Williamston, South Carolina

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Williamston, South Carolina
settlement_type = Town
nickname =
motto =

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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Williamston, South Carolina


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = South Carolina
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Anderson

government_footnotes =
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leader_title =
leader_name =
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unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 9.4
area_land_km2 = 9.3
area_water_km2 = 0.1
area_total_sq_mi = 3.6
area_land_sq_mi = 3.6
area_water_sq_mi = 0.1

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 3791
population_density_km2 = 407.8
population_density_sq_mi = 1056.2

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 248
elevation_ft = 814
latd = 34 |latm = 37 |lats = 4 |latNS = N
longd = 82 |longm = 28 |longs = 45 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 29697
area_code = 864
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 45-77875GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1251452GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Williamston is a town in Anderson County, South Carolina, United States, that is adjacent to the small towns of Pelzer and West Pelzer. The city's newspaper,The Journal considers Williamston, Pelzer, West Pelzer, Piedmont, and Powdersville one community, spanning Northern Anderson County and Southern Greenville County and most residents would agree. The population was 3,791 at the 2000 census.

Geography

Williamston is located at coor dms|34|37|4|N|82|28|45|W|city (34.617699, -82.479256)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.6 square miles (9.4 km²), of which, 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.37%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 3,791 people, 1,590 households, and 1,090 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,056.2 people per square mile (407.7/km²). There were 1,762 housing units at an average density of 490.9/sq mi (189.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 80.80% White, 17.67% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.66% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.74% of the population.

There were 1,590 households out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the town the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,458, and the median income for a family was $37,679. Males had a median income of $30,585 versus $21,771 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,085. About 9.4% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.

History

The founding of Williamston was a dream come true for West Allen Williams. One fall day in 1842 this farmer stopped for a nap while riding over his property. He dreamed of a clear spring with healing qualities and envisioned pale and feeble people improving miraculously. Upon awakening, he followed a trickling sound and discovered the source of the Williamston mineral spring.

As news of the medicinal water spread, the town grew and became a major resort when the railroads arrived in 1851. Soon it became known as the 'Saratoga of the South' which was a referral to a similar spring in New York. To accommodate the influx, the Mammoth Hotel was built near the spring and was the largest building in the state at that time, featuring 150 rooms plus bowling alleys and ballrooms. Unfortunately, a devastating fire in 1860 destroyed it and other buildings. The town was initially known as Mineral Springs, but this was changed to Williamston in 1852. Mr. Williams set aside property to preserve the spring and to begin schools and churches.

The Civil War brought an end to that “golden era”, but not without leaving its own history. The last skirmish east of the Mississippi took place a few miles north of town when cadets from the Arsenal Academy at Columbia encountered Stoneman’s Raiders on May 1, 1865.

In 1871, Dr. Samuel Lander established a girls school which eventually moved to the city of Greenwood, and became Lander University. Dr. Lander was instrumental in prohibiting the sale of liquor in town, a feeling which exists today in this community served by more than 70 churches.

Around the turn of the century the cotton mills settled near the river and played major roles in shaping the communities. Many families still treasure memories of events sponsored by the mills and of teams playing in the old textile leagues. Shoeless Joe Jackson took his first steps on Pelzer’s mill hill and went on to become the greatest natural baseball player ever.

Railroads continued to serve the area until the 1950s. The P & N was designed to operate through the heart of the Piedmont textile industry and is remembered by its motto “A Mill to the Mile” and by its rate of a penny a mile. With today’s dominance of auto transportation, Williamston is blessed with highways 8, 20, and 29 leading its citizens to upstate corridors including nearby Interstate 85.

Education

People of the Pelzer/Williamston/West Pelzer area that attend public schools go to Anderson District One schools. The public high school in Williamston is Palmetto High School. Palmetto High School's mascot is a wild Mustang. Five Schools feed into Palmetto High School, a Scholastic 2A sized school. Four of which are elementary schools, Pelzer Primary, Cedar Grove Elementary, West Pelzer Elementary, and Palmetto Elementary. The other school is the only middle school that feeds into the high school, Palmetto Middle School, a school which has won the Prestigious "Palmetto's Finest Middle School" award.

References

External links

* [http://www.williamstonsc.us Town of Williamston]

* [http://www.thejournalonline.com The Journal, Williamston's official newspaper]

* [http://www.pelzerwilliamston.com A site that displays weather and "gossip" in the Williamston/Pezer area]

* [http://www.anderson1.k12.sc.us The Official Website for all Anderson District One Schools]