Darlington County · Marker 16-65
Coker's Pedigreed Seed Company
S. 4th St. (S.C. Hwy. 151), just NW of its intersection with U.S. Hwy. 15, Hartsville
Front inscription
This company, incorporated in 1914 by David R. Coker (1870-1938), grew out of his pioneering work breeding plants and developing high-quality seeds. At first focusing on helping Southern farmers grow superior upland cotton, it later had great success with corn, wheat, oats, soybeans, tobacco, and other crops.
Coker Experimental Farms
The trademark of the company was a red heart with the motto “Blood Will Tell.” Coker Experimental Farms, begun on a 220-acre tract nearby, was designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL) in 1964 and included several thousand acres when it closed in 1988. The Coker Farms NHL Foundation was created in 1998 to preserve and interpret 35 acres of the historic farm complex.