Cherokee County, South Carolina
Encyclopedia
Cherokee County is a county
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...

 located in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...

. The county was formed in 1897 from parts of York
York County, South Carolina
York County is a county located in the north-central section of the U.S. state of South Carolina. According to the 2010 census, the county's population was 226,073. It is the second largest county in the Charlotte metropolitan area...

, Union, and Spartanburg Counties. It is included in the Gaffney, South Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2010 United States Census, the county's population was 55,342. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....

 is Gaffney
Gaffney, South Carolina
Gaffney is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States, in the upstate region of South Carolina. Gaffney is also sometimes referred to as the Peach capital of South Carolina. The population was 12,414 at the 2010 census...

.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, the county has a total area of 397 square miles (1,028.2 km²), of which 393 square miles (1,017.9 km²) is land and 5 square miles (12.9 km²) (1.16%) is water.

Adjacent Counties

  • Cleveland County, North Carolina
    Cleveland County, North Carolina
    -Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 98,078 people, 37,046 households, and 27,006 families residing in the county. The population density was 207 people per square mile . There were 40,317 housing units at an average density of 87 per square mile...

     - north
  • York County, South Carolina
    York County, South Carolina
    York County is a county located in the north-central section of the U.S. state of South Carolina. According to the 2010 census, the county's population was 226,073. It is the second largest county in the Charlotte metropolitan area...

     - east
  • Union County, South Carolina - south
  • Spartanburg County, South Carolina - west
  • Rutherford County, North Carolina
    Rutherford County, North Carolina
    -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 62,899 people, 25,191 households, and 17,935 families residing in the county. The population density was 112 people per square mile . There were 29,535 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile...

     - northwest

National protected area

  • Cowpens National Battlefield
    Cowpens National Battlefield
    Cowpens National Battlefield or Cowpens National Battlefield Park is a unit of the National Park Service just east of Chesnee, South Carolina, not far from the North Carolina state line....

  • Kings Mountain National Military Park
    Kings Mountain National Military Park
    Kings Mountain National Military Park is a National Military Park near Blacksburg, South Carolina, along the North Carolina/South Carolina border...

     (part)

Mountain Peaks

  • Draytonville Mountain
  • Brown's Mountain
    Brown's Mountain
    Brown's Mountain is a mountain in Cherokee County in the state of South Carolina, United States. Brown's Mountain summit is at an elevation of 1,035 feet above sea level. The mountain is one of the three main mountain summits of Kings Mountain National Military Park and is the highest in the park...

  • Thicketty Mountain
    Thicketty Mountain
    Thicketty Mountain is a mountain summit in Cherokee County in the state of South Carolina . Thicketty Mountain climbs to an elevation of around 1,194 feet . Thicketty Mountain is also one of the three mountain peaks of Cherokee County....

  • Whitaker Mountain
    Whitaker Mountain
    Whitaker Mountain is a mountain summit in Cherokee County in the state of South Carolina and is one of the three mountain peaks in Cherokee County. Whitaker Mountain climbs to an elevation of around 1,169 feet above sea level. Whitaker Mountain is located within the town of Blacksburg, South...


Demographics

As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 52,537 people, 20,495 households, and 14,612 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 134 people per square mile (52/km²). There were 22,400 housing units at an average density of 57 per square mile (22/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 46.92% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 40.56% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 10.20% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.31% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 1.16% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 0.84% from two or more races. 2.08% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 of any race. 39.1% were of "American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

", 6.8% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

, 5.8% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

 and 5.6% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....

 ancestry according to Census 2000. Most of those claiming to be of "American" ancestry are actually of English descent, but have family that has been in the country for so long, in many cases since the early seventeenth century that they choose to identify simply as "American".

There were 20,495 households out of which 32.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.30% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 15.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the county, the population was spread out with 25.80% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 29.60% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 93.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,787, and the median income for a family was $39,393. Males had a median income of $30,984 versus $21,298 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the county was $16,421. About 11.00% of families and 23.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.90% of those under age 18 and 15.20% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

The lifeline of Cherokee County, I-85
Interstate 85 in South Carolina
In the U.S. state of South Carolina, Interstate 85 runs northeast-southwest through Greenville and Spartanburg. It follows the general corridor of U.S. Route 29...

 runs through the city limits of Gaffney, contributing to much of the growth along Floyd Baker Blvd, the county's main thoroughfare, which bisects I-85
Interstate 85 in South Carolina
In the U.S. state of South Carolina, Interstate 85 runs northeast-southwest through Greenville and Spartanburg. It follows the general corridor of U.S. Route 29...

. Much of the county's growth occurs along I-85
Interstate 85 in South Carolina
In the U.S. state of South Carolina, Interstate 85 runs northeast-southwest through Greenville and Spartanburg. It follows the general corridor of U.S. Route 29...

.

