Walhalla, South Carolina
Encyclopedia
Walhalla is a mountain city
in Oconee County, South Carolina
, United States
. It is located 16 miles (25.7 km) from Clemson University
in Clemson, South Carolina
and is also located in the Appalachian Mountains
of South Carolina. The population was 3,801 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of Oconee County. The current mayor of Walhalla is Randy Chastain.
Walhalla began as a settlement of German immigrants who left from Hamburg
, Germany and Bavaria
with some English, Scots and Irish who came over in the same ship. In particular, General John A. Wagener, Claus Bullwinkel, John C. Henckel, Jacob Schroder, and Christopher F. Seeba (trustees of the German Colonization Society of Charleston) bought 17859 acres (72.3 km²) of land for $27,000 from Reverend Joseph Grisham of West Union on December 24, 1849.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²), of which, 3.7 square miles (9.6 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.33%) is water.
The town is built mostly on types of granite rock. It is also near some minor faults and therefore subject to small and infrequent earthquake
s. The last nearby earthquake had its epicenter
in Newry, South Carolina
, and occurred at 7:42 am EDT on May 19, 1971. The earthquake had an intensity of VI in Newry as measured by the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale. The cause of the Newry quake was likely a slippage of the Brevard Fault and other faults in the area aided by the immense weight of the man-made Lake Keowee
, created by the Keowee Dam.
The Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel
is located near Walhalla.
Walhalla is German for "paradise"
As of the census
of 2000, there were 3,801 people, 1,558 households, and 1,028 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,023.8 people per square mile (395.6/km²). There were 1,705 housing units at an average density of 459.2 per square mile (177.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.19% White, 15.35% Hispanic, 6.92% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 1.42% from two or more races, and 7.66% other races
.
There were 1,558 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples
living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,063, and the median income for a family was $34,184. Males had a median income of $28,445 versus $21,106 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,691. About 14.1% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Oconee County, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located 16 miles (25.7 km) from Clemson University
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
in Clemson, South Carolina
Clemson, South Carolina
Clemson is a college town located in Pickens County in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 11,939 at the 2000 census and center of an urban cluster with a total population of 42,199...
and is also located in the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
of South Carolina. The population was 3,801 at the 2000 census. It is 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....
of Oconee County. The current mayor of Walhalla is Randy Chastain.
Walhalla began as a settlement of German immigrants who left from Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Germany and Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
with some English, Scots and Irish who came over in the same ship. In particular, General John A. Wagener, Claus Bullwinkel, John C. Henckel, Jacob Schroder, and Christopher F. Seeba (trustees of the German Colonization Society of Charleston) bought 17859 acres (72.3 km²) of land for $27,000 from Reverend Joseph Grisham of West Union on December 24, 1849.
Geography
Walhalla is located at 34°46′2"N 83°3′52"W (34.767263, -83.064321).According to the United States 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 city has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²), of which, 3.7 square miles (9.6 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.33%) is water.
The town is built mostly on types of granite rock. It is also near some minor faults and therefore subject to small and infrequent earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
s. The last nearby earthquake had its epicenter
Epicenter
The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates...
in Newry, South Carolina
Newry, South Carolina
Newry is a Census-designated place in Oconee County, South Carolina, United States. According to the 2010 United States Census, the population of the CDP was 172.- Newry Historic District :...
, and occurred at 7:42 am EDT on May 19, 1971. The earthquake had an intensity of VI in Newry as measured by the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale. The cause of the Newry quake was likely a slippage of the Brevard Fault and other faults in the area aided by the immense weight of the man-made Lake Keowee
Lake Keowee
Lake Keowee is a man–made reservoir in the United States in the state of South Carolina shaped somewhat like a Christmas tree. It is notable for having been created to serve the needs of a power utility called the Duke Energy company as well as public recreational purposes...
, created by the Keowee Dam.
The Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel
Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel
Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel in Oconee County, South Carolina is an uncompleted railroad tunnel for the Blue Ridge Railroad of South Carolina in Sumter National Forest...
is located near Walhalla.
Walhalla is German for "paradise"
Demographics
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 3,801 people, 1,558 households, and 1,028 families residing in the city. 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 1,023.8 people per square mile (395.6/km²). There were 1,705 housing units at an average density of 459.2 per square mile (177.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.19% White, 15.35% Hispanic, 6.92% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 1.42% from two or more races, and 7.66% 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...
.
There were 1,558 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% 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, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,063, and the median income for a family was $34,184. Males had a median income of $28,445 versus $21,106 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 city was $15,691. About 14.1% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over.