the citizens of allendale, bamberg, and hampton counties led an effort in 1964 to establish a center of higher education for their region of south carolina. the proposal was warmly received by the general assembly, and the western carolina higher education commission was created to investigate the possibility of a college for the region. house speaker solomon blatt pleaded with the university of south carolina to build two-year colleges across the state so as to prevent any possible expansion by clemson. as a result, usc planned a campus for the area, and it was decided that the campus be placed in allendale because it was the hometown of lieutenant governor robert evander mcnair. barnwell county joined the commission in 1967 and colleton county followed in 1984. the campus was therefore named after the salkehatchie river because it runs through all five counties of the commission. the first classes were held in 1965 at an unused elementary school building in allendale with an initial enrollment of 76 students. the campus gradually expanded its programs and it began offering extension courses in 1978 at walterboro. a permanent campus was established at walterboro in 1982 through the acquisition of the old walterboro high school building and gymnasium.