Gaffney, South Carolina
Gaffney is a town in and the seat of Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States, in the Upstate region of South Carolina. Gaffney is known as the "Peach Capital of South Carolina"; the population was 12,539 at the 2010 census, with an estimated population of 12,597 in 2014. It is the principal city of the Gaffney, South Carolina, Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Cherokee County and, further included in the greater Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, South Carolina Combined Statistical Area. Michael A. Gaffney, born in Granard, Ireland, in 1775, emigrated to the United States in 1797, arriving in New York City and moving to Charleston, South Carolina, a few years later. Gaffney moved again in 1804 to the South Carolina Upcountry and established a tavern and lodging house at what became known as "Gaffney's Cross Roads"; the location was perfect for growth because of the two major roads which met here, one from the mountains of North Carolina to Charleston and the other from Charlotte into Georgia.
Michael Gaffney died here on September 6, 1854. In 1872, the area became known as "Gaffney City". Gaffney became the county seat of Cherokee County, formed out of parts of York and Spartanburg counties in 1897. Gaffney became a major center for the textile industry in South Carolina, the backbone of the county's economy up until the 1980s. Despite the small amount of population growth and companies continue to locate within the city limits along the bustling Floyd Baker Boulevard and Highway 105 and many other areas within the city limits. However, most population growth has occurred outside of the city limits. Uptown Gaffney began to languish after Interstate 85 was built in the county as industries located near the new highway. Recent renovations in downtown Gaffney have prompted more businesses to locate there, but there is still a great deal, planned for the central part of the city. Many plans have been announced for the downtown area, including a 20-acre park, being developed on the grounds of a demolished mill.
A plaza has been completed beside city hall and includes a refurbished fountain and extensive landscaping. Highlights to the upgrade of the city's park system include a skatepark, two passive parks, several children's playgrounds. In 2008, the Cherokee County History & Arts Museum opened on College Drive in the historic Central Elementary School building; the museum is operated by the Cherokee Historical & Preservation Society and is located on the mustering ground of the South Carolina militia. Located just blocks from downtown Gaffney and in one of the city's three nationally registered historic sites, the museum offers new cultural opportunities for locals and visitors, while having a positive economic impact for the downtown area. Annual events include a pottery show, car show, ghost walk; the city has hired an architectural firm to renovate the old Gaffney Post Office, located at the intersection of Frederick and Granard streets, into a visitor's center and art gallery. There are plans for a large cultural center to be placed in the downtown area.
In 2009 Darren Mason was elected president of the Gaffney Downtown Business Association and has worked with city officials in revitalizing the Historic Downtown area which consists of about six blocks. New matching fund programs have been key to restoring old buildings by painting and using attractive awnings to spruce up the old look of main street. Gaffney Station Farmers' Market has been established in a city parking lot directly across from the old post office downtown; the farmers' market operates on Saturdays from June through October. There are plans to create a more permanent site for the farmer's market at that location; the city of Gaffney plans to build a partial replica of the old train depot, once located there. The replica will house a portion of the farmer's market and act as a landmark that calls back to the days of the old depot; the city concluded Spring Session'08 of a popular concert series entitled "Shindig at the Gaffney Cabin". Bands perform on a weekly basis: Fridays during the Spring Session and Thursdays during the Fall Session.
Concerts are held on Thursdays during Fall Sessions so as not to conflict with Gaffney Indian football games on Friday nights. The city will hold more of those concerts in 2009, this time from April to June 2009, again from August to October of the same year. Two serial killers have at different times attacked residents of Gaffney. In 1968 Lee Roy Martin, known as the Gaffney Strangler, killed four women. In 2009, a series of shootings led to five deaths; the Archeological Site 38CK1, Archeological Site 38CK44, Archeological Site 38CK45, Carnegie Free Library, Coopersville Ironworks Site and Susan Furnace Site, Cowpens Furnace Site, Winnie Davis Hall, Ellen Furnace Site, Gaffney Commercial Historic District, Gaffney Residential Historic District, Irene Mill Finishing Plant, Jefferies House, Limestone Springs Historic District, Magness-Humphries House, Nesbitt's Limestone Quarry, Settlemyer House are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The city of Gaffney and surrounding Cherokee County came into the national spotlight during the summer of 2009 when a spree killer began killing residents of the rural town.
