Originally part of colonial Craven County, this area later belonged to Georgetown District in 1769, Liberty County in 1785, Marion District in 1798, and Marion County in 1868. The movement to separate the county from upper Marion County began some years before the General Assembly enacted the bill creating Dillon County, which Governor Martin F. Ansel signed on Feb. 5, 1910, in the presence of Dillon citizens. James W. Dillon and his son Thomas gave one-half of this block for erection of the Dillon Courthouse and also assisted financially in its construction. The cornerstone was laid October 30, 1911. A granite monument on the grounds honoring James W. Dillon as Father of Dillon County was unveiled June 29, 1938.