Gaffney

Gaffney, South Carolina
Location of Gaffney, South Carolina
Coordinates: 35°4′19″N 81°39′11″W / 35.07194°N 81.65306°W / 35.07194; -81.65306
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
County	Cherokee
Government
- Mayor	Henry Jolly
Area
- Total	7.9 sq mi (20.4 km2)
- Land	7.9 sq mi (20.4 km2)
- Water	0.0 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation	804 ft (245 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	12,968
- Density	1,649.7/sq mi (636.9/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	29340-29341-29342
Area code(s)	864
FIPS code	45-28060[1]
GNIS feature ID	1247855[2]
Website	www.getintogaffney-sc.com

Gaffney is a city located in the Upstate of South Carolina. It is the county seat of Cherokee County.^[3] The population was 12,968 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Gaffney, South Carolina, Micropolitan Statistical Area (population 52,537 according to year 2000 estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau), an (MSA) which includes all of Cherokee County and which is further included in the greater Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, South Carolina Combined Statistical Area (population 1,185,534 according to year 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimates).

History and general information

Michael Gaffney, born in Granard, Ireland in 1775, emigrated to America in 1797, arriving in New York and moving to Charleston, South Carolina a few years later. Gaffney moved again in 1804 to the South Carolina Upcountry (The Upstate) 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 which was formed out of parts of York, Union, and Spartanburg Counties in 1897. Gaffney became a major center for the textile industry in South Carolina and was the backbone of the county's economy up until the 1980s.

Despite the small amount of population growth, businesses and companies continue to locate within the city limits, especially along the bustling Floyd Baker Boulevard and Highway 105 and many other areas within the city limits, however, most population growth occurs outside the city limits.

Uptown Gaffney began to languish after I-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 that is planned for the central part of the city. Many plans have been announced for the downtown area, including a large 20-acre (81,000 m²) park that will be developed on the grounds of a recently 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, and several children's playgrounds.

The city has recently 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 also plans for a large cultural center to be placed in the downtown area.

A farmers' market, 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 Wednesdays and Saturdays June through October. There are also plans to create a more permanent site for the farmer's market at that site. The City of Gaffney plans to build a partial replica of the old train depot that was once located there. The partial replica will house a portion of the farmer's market, and also act as a landmark that calls back to the days of the old depot.

The city recently 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 (May) and Thursdays during the Fall Session (late August through September). 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, and 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.^[4]

Recently it has been brought to the town's attention that rock and roll super group, Phish, will be holding a three day Halloween Festival on a local farm in Gaffney. It is also understood by some in the community that upwards of 80,000 concert goers have attended past Phish Festivals. The expected revenue for said festival is expected upward of $3.2 as projected by Coran Capshaw and Red Light Management. Red Light Management has been working with Cherokee County officials on a proposal for said festival for almost a month after deals with Indo City Commission could not be reached to hold the festival on the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, CA. Local townspeople and business owners who have learned of these recent events are ecstatic as the local fare has suffered due to economic downfall in the area. The proposed dates for the festival are October 30 - November 1.

Geography

Gaffney is located at 35°4′18″N 81°39′00″W / 35.07167°N 81.65°W / 35.07167; -81.65 (35.071667, -81.650000)^[5]. It is located within approximately 55 miles (89 km) of Charlotte, North Carolina and 50 miles (80 km) of Greenville, S.C. both are the most major cities it is near. It is served by the Charlotte, N.C. and Greenville, S.C major airports. These airports are almost equidistant from Gaffney with Charlotte being closer. It is also approximately 190 miles (310 km) North of Atlanta, Georgia. The other closest city is Spartanburg, S.C. which is 21 miles (34 km) south on I-85.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.9 square miles (20.4 km²), of which, 7.9 square miles (20.4 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it is water.

Media

• The Cherokee Chronicle: Local Newspaper, published on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• The Gaffney Ledger: Local Newspaper, published on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
• WEAC 1500-AM]: Local News Radio, Country music.
• http://www.1180wfgn.com/ 1180 WFGN-AM Playing Gospel Music for Gaffney and surrounding areas
• http://www.bbnradio.org/ WYFG 91.1 FM: Christian Broadcasting (BIBLE BROADCASTING NETWORK)
• Spartanburg Herald-Journal: Regional newspaper based in nearby Spartanburg, SC; covers stories in Spartanburg, Cherokee, Union Counties, as well as state and national headlines.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 12,968 people, 5,304 households, and 3,336 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,649.7 people per square mile (637.0/km²). There were 5,765 housing units at an average density of 733.4/sq mi (283.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 53.48% White, 44.19% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.99% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.98% of the population.