The first victim, a prominent peach farmer from western Cherokee County, was killed on June 27. On July 1, the killer was responsible for the death of an 83-year-old woman and her 50-year-old daughter. The
Fort Mill, South Carolina
Fort Mill known as Fort Mill Township, is a town in York County in the U. S. state of South Carolina. It is located south of the city of North Carolina and north of Rock Hill; as of 2015 13,662 people live inside the town's corporate limits with a total of 36,119 people residing within the entire township. Some businesses and residents in the Indian Land community of neighboring Lancaster County share a Fort Mill mailing address, but the official town boundary extends only in York County; the Fort Mill area is home to notable businesses such as the headquarters of Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, DCI World Champions in 2013, LPL Financial, Continental Tire the Americas, LLC. Domtar, Mood Media, Springs Industries, AECOM, Red Ventures, Daimler Trucks North America; the town of Fort Mill was established in 1873, getting its name from its location between two points, the first, a fort constructed by British in colonial times to protect the Catawba Indians from marauding tribes to the north, the second point of Webb's Mill.
The Catawba Indians made their home in present-day Fort Mill for many years. Scotch-Irish settlers began arriving in a small settlement soon developed. Fort Mill grew in the late 19th century as textile mills were established. After many textile mill shut-downs the town continued to grow and became a major suburb of Charlotte. Highlights in Fort Mill's history include: In the mid-18th century, Thomas Spratt and his wife Elizabeth were traveling through upper South Carolina in their wagon, they spent a night among the friendly Catawba Indians and were invited to stay and live in the area on a large tract of land given to them. They became the first white settlers in the Fort Mill area and their descendants still reside there, their descendant, John Spratt, represented the area in the U. S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 2011; the town of Fort Mill was the site of the last Confederate Government Cabinet meeting. Jefferson Davis and the Confederate Cabinet passed through the area during their flight from Richmond in 1865.
The last meeting of the full Confederate Cabinet was held at the White Homestead in Fort Mill. Fort Mill's Confederate Park contains the nation's only monument to slaves fighting on the Confederate side of the American Civil War. In the 1970s and 1980s, Fort Mill was the home to TV evangelist Jim Bakker's now defunct Heritage USA; the Banks-Mack House, Fort Mill Downtown Historic District, Mack-Belk House, Mills House, Nation Ford Road, National Guard Armory, Spratt Cemetery, Springfield Plantation House, Thornwell-Elliott House, Unity Presbyterian Church Complex, John M. White House, William Elliott White House, Wilson House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 4.6 square miles, of which 4.6 square miles is land and 0.1 square miles is water. Interstate 77 passes through the western portions of the town, exit 85 is signed "South Carolina Highway 160/Fort Mill." SC 160 is the main east-west street in Fort Mill.
The town of Fort Mill held a final public hearing in October 2008 on a proposed annexation that doubled the town's physical size. Fort Mill has three golf courses; the city maintains six parks, Harris Street Park, Steele Street Park, Doby Bridge Park, Calhoun Street Park, Veterans Park and Walter Elisha Park. Three of the six parks have picnic shelters, children's playgrounds, restrooms. Doby Bridge and Harris Street Parks have lighted baseball fields, Steele Street and Harris Street Parks have basketball courts, Steele Street Park has a small water park; the town maintains a banquet hall rentable through the parks and recreation department. Fort Mill is located in Cfa in the Köppen climate classification; this means that the city experiences four distinct seasons, although the variation between the seasons is not as pronounced as in other parts of the United States. Daytime maximum temperatures in the summer are around 90 °F, with nighttime low temperatures of 70 °F. In winter, daytime maxima average around 50 °F while nighttime low temperatures are near 30 °F.
Occasional readings as high as 105 °F are seen, reaching a high of 108 °F in 2007 or as low as −5 °F in 1989. Summers are humid and prone to thunderstorms, while winters are rainy with sleet and occasional snow. Snow might fall during the winter, but does not accumulate or persist as ground cover. Fort Mill experiences rainfall related to tropical cyclones but is too far inland to experience damaging winds. Fort Mill has not had any direct hits from any tropical systems since 1989, when Hurricane Hugo devastated the area; the most common soil in Fort Mill is Cecil series. The government of Fort Mill takes place within the framework of a Council-Manager Form; the town council of Fort Mill consists of six board members, two of whom serve from at-large districts, while the remainder of the council represent each of four wards. Elections are held in accordance with United States election regulations every two years, council members serve staggered four year terms; the town council meets the second Monday of each month.
