Anderson, South Carolina
Nickname: "The Electric City"
Location in Anderson County in the state of South Carolina
Coordinates: 34°30′52″N 82°38′56″W / 34.51444, -82.64889
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
County	Anderson
Government
- Mayor	Terence Roberts
- City Manager	John Moore
Area
- City	sq mi (km²)
- Land	sq mi ( km²)
- Water	sq mi ( km²)
Elevation	ft ( m)
Population
- City
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	29621-29626
Area code(s)	864
FIPS code	45-013602
GNIS feature ID	12448783
Website: http://www.cityofandersonsc.com/

Anderson is a city located in Anderson County, South Carolina. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city had a population of 25,514 and is the center of an urbanized area of 70,530. It is the principal city of and seat of Anderson County, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area (population: 165,740, according to 2000 estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau), which is further included in the larger Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, South Carolina Combined Statistical Area (population: 1,185,534, according to 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimates).

It is the county seat of Anderson County⁶. Anderson is the smallest of the three primary cities that makes up the Upstate region and is nicknamed "The Electric City" and "The Friendliest City in South Carolina." Anderson's spirit and quality of life has earned national recognition as Anderson County was named an "All-America City" in 2000.

History

Anderson was named for a Revolutionary War hero, Robert Anderson. General Anderson and Andrew Pickens surveyed the land in the area. The Cherokees lived in the area until 1777. The land was then ceded to South Carolina by the Cherokee in a treaty negotiated by Pickens. This area was then called the Pendleton District for official purposes. In 1826, the Pendleton District was divided into two districts  — Anderson and Pickens. Because the town of Pendleton was at the top of the county, too close to the Pickens border, a new courthouse was built at the center of the county. The new courthouse prompted the creation of Anderson, which was officially found in December 1826.^[1] The original courthouse was built of logs, but 10 years later, a courthouse made of bricks was erected to replace it. A still-standing Anderson County Courthouse, built in 1898, now faces the current courthouse and is built on the site of the original.

The settlers of this area were mostly Scots-Irish who came here from Virginia and Pennsylvania to farm. Much later, cotton became the cash crop of the area. By the late 1800s, the Anderson area was filled with numerous textile mills. In 1895, Anderson engineer William Whitner built a hydroelectric power plant which transmitted electricity over long distance lines. Anderson was the first city in the United States to have a continuous supply of electric power, which was supplied by the plant located in the high shoals area of the Rocky River in Anderson County.^[2] The first cotton gin in the world to be operated by electricity was built in Anderson County in 1897.^[3] Several areas of Anderson are named in Whitner's honor, including a downtown street. Anderson became known as "The Electric City," a nickname popular even today.

Geography

Anderson is located at 39°32′50″N, 80°40′52″W (34.514506, -82.648944)¹.

Anderson is located in the northwest corner of South Carolina on the Piedmont plateau. At the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Anderson is a short 1-hour drive from the Appalachian Mountains. Even with its close proximity to the mountains, Anderson is only a pleasant 4-hour drive to the beautiful sandy beaches of the South Carolina coast. Anderson is on the busy I-85 corridor, ideally situated half-way between Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 35.9 km² (13.9 mi²). 35.8 km² (13.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.07% is water.

Economy

Anderson's economy revolves around manufacturing. Anderson has over 230 manufacturers, including 22 international companies. In the county, Anderson has a thriving business climate. The top major industries in Anderson include manufacturers of automotive products, metal products, industrial machinery, plastics, publishing, and textiles. Two industries that many times interconnect are the plastic and automotive sectors. There are more than 27 BMW suppliers in the Upstate, which is recognized internationally as an automotive supplier hub. The plastic industry has a strong presence in the Upstate with 244 plastic companies located within the 10 counties of the state's northwest corner. Anderson County, in particular, has 11 automotive suppliers and is a major player in the plastic industry, with 27 plastic companies located within its borders. It has one unionized company in the area - Anderson is a growing area in the form of economics.

Education

The city of Anderson is served by the Anderson County School System (specifically, Anderson School District Five). The school district has 11 elementary schools, three middle schools, and two high schools. A new elementary school and new middle school will be built soon. The purpose for the new middle school is to relieve overcrowding at Mccants Middle School. The school district is refurbishing the following elementary schools: Concord, Homeland Park, Centerville, Midway, and Varennes.

Elementary Schools in Anderson:

• Calhoun Academy of the Arts
• Centerville Elementary
• Concord Elementary
• Homeland Park Elementary
• McLees Elementary
• Midway Elementary
• Nevitt Forest Elementary
• New Prospect Elementary
• Varennes Elementary
• Whitehall Elementary

Middle Schools in Anderson:

• Lakeside
• McCants
• Southwood

High Schools in Anderson:

• T.L. Hanna - This school was the setting of Radio, the 2003 film. MTV came to Hanna September 2007
• Westside High
• Hanna-Westside Extension Campus (high school/trade school)

Private schools in Anderson

• Anderson Christian School
• Boulevard Child Enrichment Center
• Day Star School
• First Presbyterian Day School
• Grace Kindergarten
• Montessori School of Anderson
• Oakwood Christian School
• New Covenant School
• St Joseph Christian School
• West Anderson Christian Academy

