Right away, we think you'll like what you see. Clemson is situated at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the beautiful waters of Lake Hartwell lap up to the very edge of town. In addition to that, our town lies in a hotbed of history.

The university campus -- right across the street from our vibrant downtown shopping district -- is built on the plantation of South Carolina statesman John C. Calhoun. His home place, Fort Hill, is one of a dozen fascinating historic houses in the Clemson-Pendleton area, many of which are open to the public.  

Fort Hill stands at the center of the original campus, just a stone's throw from the fearsome Death Valley Stadium and within easy walking distance of the Robert M. Cooper Library.

Some of the farming terraces of the old Calhoun plantation are now covered by the flowers, trees and shrubs of the 200-acre South Carolina Botantical Garden, located just off Highway 76 on the Perimeter Road. All year, strollers enjoy the garden's ambience. Its beauty is particularly keen during the spring Daffodil Festival and other special events that dot its annual calender.