The town of Fort Mill has four boards and commissions. These are the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Planning Commission, the Historical Review Board, the Housing Authority Board. Members of boards and commissions are appointed on a volunteer basis. Fort Mill is the primary community within the Fort Mill School
Spartanburg, South Carolina
Spartanburg is the most populous city in and the seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States, the 12th-largest city by population in the state. The city of Spartanburg has a municipal population of 37,013, Spartanburg County has an urban population of 180,786 as of the 2010 census; the Spartanburg Metropolitan Statistical Area, including Spartanburg and Union counties, had a population of 317,057 as of the 2010-2014 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Spartanburg is the second-largest city in the greater Greenville–Spartanburg–Anderson Combined Statistical Area, which has a population of 1,385,045 as of 2014, it is part of a 10-county region of northwestern South Carolina known as "The Upstate," and is located 98 miles northwest of Columbia, 80 miles west of Charlotte, North Carolina, about 190 miles northeast of Atlanta, Georgia. Spartanburg is a major city in South Carolina, it is the site of headquarters for Denny's. Spartanburg is home of the BMW Spartanburg factory.
Spartanburg was formed in 1785 and was named after a local militia called the Spartan Regiment in the American Revolutionary War. The Spartan Regiment, commanded by Andrew Pickens, participated in the nearby Battle of Cowpens. In 1831, Spartanburg was incorporated becoming known as the "Hub City": railroad lines radiated from the city forming the shape of a wheel hub, it became a center of textile manufacturing in the late 19th century, with around 40 textile mills being established through the early 1900s. During World War I Camp Wadsworth was used to train 100,000 soldiers for the war. Camp Croft trained soldiers during World War II; the facility was adapted as Croft State Park. By the 1950s, the production in these mills began to decline. Most textile manufacturing jobs were moved offshore by the companies. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.2 square miles, of which 19.1 square miles is land and 0.1 square miles, or 0.47%, is water. The city of Spartanburg has a humid subtropical climate with long and humid summers, cool to semi mild winters.
The average annual temperature is 61.6 °F. In the summer season from June through September, average highs are in the 80's to low 90's F, while in the winter months average highs are in the mid 50's F. Annual rainfall is spread evenly throughout the whole year. Spartanburg sees little snowfall, with the annual average being only 1.4 inches. Average precipitation is 51.3 inches and the average growing season is 231 days. Lawson's Fork Creek, a tributary of the Pacolet River, was once known for its plentiful wildlife and crystal clear waters. Parks and woodlands line much of its banks, rocky shoals and natural waterfalls can be found throughout its course, it stretches from the northern end of the county to the eastern end, where it empties into the Pacolet. The Cottonwood Trail is a walking trail located in the Edwin M. Griffin Nature Preserve that runs along part of Lawson's Fork Creek; the trail includes picnic areas, a raised path over an extensive wetlands area and access to sporadic sandbars.
Located just east of downtown, it is used by cyclists and walkers. Since the Lawson's Fork floodplain is not suitable for development, wildlife populate the area. Larger animals that can be found here include white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, pileated woodpeckers, mallard ducks, Canada geese and snapping turtles. Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve, is a preserve located in the midst of an urban environment. Retired social activist Harold Hatcher and his wife Josephine transformed an eroding gully into a thick woods and flower garden which now provides a haven for birds and other wildlife. Early European settlers to this area included French fur trappers, English woodsmen, Scots-Irish farmers. Few remnants survive from these early pioneering days, but traces can be found in the more rural areas of the county. Walnut Grove Plantation, an 18th-century farmhouse, has been preserved by The Spartanburg County Historical Association; the site of a locally famous skirmish during the American Revolutionary War, it was the home of the Moore family.
