Clemson, South Carolina

City of Clemson
—  College town  —
College Avenue in Downtown Clemson
Nickname(s): Tigertown
Motto: "In season, every season."
Location of Clemson, South Carolina
Coordinates: 34°41′6″N 82°48′53″W / 34.685°N 82.81472°W / 34.685; -82.81472Coordinates: 34°41′6″N 82°48′53″W / 34.685°N 82.81472°W / 34.685; -82.81472
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
Counties	Pickens, Anderson
Area
- Total	7.8 sq mi (20.2 km2)
- Land	7.4 sq mi (19.1 km2)
- Water	0.4 sq mi (1.1 km2)
Elevation	725 ft (221 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	11,939
- Density	1,620.6/sq mi (625.7/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	29631-29634
Area code(s)	864
FIPS code	45-14950[1]
GNIS feature ID	1247312[2]
Website	www.cityofclemson.org

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^{[dated info]} and center of an urban cluster with a total population of 42,199. It is best known as the home of Clemson University.

The Pickens County portion of Clemson is part of the Greenville–Mauldin–Easley Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Anderson County portion is part of the Anderson Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

Clemson is located at 34°41′6″N 82°48′53″W / 34.685°N 82.81472°W / 34.685; -82.81472 (34.684930, -82.814777)^[3].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.8 square miles (20.2 km²), of which, 7.4 square miles (19.1 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) of it (5.39%) is water.

The city is located in the Piedmont Section of the state of South Carolina, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and on the shores of Lake Hartwell.

History

The town of Calhoun, South Carolina that bordered the Clemson University campus was renamed Clemson in 1943.

The following places and buildings in Clemson are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

• Clemson University Historic District I and II
  • Clemson College Sheep Barn
  • Fort Hill (John C. Calhoun Mansion and Library)
  • Hanover House
• Old Stone Church and Cemetery
• J. C. Stribling Barn

The city recently^[when?] added recreational facilities and paths along Lake Hartwell including a new boardwalk.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 11,939 people, 5,061 households, and 2,196 families residing in the city. The population does not reflect the additional on-campus population of Clemson University, which adds approximately 17,000 additional residents for eight months of the year.^{[citation needed]}

The population density was 1,620.6 people per square mile (625.5/km²). There were 5,679 housing units at an average density of 770.8 per square mile (297.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.98% White, 11.38% Black, 5.73% Asian, 0.11% American Indian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic of any race were 1.82% of the population.

There were 5,061 households out of which 17.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 56.6% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the city the population was spread out with 14.5% under the age of 18, 36.8% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 15.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 106.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,892, and the median income for a family was $61,176. Males had a median income of $39,318 versus $28,663 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,272. About 8.8% of families and 33.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.1% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.

Topography

The city of Clemson's character is largely defined by Clemson University, a large public university that dates to 1889. The university is the cultural center of the city even though a small two-block downtown is located directly to the north of the campus.

The built environment is predominately rural and post WWII. Although the university provides housing for students, many students live off-campus in a wide variety of apartment complexes. Save for the downtown, sidewalks are largely absent, but some streets have bike paths. U.S. Route 123 on the northern end of the city, exhibits typical suburban-style shopping center developments.

The city's comprehensive plan^[4] has a historic preservation component which will likely become more important as 1950s and 60s buildings acquire historic status. The Clemson (train) Depot, built in 1893, was rehabilitated in 2001 and now houses the local chamber of commerce.^[5]

Attractions

In addition to the university, Clemson is home to the South Carolina Botanical Garden; it is along the shores of Lake Hartwell. Along with the gardens, Clemson is geared to provide a strong sense of community and great quality among the residents. ^[6]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
3. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
4. ^ "Cultural Resources Goals and Objectives" (PDF). City of Clemson. http://www.cityofclemson.org/files/Chapter_V._Cultural_Resources_Goals_and_Objectives.pdf. 
5. ^ "Clemson, SC (CSN) — Great American Stations". http://www.greatamericanstations.com/Stations/CSN. 
6. ^ {City of Clemson, SC | In Season, Every Season. Web. 17 Sept. 2011. <http://www.cityofclemson.org/>}

External links

• City website
• Clemson information from oconeecountry.com