| Lancaster County, South Carolina | |
Location in the state of South Carolina |
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South Carolina's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | 1798 |
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| Seat | Lancaster |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
555 sq mi (1,437 km²) 549 sq mi (1,422 km²) 6 sq mi (16 km²), 1.13% |
| PopulationEst. - (2005) - Density |
63,113 111/sq mi (43/km²) |
| Website | www.lancastercountysc.net |
Lancaster County (pronounced /ˈlæŋkəstər/) is a county located in the Midlands and Piedmont of the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 61,351; the population was estimated to have reached 63,113 by 2005.[1] Its county seat is Lancaster.[2]
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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 555 square miles (1,437.4 km2), of which 549 square miles (1,421.9 km2) is land and 6 square miles (15.5 km2) (1.13%) is water. It is bounded on the west by the Catawba River and Sugar Creek and on the east by the Lynches River.
Many of the early settlers came to South Carolina from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They had named their county for the House of Lancaster which had opposed the House of York in the struggles of 1455-85, known as the War of the Roses. The House of Lancaster chose the red rose as their emblem while their neighbor, York County, boasts the white rose.
The Catawba Indians claimed all the present Lancaster County when the first pioneers came in the early 1750s and settled between Rum Creek and Twelve Mile Creek. Waxhaw Creek within this area had taken its name from the Waxhaw Indian tribe. The majority of the new settlers were Scots-Irish from Pennsylvania; others from North Carolina and Virginia joined them.
A second settlement was made in the lower part of the present Lancaster County on Hanging Rock Creek. The first grant was made there in 1752, and included the huge overhanging mass of rock from which the creek takes its name. About the time this section was opened up, others came in and settled along Lynches Creek, Little Lynches creek, Flat Creek, Beaver Creek, and lower Camp Creek. In coming to the Lancaster area, the first settlers had to follow old Indian paths, which became traveled so frequently, they were coming to be known as roads.
The Rocky River Road is an old route that originated as an Indian path. Along there in the American Revolutionary War, Colonel Abraham Buford fled from Tarleton and was overtaken a few miles south of the North Carolina state line where the Patriot forces were defeated in a controversial struggle known as the Battle of The Waxhaws, also known as Bufords Massacre to locals. Today, the Rocky River Road is part of South Carolina Highway 522, the latter following the old thoroughfare very closely.
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 61,351 people, 23,178 households, and 16,850 families residing in the county. The population density was 112 people per square mile (43/km²). There were 24,962 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile (18/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 71.03% White American, 26.86% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.27% Asian American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.89% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. 1.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 23,178 households out of which 33.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.60% were married couples living together, 15.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 23.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the county, the population was spread out with 25.40% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,688, and the median income for a family was $40,955. Males had a median income of $30,176 versus $22,238 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,276. About 9.70% of families and 12.80% of the population were below the poverty threshold, including 16.50% of those under age 18 and 15.80% of those age 65 or over.
| Mecklenburg County, North Carolina | Union County, North Carolina | |||
| Chester County and York County | Chesterfield County | |||
| Lancaster County, South Carolina | ||||
| Fairfield County | Kershaw County |
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