The plantation lies south of Spartanburg near the town of Roebuck, is open to the public for tours and during annual festivals. The Seay House, another 18th-century home, is a more typical representative of a pioneer home, its single stone fireplace and simple construction were common traits of farmsteads from this period. The Price House, the third 18th-century home maintained by the Historical Association, is unique, its sturdy Flemish-bond brick construction and three stories are less common in this area. By examining the original inventory lists of the house, the Historical Association has been able to retrieve period pieces that approximate the original contents of the house. First established in the 1780s as a courthouse village, Spartanburg may have been named for the Spartan regiment of the South Carolina militia; the city was incorporated in 1831, at the time of the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Cowpens, a pivotal fight of the American Revolution that took place only a few miles away.
The city's streets and architectural record reflect the changes of the 20th centuries. Morgan Square, the city's primary downtown hub, is the original courthouse village, it was founded adjacent to a small spring on the western slope of a ridge, which forms the border of the Tyger and Pacolet River watersheds. The square's name derives from Daniel Morgan, the general who commanded the American forces at Cowpens. A statue of Morgan was placed in the square in 1881; the oldest
Greenwood, South Carolina
Greenwood is a city in and the county seat of Greenwood County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 23,222 at the 2010 census; the city is home to Lander University. Greenwood is located northwest of the center of Greenwood County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.3 square miles, of which 16.2 square miles are land and 0.1 square miles, or 0.72%, are water. U. S. Routes 25, 178 and 221 pass through the eastern side of the city. US 25 leads north 51 miles to Greenville and south 63 miles to Augusta, Georgia, US 178 leads northwest 42 miles to Anderson and southeast 29 miles to Saluda, US 221 leads northeast 26 miles to Laurens and southwest 23 miles to McCormick. Lake Greenwood, a reservoir on the Saluda River, is 8 miles northeast of the city at its nearest point; the lake has 212 miles of shoreline, covers 11,000 acres, is 20 miles long. Lake Greenwood State Park, built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, is 14 miles east of the city on the south shore of Lake Greenwood and includes two boat ramps, a campground and playgrounds, many picnic areas.
The area around Greenwood is locally billed as the "Lakelands", due to several lakes for recreational fishing and diverse terrain for hiking trails. As of the census 2000, there were 22,071 people, 8,496 households, 5,174 families residing in the city; the population density was 1,612.1 people per square mile. There were 9,373 housing units at an average density of 684.6 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 50.10% White, 45.51% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.41% from other races, 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.52% of the population. There were 8,496 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.5% were married couples living together, 21.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 39.1% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone, 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the city, the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 15.2% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $26,284, the median income for a family was $32,573. Males had a median income of $26,477 versus $21,476 for females; the per capita income for the city was $14,347. About 22.2% of families and 40.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.4% of those under age 18 and 18.0% of those age 65 or over. Greenwood County experienced the sharpest economic decline in 2007, according to the poverty rates, of any county in the United States. One of the contributing factors to this decline was the de-industrialization of the textile mills which were supporting the economy of Greenwood. According to the Greenwood School District, the workforce in the city was reduced 47%, which impacted programs and supports.
Median household income plunged by 28 percent over the same period. Following nearly 5 years of public and private investment totaling over $20 million, Uptown Greenwood is ripe with new businesses, retail shops, locally owned restaurants. Uptown offers a rich history, appealing architecture, beautiful landscape, progressive business climate, high traffic count. Numerous award winning festivals and outdoor events are held throughout the year that attract large crowds. Households in Greenwood, SC have a median annual income of $24,593, less than the median annual income in the United States; the most common employment sectors for those who live in Greenwood, SC, are Manufacturing, Retail trade, Healthcare & Social Assistance. In 2015, the Greenwood, SC institution with the largest number of graduating students was Lander University with 494 graduates. In 2015, the median property value in Greenwood, SC grew to $87,800 from the previous year's value of $86,800.67.4% of the city population over 16 is in the civilian labor force.
Unemployment rate in Greenwood County, SC was 4.0% as of Sept 2017. Greenwood's first South Carolina Festival of Flowers was held in the summer of 1968 to coincide with the 100th anniversary celebration of George W. Park Seed Company; the festival was the brainchild of what was known as the Tourist and Conventions Committee of the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce. Chamber Director Al Parker and committee members recognized that Park Seed Company hosted "grower days" each year and that hundreds of professional flower growers would come to Greenwood to meander through Park Seed's famous trial gardens; the committee thought it would be a good idea to capitalize on having those visitors see other venues in Greenwood. Dick Stowe, chair of the Tourist and Conventions Committee, served as the first Festival Chairman, Judy Funderburk of Bennettsville was crowned Princess of Flowers. During the festival's early years, admission was free to most events, including the Park Seed gardens and open house and craft show, photo exhibit, military band concerts and other popular attractions.
