living to the east. The natural separation of markets led to the two towns developing different identities. The land that separated them has mostly faded away due to development and the duo-named town has blended into a single entity.
It's good to start with a plan that takes into consideration what you want when searching for places to live in Batesburg-Leesville. Typically, the number of vacant units relative to the total is fairly in line with the national average. That means there are properties available but a proactive approach will net you the best deal on your pad. Make a list that you can work through one at a time and try to match the amenities and locations you want with your price range and property requirements. While there may be housing for rent that doesn't require it, in all likelihood you will need a decent credit report and residential history. Don't be surprised if you are asked to fork over first, last, and security deposit when you are ready to sign a lease. If you don't have a lot of time before you have to move here, consider something short term if you can't find the place you want.
The merger of the two villages in many ways transcended the differences that existed prior to that, but some do remain. For the most part, the processing plants are along the main drags through town like U.S. Highway 1 and State Hwy. 23. Housing for rent is likely to be found in the blocks behind the commercial buildings and retail space that extends along the edges and occasionally extends outward from there. Because of the geography and the way the towns are strung along the highways and railroad tracks, there isn't a defined downtown.
Batesburg West: This part of the two-village community is a mix of single family homes and commercial space with a few complexes where you can find a studio or a 1 bedroom apartment for rent. Highway 391 bisects the area from north to south and roughly forms the east side of this neighborhood.
South Batesburg: To the south of the railroad tracks that go through the middle of town is this area with some tract developments spread among older homes on larger lots put together in fairly typical rural fashion.
South Leesville: This is probably the part of the community where you will find the most apartment complexes so naturally, there's a decent chance you could find yourself a luxury apartment. There are a couple of small reservoirs and houses built as duplexes here, as well.
You could call it the quintessential southern small town but that doesn't quite nail it. There's less of the historic buildings and colonial architecture you will find in other locales but the description is fairly accurate beyond that. For outdoor recreation, you have the mountains less than two hours to the west and the South Carolina beaches almost the same distance to the east. For a bite out, try the fare at Neighbor's Cafe for traditional home cooking or give your taste buds a treat at Shealy's Bar-B-Que. Another local favorite is Wiz's Eatery. You will find plenty of shopping in town and if you want a little more, it's not too far to go into either Columbia or Augusta.