One of the nation's busiest airports, Charlotte/Douglas International Airport
Charlotte/Douglas International Airport
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, in 1954 the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr...

 is located in nearby Charlotte
CHARLOTTE
- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...

 45 minutes away. For regional and national air travel Greenville-Spartanburg Airport
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport , also known as GSP International Airport or Roger Milliken Field, is a public airport located in unincorporated Greenville and Spartanburg counties in South Carolina, United States, 3 miles south of central Greer; the airport serves Greenville and...

 is located in Greer, SC.

A study to determine the feasibility of building an airport in the county revealed that an airport is desperately needed in the county. Previous studies have determined the structure of the airport and possible airport sites have been narrowed down to two sites - one located just south of Gaffney
Gaffney, South Carolina
Gaffney is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States, in the upstate region of South Carolina. Gaffney is also sometimes referred to as the Peach capital of South Carolina. The population was 12,414 at the 2010 census...

 and one located outside of Blacksburg
Blacksburg, South Carolina
Blacksburg is a town in Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,848 at the 2010 census. The communities of Cherokee Falls, Kings Creek, Cashion Crossroads, Buffalo, and Mt...

. A major economic feasibility study is now being conducted to determine if the federal government will contribute 95% of the funds needed to construct the airport. If the study fails, then no federal funding will be provided.

The county is also served by US 29
U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 29 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, to Pensacola, Florida. This highway's northern terminus is at Maryland Route 99 in Ellicott City, Maryland...

 which parallels I-85
Interstate 85 in South Carolina
In the U.S. state of South Carolina, Interstate 85 runs northeast-southwest through Greenville and Spartanburg. It follows the general corridor of U.S. Route 29...

 and is mostly used for local traffic. US 29
U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 29 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, to Pensacola, Florida. This highway's northern terminus is at Maryland Route 99 in Ellicott City, Maryland...

 also serves as a major road in the downtown area of Gaffney
Gaffney, South Carolina
Gaffney is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States, in the upstate region of South Carolina. Gaffney is also sometimes referred to as the Peach capital of South Carolina. The population was 12,414 at the 2010 census...

. Several of the major South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...

 highways that serve the county are:

SC Highway 11
South Carolina Highway 11
The Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Highway winds its way through Upstate South Carolina. Following the southernmost peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the route is surrounded with peach orchards, quaint villages, and parks...

,
SC Highway 150,
SC Highway 105,
SC Highway 18 serve the Gaffney
Gaffney, South Carolina
Gaffney is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States, in the upstate region of South Carolina. Gaffney is also sometimes referred to as the Peach capital of South Carolina. The population was 12,414 at the 2010 census...

 area.
SC Highway 5 serves the Blacksburg
Blacksburg, South Carolina
Blacksburg is a town in Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,848 at the 2010 census. The communities of Cherokee Falls, Kings Creek, Cashion Crossroads, Buffalo, and Mt...

 area.

Entertainment

Cherokee County is the only county to have three national parks within its boundaries: Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail is part of the U.S. National Trails System. It recognizes the Revolutionary War Overmountain Men, Patriots from what is now East Tennessee who crossed the Great Smoky Mountains and then fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain in South...

, this trail follows the path of major victories of American troops during the Revolutionary War, and spans South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee, Kings Mountain National Military Park
Kings Mountain National Military Park
Kings Mountain National Military Park is a National Military Park near Blacksburg, South Carolina, along the North Carolina/South Carolina border...

, and Cowpens National Battlefield
Cowpens National Battlefield
Cowpens National Battlefield or Cowpens National Battlefield Park is a unit of the National Park Service just east of Chesnee, South Carolina, not far from the North Carolina state line....

. Other historic homes dot the landscape of Cherokee County and while many of them are not open to the public several annual tours take place to display these beautiful and historic homes.

Gaffney Little Theatre and Limestone College
Limestone College
Limestone College is a private four-year, coeducational liberal-arts college located in Gaffney, South Carolina. Limestone College is a Christian non-denominational college. Its programs lead to the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Social Work, Associate of Arts or Associate of...

 serve theatre enthusiasts, offering plays and musicals ten to twelve times a year.

A major shopping center is Prime Outlets-Gaffney, which attracts almost 3,000,000 visitors per year, and contains over 80 retail outlets. Floyd Baker Boulevard is one of the fastest-growing commercial areas in Cherokee County, with a traffic count of almost 40,000 cars per day and a large number of stores and restaurants. Uptown Gaffney offers many upscale boutiques, shops, cafes,bowling at Westlane Bowl 16-lane center with 7, 9 feet (2.7 m) pool tables and gameroom,.

The area's newest attraction is the Cherokee County History and Arts Museum. Located at the old Central school, it is a true chance to find your roots! Cherokee County's history and its contributions to the arts weave a captivating and inspiring story of the region and its role in shaping the culture of the southeast and the nation. www.cherokeecountyhistory.org

Nuclear power plant

On March 16, 2006 Duke Power announced that a Cherokee County site had been selected for a potential new nuclear power plant
Nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity.Nuclear power plants are usually...

