Walhalla, South Carolina, was established in 1850 by German immigrants who were members of the German Colonization Society founded in Charleston by John Wagner. The town was laid out as a grid with a wide main street which remains today. One of the first structures in the town was St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. Walhalla was named as the county seat of Oconee County in 1868. The town hosts an annual Oktoberfest celebration honoring the German heritage. The Walhalla Performing Arts Center located at the Walhalla Civic Auditorium hosts concerts and other events. The Palmetto Trail, a pedestrian and bicycle trail across South Carolina, ends in Walhalla. Stumphouse Mountain Bike Park has recently been completed and offers miles of world -class mountain bike trails.