ANDERSON, SC

Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 26,686 at the 2010 census, and the city was the center of an urbanized area of 75,702. It is one of the principal cities in the Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin metropolitan statistical area, which had a population of 824,112 at the 2010 census. It is further included in the larger Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, South Carolina combined statistical area, with a total population of 1,266,995, at the 2010 census. It is just off Interstate 85 and is from Atlanta and from Charlotte. Anderson is the smallest of the three primary cities that make up the Upstate region, and is nicknamed the "Electric City" and the "Friendliest City in South Carolina". Anderson is the home of Anderson University, a private university with roughly 3,900 undergraduate and graduate students.

History

Anderson Court House

thumb|left|Downtown Anderson in 1876

Cherokee first settled the area of what is today the city of Anderson. During the American Revolution, the Cherokee sided with the British. After the American Revolutionary War, the Cherokee's land was acquired as war reparations and colonized. In 1791, the South Carolina Legislature created the Washington District, which comprised Greenville, Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens Counties. The Washington District was then divided into Greenville and Pendleton districts. Anderson, Pickens, and Oconee comprised the newly created Pendleton district. Anderson was settled in 1826 and incorporated in 1828 as Anderson Court House, separate from the Pendleton district. The name Anderson is in honor of Robert Anderson, who fought in the American Revolutionary War and also explored the Anderson region in the mid-18th century. Anderson District (later Anderson County after 1867) was also established in 1826 out of the Pendleton district.

In 1851, the Johnson Female Seminary was established in Anderson as the first college of the town, and was named after William Bullein Johnson. One year later, the seminary was renamed Johnson University. During the American Civil War, Johnson University was closed and converted into a Confederate treasury. On May 1, 1865, Union forces invaded Anderson looking for the Confederate treasury. The treasury office of Anderson was ransacked by Union forces, and the main building of Johnson University was used as a Union headquarters. A minor skirmish erupted at the Battle of Anderson, leading to two Union casualties. After the war, a Union garrison was stationed in Anderson.

The Electric City

thumb|right|Portman Shoals Power Plant around 1920.

Anderson became one of the first cities in the Southeastern United States to have electricity. Electricity to Anderson was established by William C. Whitner in 1895 at a hydroelectric plant on the Rocky River, giving the city the name the Electric City. Anderson also became the first city in the world to supply a cotton gin by electricity. In 1895, Anderson Court House was renamed to Anderson. In 1897, Whitner's plant was upgraded with a 10,000-volt generating station at Portman Shoals. Whitner's power plant at Portman Shoals became the first hydroelectric plant in the United States to generate high voltage without step-up transformers . The Portman Dam was swept away in 1901, forcing Anderson into darkness until it was rebuilt in 1902.

Anderson College

In 1911, Anderson College was established by the Anderson Chamber of Commerce. Anderson College was a successor to the Johnson Female Seminary and is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention, in particular the First Baptist Church of Anderson. Anderson College became a co-educational, two-year junior college in 1930, and in 2006, it became Anderson University.

Geography

Anderson is located in the northwest corner of South Carolina on the Piedmont plateau. Anderson is a 1-hour drive from the Blue Ridge Mountains and a 4-hour drive from the South Carolina coast. Anderson lies roughly at the midpoint of the busy I-85 corridor between Atlanta and Charlotte.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which , or 0.30%, is covered by water.

Cityscape

thumb|right|The Caldwell-Johnson-Morris Cottage was built around 1851.

Historic districts

;Other historical locations

Parks

Economy

Anderson is home to the largest Glen Raven, Inc. manufacturing center facility, which focuses on manufacturing Sunbrella fabrics. Anderson's economy revolves around manufacturing. It has over 230 manufacturers, including 22 international companies. In the county, Anderson has a thriving business climate. Its top major industries 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. More than 27 BMW suppliers are the Upstate region, which is recognized internationally as an automotive supplier hub. The plastics 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 plastics companies located within its borders.

Hospitals

AnMed Health is one of the top employers in the county, and the primary healthcare network for Anderson. AnMed Health Medical Center is the main medical facility, offering all the amenities of a standard hospital, as well as a heart and vascular center, and stroke/neurological center. Located 2.5 miles north of the facility is the AnMed Health Campus,which includes a women's and children's hospital, minor care, cancer center, speech and occupational therapy, and more. The AnMed Rehabilitation Hospital is located between the two facilities. AnMed has recently received national attention being awarded the "National Presidents Circle Award," and the "American College of Cardiology Foundation’s 2012 NCDR ACTION Registry–GWTG Platinum Performance Achievement Award."

In addition to these three network hospitals, AnMed also operates a number of smaller facilities throughout the city and county that range from a free clinic and minor care to doctor's offices.

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, five middle schools, and two high schools.

Elementary schools:

Middle schools:

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High schools:

Private schools:

Higher education

Library

Anderson has a public library, a branch of the Anderson County Library System.

Transportation

Airport

Anderson is served by Anderson County Regional Airport (IATA: AND, ICAO: KAND). The airport is away from Anderson and has 2 runways; runway 5/23 is and runway 17/35 is . The airport also has helipads. The airport has no control tower, but is able to accommodate regional jet aircraft. In addition, the airport has a small terminal.

Roads and highways

Anderson has five signed exits on I-85, currently the city's only freeway. Several notable highways pass through the city, including U.S. Route 76 and U.S. Route 178 co-signed along Clemson Boulevard, also known as SC-Bus 28, and U.S. Route 29 and Route 187 leading to Hartwell, Georgia, to the south and Greenville to the north.

In 2011, construction began on a new east–west connector that is about 3 mi long between Clemson Boulevard and South Carolina Highway 81. On August 16, 2010, the connector was voted to have four lanes with turn and bike lanes, and a completion date set in October 2012.

On November, 8th, 2013, the East-West Parkway formally opened to traffic.

Public transit

Anderson has four bus routes (Blue, Green, Red, and Gold) that travel to most major areas of the city, running every hour. and also receives service from Clemson Area Transit (CATS) via the 4U route. The city uses both newer hybrid buses and older style trolleys resembling Anderson's old streetcars. Inter-city bus travel is available through Greyhound Lines, located on West Whitner Street near downtown.

One of the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor alternatives for a Charlotte - Greenville - Atlanta route includes a stop at Anderson. This would mark the first time that passenger rail reached Anderson, since the passing of Piedmont and Northern Railway in ca. 1947 and the Blue Ridge Railway in ca. 1951 from Anderson.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 28,106 people, 11,412 households, and 6,112 families residing in the city.

2000 census

At the census of 2000, 25,514 people, 10,641 households, and 6,299 families were residing in the city. The population density was 1,843.7 people/sq mi (711.8/km²). The 12,068 housing units averaged 872.1/sq mi (336.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 63.12% White, 34.01% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.78% Asian American, 0.72% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.48% of the population.

Of the 10,641 households, 25.4% had children under 18 living with them, 36.9% were married couples living together, 18.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% were not families. About 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.22, and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city, the age distribution was 22.2% under 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 77.5 males.

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.

Government

Anderson is governed using the mayor-council system. The mayor is elected at-large. The city council consists of eight members; six are elected from districts and the other two are elected at-large.

Notable people

Sister cities

Anderson has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International: