[6] According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2), all land.

Later on, the town was renamed to its current title of Nichols, this time to honor Averett B. Nichols, who was a businessman that built a warehouse and store to take advantage of the tobacco boom and owned other stores in the town beside those of John H. Stroud and C. R. Ford.

Following World War II, a popular employer was a local store focusing in furniture that went by the name Pilliod of Carolina.

[7][8] The town suffered severe flooding from Hurricane Matthew from the nearby Lumber River in 2016.

Mayor Lawson Battle suggested that the State House request that the Senate requisition $700,000 to help repair nearly 400 water-damaged buildings, replace vehicles, and reopen government offices.

State Senator Kent Williams proposed this money be taken from the $4.5 million left over from a 2015 farmer aid package for storm damage.