Why is it called “Society Hill”?
First located down near the banks of the Pee Dee River around 1736, the settlement became known as Long Bluff by the 1750s. Then, it was moved up the hill, due to the dangers of floodwater levels during heavy rains. The St. David’s Society was formed in 1777 and incorporated in 1778, during the American Revolution. St. David’s Society School (later St. David’s Academy) was placed on a prominent, geographically elevated position. The school, its staff, and the entire community were committed to education and insuring that all its students would become productive members of society. The hill on which the school was built came to be known as the “Society’s Hill” from with the present name of the town is derived. The second public building on the hill was the Welsh Neck Baptist Church. By the early 1800s, the settlement on the bank of the river was practically deserted and “Society Hill” was established in its present location.