Since the festival has grown to include a wide array of activities, many added under the leadership of Frank Cuda, Festival Director from 1992 to 2006. In 2007, the festival celebrated its 40th anniversary and welcomed Kay Self as the new Executive Dire
Central, South Carolina
Central is a town in Pickens County, South Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 5,159 3,000 of which were considered permanent residents. Contrary to its name, it is not near the center of South Carolina, it received its name from its geographic location, being the halfway or central point between Atlanta and Charlotte along the former Atlanta and Richmond Air-Line Railway line. The primary campus of Southern Wesleyan University is located east of the downtown area. Central was founded by the Atlanta and Richmond Air Line Company in a railroad boon that began in 1873; the town's name represents the fact that it is midway between Charlotte. Central was incorporated as a town on March 17, 1875. In 1897, Southern Railway moved its headquarters from Central to Greenville; the establishment of Issaqueena Mill and in 1906, Wesleyan Methodist Bible Institute brought people back to the town. Two buildings on Church Street in Central are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: Central High School and Morgan House.
The Central Roller Mills on Madden Bridge Rd. was listed in 2013. Central is located at 34°43′26″N 82°46′47″W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.4 square miles, all of it land. Downtown Central is bisected by a rail line. A significant number of late 19th to early 20th century commercial buildings remain, most of which are a single story in height and retain a good amount of historical integrity; as of summer 2006, a downtown streetscape project is underway, designed to improve the aesthetics of the area. There are many modest pre-World War II homes near the downtown. Central has several large apartment complexes, including The Whitley, which house students from nearby Clemson University, as well as from Central's own Southern Wesleyan University; the Central Heritage Society has a museum and information on many historic buildings and homes in the area. Central is part of the Greenville–Mauldin–Easley metropolitan area; as of the census of 2000, there were 3,522 people, 1,560 households, 617 families residing in the town.
The population density was 1,463.4 people per square mile. There were 1,832 housing units at an average density of 761.2 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 79.70% White, 15.25% African American, 1.79% Asian, 0.03% Native American, 2.13% from other races, 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.32% of the population. There were 1,560 households out of which 17.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.1% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 60.4% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone, 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.91. In the town, the population was spread out with 15.1% under the age of 18, 37.4% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 12.7% from 45 to 64, 9.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 116.3 males.
For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.5 males. The median income for a household in the town was $23,869, the median income for a family was $39,524. Males had a median income of $26,855 versus $22,207 for females; the per capita income for the town was $14,394. About 11.3% of families and 29.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over. The population of the Town has grown since 2000 due to the construction of apartment complexes for students attending nearby Clemson University as well as Southern Wesleyan, Tri-County Technical College. Public education is provided by the School District of Pickens County, including D. W. Daniel High School, a 2005 National Blue Ribbon School; the Central Clemson Regional Branch library serves as the community's public library, part of the Pickens County Library System. Central shares educational facilities and transportation services with the adjacent city of Clemson.
Central is home to the main campus of Southern Wesleyan University. Southern Wesleyan University is a SACS-accredited school, founded in 1906, it is a four-year Christian university. The main campus in Central houses over 600 traditional undergraduate students; the main campus offers three main housing buildings, two fine arts centers, a dining hall, a library, a gym, many different class buildings. The campus is home to FWC Alive, a Wesleyan church which offers both a traditional worship service alongside its contemporary worship service. Lindsey Graham, longtime U. S. Senator from South Carolina since 2003. DeAndre Hopkins, football player, was raised in Central. Jarvis Jenkins, football player, was raised in Central. Furman L. Smith, Medal of Honor recipient, who as part of the 34th Infantry Division fought and died during World War II, is buried in Central. Timothy L. Smith, noted historian and educator, was born in Central. City of Central Central Historic Marker from hmdb.org
Pickens, South Carolina
Pickens called Pickens Courthouse, is a city in Pickens County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,126 at the 2010 census. Pickens changed its classification from a town to a city in 1998, but it was not reported to the Census Bureau until 2001, it is the county seat of Pickens County. It was named after Andrew Pickens, an American revolutionary soldier and US Congressman for South Carolina. Pickens is part of the Greenville–Mauldin–Easley Metropolitan Statistical Area. Present-day Pickens of Pickens County was Cherokee Territory. During the American Revolutionary War, the Cherokee sided with the Kingdom of Great Britain; when Great Britain was defeated in the war, the Cherokee were forced to surrender their land. In 1791, the state legislature established Washington District that comprises present-day Greenville, Anderson and Pickens County. In 1798 Washington District was divided into Pendleton districts; the Pendleton district became Anderson and Pickens County. Pendleton District was divided in 1828 into Pickens.
