 Overall, in descending order of land area the forest is located in parts of Oconee, Union, Newberry, McCormick, Edgefield, Abbeville, Laurens, Chester, Fairfield, Greenwood, and Saluda counties.Forest headquarters of both South Carolina forests are located together in the state's capital city of Columbia.In July 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed the Sumter a separate National Forest.