Pickens County is a county in the northwest part of the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2010 census, its population was 119,224. Its county seat is Pickens. The county was created in 1826.
It is part of the Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Pickens County was Cherokee Indian Territory until the American Revolution. The Cherokees sided with the British, suffered defeat, and surrendered their South Carolina lands. This former Cherokee territory was included in the Ninety-Six Judicial District. In 1791 the state legislature established Washington District, a judicial area composed of present-day Greenville, Anderson, Pickens, and Oconee counties, and then composed of Greenville and Pendleton counties. Streets for the courthouse town of Pickensville (near present-day Easley) were laid off, and soon a cluster of buildings arose that perhaps included a large wooden hotel, which served as a stagecoach stop. In 1798 Washington District was divided into Greenville and Pendleton districts. The latter included what eventually became Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens counties. A new courthouse was erected at Pendleton to accommodate the Court of General Sessions and Common Pleas, and soon thereafter Pickensville began to decline.
In view of the growing population and poor transportation facilities in Pendleton District, the legislature divided it into counties in 1826, and a year later decided instead to divide the area into districts. The legislation went into effect in 1828. The lower part became Anderson and the upper Pickens, named in honor of the Revolutionary soldier, Brigadier General Andrew Pickens, whose home Hopewell was on the southern border of the district. A courthouse was established on the west bank of the Keowee River, and a small town called Pickens Court House soon developed
By 1860 Pickens District had a population of over 19,000 persons of whom 22 percent were slaves. The district was largely rural and agricultural. Its small industry consisted mainly of sawmills, gristmills, and a few other shops producing goods for home consumption. The district's Protestant churches were numerous, but schools were few. The Blue Ridge Railroad reached the district in September 1860. There was little combat between the two sides during the Civil War the district was frequently plundered by marauders and deserters who swept down from the mountains.
The war left the region largely destitute. The South Carolina Constitutional Convention of 1868, meeting during the first year of Congressional Reconstruction, changed the name district to county throughout the state. The Convention also established Oconee County out of the portion of Pickens District west of the Keowee and Seneca rivers plus a small area around the Fort Hill estate that formerly belonged to John C. Calhoun. This small area around the Calhoun property was transferred to Pickens County in the 1960s.
A new courthouse for Pickens County was erected at its present location, and many of the residents of Old Pickens on the Keowee moved to the newly created town, some with their dismantled homes. The loss of the Oconee area greatly reduced the county's population. It did not again reach 19,000 until 1900.
The county's growth was accelerated by the building of the Atlanta and Charlotte Air Line Railroad (later called the Southern Railway) in the 1870s. The town of Easley, named for General W. K. Easley, was chartered in 1874. Liberty and Central sprang up along the railroad about the same time and were soon incorporated. Calhoun (now part of Clemson) came into being in the 1890s, to be followed in the early 1900s by Six Mile and Norris as incorporated areas.
A major factor in Pickens County's growth was the coming of the textile industry. The county's first modern cotton mill, organized by D. K. Norris and others, was established at Cateechee in 1895. By 1900 the county could boast of three cotton mills, two railroads, three banks, three roller mills, thirty-seven sawmills, ten shingle mills, and four brickyards.
Yet until 1940, with a population of 37,000 (13.2 percent black), the county remained primarily rural and agricultural. Like many other Piedmont counties, Pickens had a one-crop economy. Its citizens were engaged mainly in growing cotton or manufacturing it into cloth. A notable change in the Pickens landscape was the coming of paved highways; one completed across the county, about 1930, ran from Greenville to Walhalla by way of Easley, Liberty, and Central.
The most significant developments in the county's history have occurred since World War II. By 1972 there were 99 manufacturing plants in the county employing almost 15,000 personnel and producing not only textiles but a wide variety of other products. The population today is estimated to be 93,894 residents. There is a heavy in-migration to Pickens County because of its climate, industrial opportunity, proximity to Greenville's labor market, and scenic beauty.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 512 square miles (1,330Â km2), of which 496 square miles (1,280Â km2) is land and 16 square miles (41Â km2) (3.1%) is water. The county also contains the highest natural point in South Carolina, Sassafras Mountain, with an elevation of 3560 feet (1085 m). Table Rock State Park (South Carolina) is in Pickens County.
Pickens County is in the Savannah River basin, the Saluda River basin, and the French Broad River basin.
Adjacent counties
- Transylvania County, North Carolina â€" north
- Greenville County â€" east
- Anderson County â€" south
- Oconee County â€" west
Major highways
- US 76
- US 123
- US 178
Demographics
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 110,757 people, 41,306 households, and 28,459 families residing in the county. The population density was 223 people per square mile (86/km²). There were 46,000 housing units at an average density of 93 per square mile (36/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.27% White, 6.82% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.18% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.70% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 1.70% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 27.9% were of American, 11.8% English, 11.6% Irish, 10.3% German and 5.0% Scotch-Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 41,306 households out of which 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.60% were married couples living together, 9.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 23.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.30% under the age of 18, 17.50% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 11.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 99.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,214, and the median income for a family was $44,507. Males had a median income of $31,795 versus $22,600 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,434. About 7.80% of families and 13.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.20% of those under age 18 and 11.70% of those age 65 or over.