Early Childhood Schools in Anderson:

• West Market
• South Fant

Swim Centers

• District 5
  • Sheppard
  • Hudgens

Higher Education

There are two colleges and one technical college within a 30-mile radius of Anderson:

• Anderson University in Anderson
• Clemson University in Clemson, which is in Pickens County
• Tri-County Technical College in Pendleton - (two-year community college)

Sports

Anderson was once home to the Anderson Braves, but now is home to the Anderson Joes baseball team. The Joes play at Anderson Memorial Stadium.^[4]

Distances

• Greenville- 30 miles
• Clemson- 19 miles
• Augusta, GA- 104 miles
• Charlotte, NC- 134 miles
• Myrtle Beach- 257 miles
• Spartanburg- 60 miles
• Columbia- 114 miles
• Charleston- 223 miles
• Summerville 203 miles
• Sumter- 128 miles
• Atlanta- Under 2 hours.

Airport

Anderson is served by Anderson County Airport. The airport is 3 miles away from Anderson. The airport has 2 runways, one over 6000 feet and one over 4000 feet. The airport also has helipads. The airport has no runway, but lands regional jet aircraft. New Prospect Elementary's mascot is the Jets, because the school is across from the airport. The airport has a small terminal.

Attractions/Events

The city of Anderson is host to many recreational events. These include:

• An Annual Chili Cook-Off — local restaurants contend for the title of "Anderson's Best Chili."
• The Soiree — When springtime comes to Anderson, the streets are filled with local artists and vendors.

Anderson was formerly home to Freedom Weekend Aloft  — A Memorial Day Weekend festival involving concerts by country stars, a fair-like environment, and a hot-air balloon competition that features in excess of 100 balloons from all over the country. Freedom Weekend Aloft has moved to Simpsonville, SC.

Anderson has now acquired the Great Southeast Balloon Fest. This festival replaced Freedom Weekend Aloft during Labor Day Weekend 2007.

Community

The Anderson Community is home to several community-related locations and groups.

Civic Center

A huge asset to Anderson is its Civic Center. The Civic Center includes a large building used for meetings, concerts and events. The building's inside layout is versatile thanks to dividers and collapsible stages, so that it can host events both large and small. Surrounding the Civic Center are the William A. Floyd Amphitheater, the Kid Venture park, and the Anderson Sports Center.

Community Theater

Anderson is home to several community theaters, including the following:

• Alverson Center Theater
• Christian Youth Theater of Anderson*
• Connections**
• Electric City Playhouse
• Senior Follies***
• Show Offs!
• Project Challenge Playhouse

*CYT is an expansion of a San Diego based program.
**Connections is a School District 5 program.
***Senior Follies has recently expanded into San Diego, California, thanks to CYT Founder Paul Russell.

Demographics

As of the United States 2000 Census², there are 25,514 people, making up 10,641 households and 6,299 families residing in the city. The population density is 711.8/km² (1,843.7/mi²). There are 12,068 housing units at an average density of 336.7/km² (872.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 63.12% European American, 34.01% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.78% Asian American, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. Of the population, 1.48% is Hispanic or Latino.

Of these 10,641 households, 25.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.9% are married couples living together, 18.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% are non-families. Thirty-six percent of these households consist of a single individual each, and 16.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.22 and the average family size is 2.89.

In terms of the population's age spans, 22.2% are under the age of 18, 10.7% are from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38 years. For every 100 females, there are 82.3 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there are 77.5 males.

The median household income is $27,716, and the median income for a family is $39,176. Males have a median income of $29,829; females, $21,840. The per capita income for the city is $18,577. Over one-fifth (20.8%) of the population and 15.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 30.4% of those under the age of 18 and 18.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Anderson is the central city of an urbanized area with a total population of 70,530 (2000 census). This urban area is within the larger Greenville-Spartanburg metropolitan statistical area.

Notable Residents/Former Residents

• Guy Davenport: prolific novelist, poet, and scholar
• Shaun Ellis: current professional football player
• James Robert "Radio" Kennedy: subject of the motion picture "Radio", there is now a statue of him in the town.
• Charles Murphey, (1799-1861), born in Anderson, United States Congressman from Georgia.^[5]
• James Lawrence Orr: former governor of South Carolina and speaker of the United States House of Representatives
• Jim Ed Rice: former professional baseball player with the Boston Red Sox
• James Michael Tyler: actor, most famous role as Gunther on the NBC sitcom "Friends"
• Dr. P. A. Wilhite: physician, credited by some authorities as the discoverer of ether for anesthetic purposes

References

1. ^ About the City, Anderson, SC. Retrieved on 2007-10-07.
2. ^ Anderson Co SC Historical Roadside Markers. Retrieved on 2007-10-07.
3. ^ Preserve America Community: Anderson, South Carolina. Retrieved on 2007-10-07.
4. ^ Official Home of the Anderson Joes. Retrieved on 2007-10-07.
5. ^ (1963) Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 

External links

• Official Web site of the City of Anderson
• Public Arts Project in Anderson, SC using the Largemouth Bass
• Anderson Independent, area newspaper
• Official tourism information site for Anderson County
• Anderson County Arts Center

Coordinates: 34.514506° N 82.648944° W

	State of South Carolina Columbia (capital)
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