Revolutionary War heroes Thomas Taylor and Wade Hampton I bought 18,500 acres along the Old Camden Road east of the proposed South Carolina capital city of Columbia in 1785. Taylor's family settled what became known as Quinine Hill and Edge Hill. The Dent family moved into the Gills Creek area and established Bethel Methodist Church. In the early 20th century, John Hughes Cooper turned Forest Lake into an upscale residential-recreational development. South Carolina senator James H. Hammond, who had purchased most of Quinine Hill, and Cooper led the creation of the City of Forest Acres in 1935. Cooper was elected the first mayor. Hammond was elected one of the first councilmen. From a community of just 300 people, Forest Acres has grown with churches, schools, parks, and vibrant shopping areas serving over 10,000 residents. Though surrounded by Columbia, Forest Acres is indeed a city apart.