Georgetown in Georgetown County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Joseph Hayne Rainey Park

Photographed by Craig Swain, May 2, 2010

1. Joseph Hayne Rainey Park Marker

Inscription. This park was dedicated in 1993 to the memory of Georgetown native Joseph Hayne Rainey, the first African American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. Born to slave parents in 1832, Rainey escaped to Bermuda when the War Between the States broke out. After the war, he returned to South Carolina and entered politics. He was a Republican delegate to the state's 1868 constitutional convention and later was elected to the state senate. In 1870, Rainey was nominated to fill the Congressional term of a white Republican who had been force to resign for selling West Point cadet appointments. He was re-elected to four consecutive terms representing the 1st Congressional District. After losing a fifth re-election bid in 1878, he became an internal revenue agent and later unsuccessfully sought to become the first African American clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Rainey retired to Georgetown in 1886 and died a year later. The family home where Rainey was raised still stands at 909 Prince Street and has been named a National Historic Landmark.

Erected by City of Georgetown and Georgetown Steel Corporation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Parks & Recreational Areas • War, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1993.

Location.

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33° 22.053′ N, 79° 17.191′ W. Marker is in Georgetown, South Carolina, in Georgetown County. It can be reached from Front Street. Located at the foot of King Street in part of the Georgetown waterfront park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Georgetown SC 29440, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in South Carolina’s Pee Dee

and on Waccamaw Neck.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Deep South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Georgetown’s Industrious Past (a few steps from this marker); Georgetown Steel Corporation (a few steps from this marker); Kaminski House Museum (within shouting distance of this marker); 24 Pound Naval Gun (within shouting distance of this marker); The Charters of Freedom (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Kaminski House Museum (within shouting distance of this marker); City of Georgetown (within shouting distance of this marker); Joseph Hayne Rainey (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Georgetown.

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. Marker at the Rainey House, mentioned in the text.

Photographed by Craig Swain, May 2, 2010

2. Joseph Hayne Rainey Park Marker

Joseph Hayne Rainey image. Click for more information.

3. Joseph Hayne Rainey

Portrait of Rainey from the Brady-Handy Photograph Collection in the Library of Congress.
Click for more information.

Joseph Hayne Rainey Park Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kent C Hermes, March 19, 2023

4. Joseph Hayne Rainey Park Sign

Joseph Hayne Rainey Park Fountain image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kent C Hermes, March 19, 2023

5. Joseph Hayne Rainey Park Fountain

Credits. This page was last revised on November 2, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 7, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,576 times since then and 43 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 7, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 4, 5. submitted on July 24, 2023, by Kent C Hermes of Georgetown, South Carolina.