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 119,224Â people, 45,228Â households, and 29,540Â families residing in the county. The population density was 240.2 inhabitants per square mile (92.7/km2). There were 51,244 housing units at an average density of 103.2 per square mile (39.8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 88.7% white, 6.6% black or African American, 1.6% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.4% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry,
Of the 45,228Â households, 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.7% were non-families, and 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age was 34.9 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $41,898 and the median income for a family was $53,911. Males had a median income of $41,615 versus $31,464 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,647. About 8.9% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.3% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
Education
School districts
Pickens School District ranked the highest in the state with an "A-" transparency score from Sunshine Review.
Schools
- Forest Acres Elementary-Easley
- Crosswell Elementary-Easley
- West End Elementary-Easley
- East End Elementary-Easley
- McKissick Elementary-Easley
- Pickens Elementary-Pickens
- Hagood Elementary-Pickens
- Ambler Elementary-Pickens
- Clemson Elementary-Clemson
- Liberty Elementary-Liberty
- Chastain Road Elementary-Liberty
- Central Elementary-Central
- Dacusville Elementary-Dacusville
- Six Mile Elementary-Six Mile
- R.H. Gettys Middle-Easley
- Pickens Middle-Pickens
- R.C. Edwards Middle-Six Mile
- Liberty Middle-Liberty
- Dacusville Middle-Dacusville
- Easley High School- Easley
- Pickens High School- Pickens
- D.W. Daniel High-Central
- Liberty High-Liberty
Colleges and universities
- Clemson University
- Southern Wesleyan University
Public library
Pickens County is served by the Pickens County Library System, headquartered in Easley, with four branch libraries in the county.
Public Safety
Police
The Pickens County Sheriff's Office is the largest law enforcement agency in the county, and provides its services to all unincorporated areas of the county, incorporated communities without a police department, and may assist a city or town police department upon request by the department. The sheriff's office consists of the command staff, administrative support division, uniform patrol division, criminal investigations division, communications division, detention division, chaplains, law enforcement explorers, aviation division, marine patrol, K-9 unit, traffic & safety unit, forensics unit, narcotics unit, school resource, and special weapons and tactics. The sheriff's office is headquartered at the Pickens County Law Enforcement Center in Pickens, which also houses the Pickens County Detention Center. The current sheriff is Rick Clark. The City of Easley Police Department is the second largest law enforcement agency in the county, and provides its services to persons living within the city limits of Easley. The department consists of an administration division, uniform patrol division, and detective division. There are 42 police officers and 3 civilians working for the department. The department is headquartered at the Easley Law Enforcement Center in downtown Easley. The current chief of police is Danny Traber. The City of Pickens Police Department provides its services to persons living within the city limits of Pickens. The department is headquartered at the Pickens Police Station next to the Pickens Fire Station. The current chief of police is Rodney Gregory. The City of Clemson Police Department provides its services to persons living within the city limits of Clemson. The department is headquartered at the Clemson Law Enforcement Center. The current chief of police is Jimmy Dixon. The City of Liberty Police Department provides its services to persons living within the city limits of Liberty. The department is headquartered at Liberty Town Hall in downtown Liberty. The current chief of police is Adam Gilstrap. The Town of Central Police Department provides its services to persons living within the town limits of Central. The department consists of the chief of police, an investigative sergeant, training sergeant, five officers, and a victims advocate/administrative assistant. The department's headquarters are located in downtown Central. The Clemson University Police Department provides its services to the Clemson University campus. The South Carolina Highway Patrol provides its services on all roads, highways, and interstate highways in the county. There is one SCHP barracks in Pickens County, Post B, serving both Oconee and Pickens counties. Post B falls under SCHP Troop 3. (Oconee/Pickens/Anderson/Greenville/Spartanburg counties)
Fire safety
There is no countywide fire department, but several communities in the county do maintain their own fire departments.
- Easley Fire Department
- Liberty Fire Department
- Pickens Fire Department
- Central Fire Department
- Clemson University Fire Department
- Dacusville Rural Fire Department
- Central Rural Fire Department
- Crosswell Fire Department
- Six Mile Fire Department
- Norris Fire Department
Communities
Cities
- Clemson (partly in Anderson County)
- Easley (partly in Anderson County)
- Liberty
- Pickens (county seat)
Towns
- Central
- Norris
- Six Mile
Census Designated Places
- Arial
Unincorporated Communities
Notable people
- Bobby Baker, scandal-plagued Secretary to the Majority Leader of the Senate until 1963.
- Charles H. Barker, awarded a Medal of Honor for his actions in the Korean War.
- Shoeless Joe Jackson, baseball player, born July 16, 1888; closely associated with the Black Sox Scandal in 1919;
- Stanley Morgan, former NFL wide receiver who played for the New England Patriots, was born in Easley on February 17, 1955; member of the New England Patriots Hall of Fame.
- Ray Robinson Williams, blind lawyer and state senator.
- Sam Wyche, former NFL football player and coach, resident.
- Benjy Bronk, in-studio joke writer and on-air persona for the Howard Stern Show.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Pickens County, South Carolina
References
External links
- Official website
- Economic Development Alliance of Pickens County
- Geographic data related to Pickens County, South Carolina at OpenStreetMap
- Pickens County Sheriff's Office