Initial settlement of the area largely took place between 1730 and 1766, when the British authorities of the Province of South Carolina offered incentives to foreign Protestants to settle in what was then the colony's backcountry.
German heritage is preserved mainly in place-names and family names as well as in the presence of a number of Lutheran churches, some dating back to the 18th century.
Newberry remains the only county in South Carolina with a Lutheran population of over 10%.
The Dutch Square Center, a shopping mall, also preserves the old name.
The Dutch Fork cultivar of the China rose (Rosa chinensis) was developed in the area.