A courthouse was established on the banks of the Keowee River where the town of Pickens Court House was developed. The Hagood-Mauldin House was built circa 1856 and is one of the historic structures of Pickens County. In 1868, the Pickens District was divided into Pickens and Oconee counties. Pickens Court House was renamed to Pickens; the Pickens Railway was established in 1898 as a shortline railroad from Easley to Pickens. From 1955 until 1987, Sangamo-Weston Inc. operated a capacitor manufacturing facility just outside Pickens. Until they were banned in the US, Sangamo discharged a significant amount of polychlorinated biphenyls into a tributary of the Twelve Mile River which feeds Lake Hartwell. Sangamo dumped contaminated waste in six locations in the vicinity of Pickens. In two of these locations, the waste was burned. According to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, contamination was discovered at the "Breazeale site", southwest of town. Schlumberger paid $11.8 million to federal and state agencies for injuries to natural resources caused by the contamination.
Pickens is located at 34°52′54″N 82°42′27″W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town had a total area of 2.5 square miles, of which 2.5 square miles is land and 0.04 square mile is water. Pickens has several small mountains that surround the city. Glassy Mountain, located east of Pickens, is a small mountain that can be reached by several small private roads. Glassy Mountain is an excellent example of a piedmont monadnock. Sixty-five acres of the mountain are part of the South Carolina Heritage Trust, contain varied and rare plant species. One of the most famous mountains in the area is Table Rock State Park, located just to the north of Pickens, but still in the Pickens area, a symbol for Pickens and can be seen throughout Pickens and nearby cities such as Easley and Greenville. In addition to Table Rock Mountain, the park contains Pinnacle Mountain, the highest mountain contained within the state of South Carolina; as of the census of 2000, there were 3,012 people, 1,281 households, 794 families residing in the town.
The population density was 1,227.1 people per square mile. There were 1,438 housing units at an average density of 585.8 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 80.54% White, 16.80% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 1.06% from other races, 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.49% of the population. There were 1,281 households out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.0% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone, 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.88. In the town the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.8 males.
For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.0 males. The median income for a household in the town was $26,364, the median income for a family was $36,316. Males had a median income of $27,316 versus $19,706 for females; the per capita income for the town was $16,436. About 12.7% of families and 20.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.5% of those under age 18 and 22.5% of those age 65 or over. Located three miles north of downtown on US 178 is Hagood Mill, listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1972. Constructed in 1845 the grist mill was operational until the 1960s. There are monthly southern heritage festivals at the site, stone ground corn meal and grits may be purchased. <Pickens County SC Cultural Commission>. Of particular interest are petroglyphs discovered in 2003, estimated to be 1,500 to 2,000 years old and from the Hopewell culture. <Anderson SC Independent Mail>. A museum is planned for the significant site. Jocassee Gorges, located about 30 minutes northwest of town, was named by National Geographic as one of the 50 Most Beautiful Places in the World.
The Old Pickens Jail is one of the few remaining early jails in Piedmont South Carolina. It was constructed in 1903 and served as a detention facility and offices and living quarters for the county sheriff; the building is on the National Regi
Laurens, South Carolina
Laurens is a city in Laurens County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 9,139 at the 2010 census, it is the county seat of Laurens County. Located in the Upstate region of South Carolina, the city of Laurens is named after John Laurens of Revolutionary War fame, it is part of the Greenville–Mauldin–Easley Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town of Laurens was established by an act of the General Assembly on March 15, 1785 as a location for commercial activities, it was one of the six counties created from the Old Ninety-Six District of South Carolina. Laurens was named Laurensville. On December 15, 1845, a charter was issued with the name of Laurensville; the first appearance of the town named. The town of Laurens was chartered in 1900 and in 1916; the town was named in the honor of the South Carolina statesman. The first inhabitants of Laurens were the Cherokee Indians, they used the land as their fighting ground. There has been evidence of broken potsherds, a mound found linked to Cherokee culture on land now called Laurens.