, to be called the William States Lee III Nuclear Generating Station
William States Lee III Nuclear Generating Station
The William States Lee III Nuclear Station is a planned two-unit nuclear power plant. Duke Energy filed the Combined Construction and Operating License application for the plant on December 13, 2007 to the NRC...

. The site is jointly owned by Duke Power and Southern Company
Southern Company
Southern Company is a public utility holding company of primarily electric utilities in the southern United States. It is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with executive offices also located in Birmingham, Alabama. The company is currently the 16th largest utility company in the world and the...

. Duke plans to develop the site for two Westinghouse Electric Company
Westinghouse Electric Company
Westinghouse Electric Company LLC is a nuclear power company, offering a wide range of nuclear products and services to utilities throughout the world, including nuclear fuel, service and maintenance, instrumentation and control and advanced nuclear plant designs...

 AP1000 (advanced passive) pressurized water reactor
Pressurized water reactor
Pressurized water reactors constitute a large majority of all western nuclear power plants and are one of three types of light water reactor , the other types being boiling water reactors and supercritical water reactors...

s. Each reactor is capable of producing approximately 1,117 megawatts. (See Nuclear Power 2010 Program
Nuclear Power 2010 Program
The "Nuclear Power 2010 Program" was unveiled by the U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham on February 14, 2002 as one means towards addressing the expected need for new power plants...

.)

On December 14, 2007 Duke Power submitted a Combined Construction and Operating License
Combined Construction and Operating License
The Combined Construction and Operating License replaced the previous Draft Regulatory Guide 1145 as the licensing process for new nuclear power plants in the United States...

 to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is an independent agency of the United States government that was established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 from the United States Atomic Energy Commission, and was first opened January 19, 1975...

, with an announcement that it will spend $160 million in 2008 on the plant with a total cost of 5-6 billion dollars.

This site will be adjacent to the old Cherokee Nuclear Power Plant
Cherokee Nuclear Power Plant
The Cherokee Nuclear Power Plant is an uncompleted energy project outside of Gaffney, South Carolina, United States. In the early 1970s, Duke Power started construction on a three-reactor nuclear power plant at the site. However, the project stalled due to economic problems by the early 1980s,...

 site, which was never completed and ultimately abandoned. It was used by James Cameron
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...

 as a set for the 1989 film The Abyss
The Abyss
The Abyss is a 1989 science fiction film written and directed by James Cameron. It stars Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Michael Biehn. The original musical score was composed by Alan Silvestri...

.

Cities and towns

Incorporated
  • Blacksburg
    Blacksburg, South Carolina
    Blacksburg is a town in Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,848 at the 2010 census. The communities of Cherokee Falls, Kings Creek, Cashion Crossroads, Buffalo, and Mt...

  • Chesnee
    Chesnee, South Carolina
    Chesnee is a city in Cherokee and Spartanburg counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 868 as of the 2010 census.-Geography:Chesnee is located at ....

     (territory in Spartanburg and Cherokee Counties)
  • Gaffney
    Gaffney, South Carolina
    Gaffney is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States, in the upstate region of South Carolina. Gaffney is also sometimes referred to as the Peach capital of South Carolina. The population was 12,414 at the 2010 census...

  • Smyrna
    Smyrna, South Carolina
    Smyrna is a small town in Cherokee and York counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 45 at the 2010 United States Census, making Smyrna the smallest town in South Carolina.-Geography and climate:...

     (territory in York
    York County, South Carolina
    York County is a county located in the north-central section of the U.S. state of South Carolina. According to the 2010 census, the county's population was 226,073. It is the second largest county in the Charlotte metropolitan area...

     and Cherokee Counties)


Unincorporated
  • Draytonville
    Draytonville, South Carolina
    Draytonville is an unincorporated community in Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States. It lies near the city of Gaffney....

  • East Gaffney
    East Gaffney, South Carolina
    East Gaffney is a census-designated place in Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,085 at the 2010 United States Census.-Geography:East Gaffney is located at ....

  • Thicketty
    Thicketty, South Carolina
    Thicketty is an unincorporated community in Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States. It lies between Gaffney and Cowpens along U.S. Route 29. Thicketty is located about northeast of Spartanburg....


See also

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Cherokee County, South Carolina
    National Register of Historic Places listings in Cherokee County, South Carolina
    This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Cherokee County, South Carolina.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States...

  • Tryon County, North Carolina
    Tryon County, North Carolina
    Tryon County is a former county which was located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It was formed in 1768 from the part of Mecklenburg County west of the Catawba River, although the legislative act that created it did not become effective until April 10, 1769. Due to inaccurate and delayed...


External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK