Forty Acre Rock

(Granite Outcropping)

forty acre rock lithograph closeup

Portion of NHAP infrared photograph of Forty Acre Rock (1989). Area shown is outlined on the map to the right.

forty acre rock topo closeup

Portion of topographic map of Forty Acre Rock from Taxahaw USGS quadrangle (1969). 

Rationale

The Forty Acre Rock Study Site is an excellent example of a granite outcropping in the Piedmont of South Carolina.  Many such rock exposures occur throughout the region, including the Winnsboro Blue Granite in Fairfield County, which is mined heavily as an economic resource and which has been designated as the official State Rock.  Although Forty Acre Rock is not quarried, it represents a valuable resource nonetheless.  As part of the Flat Creek Preserve, the granite is home to several species of rare plants and offers a truly unique biological habitat.  The site is also near the boundary of the Sandhills and Piedmont regions and clearly illustrates landform features characteristic to each.  Forty Acre Rock is not advertised as a state tourist attraction because of the sensitive and fragile nature of the ecosystem, although many school groups and other educational agencies do take field trips there.  Much of the site is preserved in its natural state and features wetlands, unique geologic features such as the Great Diabase Dike, and a variety of land uses typical of the Piedmont Region.

Background Information

Description of Landforms

  • Characteristic Landforms of the Piedmont
  • Geographic Features of Special Interest
  • Piedmont Rock Types
  • Geologic Belts of the Piedmont

Influence of Topography on Historical Events and Cultural Trends

  • The Catawba Nation
  • Catawba Tales
  • Catawba Pottery
  • Immigration into the Piedmont
  • Settling the Piedmont:  Act of 1743
  • Farming in Colonial Times
  • South  Carolina Regulators
  • Battlegrounds in the Piedmont
  • The Naming of Rock Hill
  • Cotton Mill Towns Become Part of Industrial Region
  • The Anderson Car
  • The Interstate 85 Corridor

Natural Resources, Land Use, and Environmental Concerns

  • Climate and Water Resources
  • Piedmont Reservoirs
  • Soils and Red Clay
  • Agriculture and Erosion
  • Reforestation and Soil Conservation
  • Establishment of National Forests
  • Unique Natural Habitats in the Piedmont
  • Underground Storage in Granite
  • Gold Mining