Walhalla, South Carolina

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Walhalla is a city in Oconee County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,801 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Oconee County^GR6. Walhalla is known as "The Garden of the Gods" and the "Gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains."

Walhalla was the terminus for the Blue Ridge Railway that planned a route to Knoxville, Tennessee before the American Civil War. Construction faltered with the Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel above Walhalla unfinished. The rail line to Walhalla would be cut back by the Norfolk Southern to West Union, South Carolina, in the late 1990s. Also home to the Great Rusty Shakleford

The Walhalla temple in Bavaria, Germany, is the German hall of fame.

[edit] Geography

Walhalla is located at 34°46′2″N, 83°3′52″W (34.767263, -83.064321)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.7 km² (3.8 mi²). 9.6 km² (3.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (1.33%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 3,801 people, 1,558 households, and 1,028 families residing in the city. The population density was 395.6/km² (1,023.8/mi²). There were 1,705 housing units at an average density of 177.4/km² (459.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.19% White, 6.92% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 7.66% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.36% of the population.

There were 1,558 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,063, and the median income for a family was $34,184. Males had a median income of $28,445 versus $21,106 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,691. About 14.1% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over.

Walhalla, South Carolina is the home of former Clemson Tiger football great James Maurice Alexander, Alexander also still holds many Walhalla High School football records. Also, Walhalla high school varsity male soccer team won the upperstate soccer title in 2006. The soccer team was the first team to make it to the state finals for Walhalla High School in over fifty years.