Forest Acres, South Carolina
In the Beginning
Forest Acres is a small town located on the eastern border of Columbia, South Carolina. The town was founded by John Hughes Cooper and James Henry Hammond because of their keen interest in real estate. Cooper ended up purchasing Forest Lake, which at the time was known as “Det’s Pond,” in addition to the 1,700 acres that surrounded the lake; The Forest Lake Club was soon built on the property. Hammond also purchased a large plot of land in the area (67 acres) and created a suburban community for affluent businesses men who were working in downtown Columbia. After learning the benefits of incorporation from the New Deal, the two incorporated Forest Acres as a city in 1935. Since the humble beggings, Forest Acres has grown from 2 square miles with about 350 residents to 5 square miles and is now home to more than 10,000 residents.