History
Prosperity is composed of several 100-year old homes that have been handed down through generations. Our growing community has several new housing developments and more to come. We have a thriving business district that includes several banks, a hardware & building supply center, a variety of restaurants, insurance services, antique stores, general home supply stores, an interior designer, florist, auto parts, gas stations, several beauty salons/barbers, and a chain grocery store. We have churches of many denominations that offer various styles of worship and numerous children's activities. Our schools and teachers have some of the highest ratings in the state. Our recreation program continues to grow and offers more and more choices for our youth.
One hundred years of official tradition is a proud heritage. It is an even prouder heritage when one considers the solid foundation upon which this tradition rests -- forty-six years of official community life before the charter of Prosperity and gravestones that attest to settlement by some of the earliest colonists. Captain Matthew Hall was the first settler in the area in 1827. By 1830 he had erected a small dwelling, a little log store, twelve by sixteen feet. This was used as the post office for Frog Level from 1832, when Hall was appointed postmaster, to 1848 when it was moved to Stoney Battery.
The next merchant in town was David Kibler, who was also the first mayor. He erected a home and place of business nearby. The town area these men and others settled was already known as Frog Level locally.
Long before it was a town, the settlement was called Frog Level.
There are several legends as to how the name originated. The most popular version of the legend claims that there was a pond of water where the Ira Cousins Gin now stands. This pond was infested with innumerable frogs. The legend goes on to tell that an old man became intoxicated and lay down at the edge of the pond and fell asleep.
When he awoke the frogs were croaking and he, being stupefied, imagined that they were crying "frog level" and he repeated it. The pond or place was called "Frog Level" from this incident until 1873. The town was actually chartered by this name in 1851 with the advent of the Southern Railroad. In 1873, at the insistence of a majority of its three hundred citizens, the legislature changed the name to Prosperity.
The name of Prosperity is presumed to be borrowed from the name of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian meeting place, which appeared on an 1825 Mills' Atlas map and was designated as Prosperity Meeting House.
Today, the Town of Prosperity has a recorded population of 1,292 and combines old fashioned charm with all the necessary conveniences. The Town Square with its antique clock and gazebo faces a home town drug store that was established in 1895, several restaurants and antique stores, a hardware store, beauty shops, and just up the street is a Food Lion grocery store. In 1996, a modern elementary school was constructed. Prosperity’s desirable location adjacent to Newberry with easy access to Lake Murray make it a rapidly growing community with small town attitude.