There were 5,304 households out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.1% were married couples living together, 21.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 82.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,480, and the median income for a family was $38,449. Males had a median income of $30,145 versus $22,167 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,755. About 13.3% of families and 16.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.2% of those under age 18 and 18.0% of those age 65 or over.

Infrastructure

Government

• Mayor: Henry Jolly

• City Council Members:

• Wayne Ramsey (District 1)
• Thomas R. Reid (District 2)
• S. Bernard Smith (District 3)
• Dennis Ramsey (District 4)
• Boone Peeler (District 5)
• Billy Love (District 6)

Transportation

The Upstate region is served by Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (IATA: GSP, ICAO: KGSP), also known as GSP International Airport. GSP is South Carolina's busiest airport.

Recent studies have proved that an airport is strongly needed in the county. Cherokee County is the only county in South Carolina without an airport. Requests are now being made to the federal government to support the construction of the new airport. Studies are also determining where the airport, if built, should be built.

Gaffney is located on the Interstate 85 corridor, linking it to Atlanta and Charlotte, and Interstate 26, which is in nearby Spartanburg, linking Gaffney to Asheville and the Mid-Atlantic.

The Peach

Public transit is available through the Gaffney Cab Company for a relatively low fare.

Travellers know Gaffney from the Peachoid Peach water tower located along Interstate 85. The Peachoid is a water tower shaped like a peach which some think as an erotic scuplture upon first view. It serves both artistic and practical functions.

Schools

Gaffney is served by the Cherokee County School District, which is one unified school district.

• Colleges & universities

• Limestone College
• Spartanburg Community College- Cherokee County Campus, including a training building and Freightliner facility

• Private elementary & secondary schools

• Heritage Christian School
• Village School of Gaffney
• Gaffney Christian Academy

• Public high schools

• Gaffney High School

The Gaffney High School football team is also well-known regionally. The program boasts 16 State Championships and alumni such as the Washington Redskins' Rocky McIntosh and University of South Carolina All-American and Minnesota Vikings' Sidney Rice. In the 2005-2006 school year the school was chosen as Palmetto's Finest, the highest honor for high schools in the state. The school has succeeded greatly in increasing test scores across the board and increasing the graduation rate.

Notable people from Gaffney

Notable figures who were born in, lived in, or are otherwise associated with Gaffney.

• Robert E. Hall, Eleventh Sergeant Major of the Army Oct 21, 1997 - June 23, 2000
• Mikki Moore, professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics.
• W.J. Cash, author
• Kertus Davis, NASCAR driver
• Andie MacDowell, actress
• Rocky McIntosh, professional football player, the Washington Redskins
• Sidney Rice, professional football player, the Minnesota Vikings
• Andy Strickland, professional football player, the Jacksonville Jaguars
• Michael McCluney, Making the Band 4 winner and singer
• Arizona Reid, plays in the Italian Legadue for the Pallacanestro Varese.
• Dominique Stevenson, former football player for the Tennessee Volunteers and the Buffalo Bills.
• Byron Corry, Independent Game designer.

Serial killings of 2009

The city of Gaffney and surrounding Cherokee County came into the national spotlight during the summer of 2009 when a serial killer began killing residents of the rural town.^[6]

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 two were found bound and shot to death in the elder woman's home near Gaffney. On July 2, 46-year-old Stephen Tyler was shot and killed in his appliance and furniture store; his teenage daughter, Abby, was critically wounded; she died of her injuries two days later.^[7]

The news spread quickly from the local newspaper to national and international media outlets including CNN, ABC News, The Wall Street Journal, and the BBC.

On July 6, police responding to an emergency call of a burglary in progress in Gaston County, North Carolina shot and killed a suspect who drew a gun on them, injuring one officer. Ballistic tests and checks on the suspect's SUV indicated this to be the wanted killer, later identified as Patrick Tracy Burris.^[7][8]

References

External links

• City of Gaffney
• Cherokee County History & Arts Museum
• Cherokee County Historical & Preservation Society
• Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce
• Cherokee County School District
• Upstate Carolina Medical Center

• Gaffney, South Carolina is at coordinates 35°04′19″N 81°39′11″W / 35.071938°N 81.653005°W / 35.071938; -81.653005 (Gaffney, South Carolina)Coordinates: 35°04′19″N 81°39′11″W / 35.071938°N 81.653005°W / 35.071938; -81.653005 (Gaffney, South Carolina)

v • d • e Municipalities and communities of Cherokee County, South Carolina County seat: Gaffney Cities Chesnee‡ | Gaffney Towns Blacksburg | Smyrna‡ CDP East Gaffney Unincorporated communities Draytonville | Thicketty Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

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