Unlike many towns in the hardscrabble Pee Dee [1], tidy and picturesque Hartsville is quite affluent. This is largely due to its diversified economy, which includes not only a well-regarded liberal arts institution with a fat endowment and a scenic campus, Coker College (300 E. College Ave., 843/383-8000, www.coker.edu [2]), but a big paper plant and a nuclear power facility.
The downtown historic district, centering on Centennial Park and its well-landscaped fountain, is a fun place to stroll, dine, and shop.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/south-carolina/columbia-and-the-midlands/the-pee-dee
[2] http://www.coker.edu