1) On October 2, 1780, the Battle of Kings Mountain took place in the western part of South Carolina during the American Revolutionary War. It was a major victory for the Patriots, marking a turning point in the war in the South.

2) On October 2, 1899, the South Carolina State Fair opened for the first time in Columbia. The fair has continued to be held annually, with the exception of a few years during World War II.

3) South Carolina native James F. Byrnes was born on October 2, 1879. He served as a U.S. Senator, Secretary of State, and Supreme Court Justice during his distinguished political career.

4) On October 2, 1968, the University of South Carolina became desegregated when 196 African American students enrolled in the university. This was a significant step forward in the civil rights movement in the state.

5) The Carolina Brotherhood, a group of firefighters and police officers who honor fallen comrades, began a 500-mile bike ride across South Carolina on October 2, 2017. The ride started in Myrtle Beach and ended in Charleston, and raised funds for the families of fallen responders.