There were many treaties made with the Cherokee Indians over the land known as Laurens County dating back to 1721. Before the America Revolution thousands of immigrants from Scotland and Ireland, settled in Laurens County. Laurens developed into a major intersection of commerce in the colonial America. In the Battle of Musgrove Mill, Laurens witnessed intense fighting. In 1790, after the Revolutionary War, Laurens was elected as the county seat. Like other southern towns, cotton was the major crop being produced; the high amount of cotton production led to an economic boom and a substantial increase in the African American population. The economic boom attracted wealthy businessmen to Laurens. Andrew Johnson, 17th President of the United States, worked as a tailor in downtown Laurens from 1824 until 1826. Before the beginning of the Civil War, Laurens provided a great deal of political leaders to the state government; the state’s decision to secede from the Union was influenced by many of those political leaders.
The fighting of the Civil War never neared Laurens. But Laurens was affected by the influx of refugees that fled Charleston to avoid the progressing Union Army and Navy. Several of the refugees settled in Laurens after the Civil War. In the years after the Civil War, the economy of Laurens evolved to include industry; the recovery of Laurens' economy was dependent upon the creation of the textiles and manufacturing industry after the civil war. In 1895, Lauren Cotton Mill was founded, Watts Mill was started in 1902. Laurens Glass Company was established 1910, one of the largest glass plants in the southeast for over eighty years; the Laurens Railroad Company was chartered in 1847. The Columbia-Newberry-Laurens Railroad and the Charleston-Western Carolina Railroad are the two major intersections provided by the railroad. Laurens and Laurens County is part of the Old 96 District, which includes Abbeville County, Greenwood County, McCormick County, Edgefield County; the textile and glass industries were at one point a major source of employment.
Although many of the textile plants and the glass production facilities have closed over the last 30 years, a variety of industries exist within the county, including corporations like CeramTec, International Paper, Milliken & Co. and others. Walmart operates a distribution center outside of the city near Interstate 385, which serves as a major employer; the area has seen several recent economic retail developments, is seeing new capital investment in heavy industry, including a major new transmission production facility for German ZF Group. The unemployment rate, as of February 2012, sat at 9.6%. Laurens was the town chosen for a makeover in the second season of Town Haul. Laurens is home to Gary Davis and Pink Anderson, acoustic blues musicians who were born in the city, as well as Redtop Davis, lightweight boxer of the 1940s and 1950s. J. T. Taylor, the lead singer of the funk/R&B band Kool & The Gang, grew up in Laurens; the Courthouse Square consists of four acres, purchased in 1792 for two guineas, around $21,000.
The Laurens County Courthouse is placed in the center of the square. The current courthouse is the third courthouse; the first courthouse was constructed of wood. It was used as a church and courthouse; the second courthouse was made of brick. Dr. John Wells Simpson built the third courthouse in 1838; the courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Laurens' church district has two historic churches. Bethel AME Church is one of the historic churches in the district. Columbus White, a former slave and builder, designed the church in 1910, but the first church structure was built in 1868. In 1877, Saint Paul First Baptist, which neighbors Bethel AME Church, was established. Columbus White built Saint Paul First Baptist in 1912; the church is styled in Gothic Revival. The church served as the county’s first African American public school until 1937; the Church of the Epiphany is Lauren’s oldest church building still operating. The church was constructed in 1846; the First United Methodist Church represents Romanesque Revival architecture.
The church was built in 1897. In 1834, the First Baptist Church was built; the name of the original church was Laurensville Baptist Church. In 1850, the first sanctuary was built. In 1893, the second church was constructed; the present sanctuary was built in 1958. The First Presbyterian Church was organized on April 1, 1832, but the present church structure was built in 1891; the first preacher of the church was Samuel B. Lewers, he served
