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                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1


           [NELSON MULLINS RILEY & SCARBOROUGH, L.L.P. LETTERHEAD]


                                  May 20, 1997


People's Community Capital Corporation
106-B Park Avenue, S.W.
Aiken, South Carolina 29801

           Re:      Registration Statement on Form SB-2

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to People's Community Capital Corporation (the
"Company") in connection with the filing of a Registration Statement on Form
SB-2 (the "Registration Statement"), under the Securities Act of 1933, covering
the offering of up to 1,200,000 shares (the "Shares") of the Company's Common
Stock, par value $.01 per share.  In connection therewith, we have examined
such corporate records, certificates of public officials, and other documents
and records as we have considered necessary or proper for the purpose of this
opinion.

         This opinion letter is limited by, and is in accordance with, the
January 1, 1992, edition of the Interpretive Standards applicable to Legal
Opinions to Third Persons in Corporate Transactions adopted by the Legal
Opinion Committee of the Corporate and Banking Law Section of the State Bar of
Georgia, which Interpretive Standards are incorporated in this opinion letter
by this reference.

         The opinions set forth herein are limited to the laws of the State of
South Carolina and applicable federal laws.

         Based on the foregoing, and having regard to legal considerations
which we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when issued and
delivered as subscribed in the Registration Statement, will be legally issued,
fully paid, and nonassessable.

         We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm under the caption
"Legal Matters" in the Prospectus contained in the Registration Statement.





                                              NELSON MULLINS RILEY & SCARBOROUGH


                                              
                                              By: /s/ Neil E. Grayson
                                                 --------------------
                                                  Neil E. Grayson