Greenwood, South Carolina

Greenwood, South Carolina
City

Location of Greenwood, South Carolina
Coordinates: 34°11′23″N 82°9′17″W / 34.18972°N 82.15472°WCoordinates: 34°11′23″N 82°9′17″W / 34.18972°N 82.15472°W
Country United States
State South Carolina
County Greenwood
Area
 • Total 13.7 sq mi (35.5 km2)
 • Land 13.7 sq mi (35.5 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation 663 ft (202 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 23,222
 • Density 1,612.1/sq mi (622.4/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes 29646-29649
Area code(s) 864
FIPS code 45-30895[1]
GNIS feature ID 1245844[2]
Website www.cityofgreenwoodsc.com

Greenwood is a small city in and the county seat of Greenwood County, South Carolina, United States.[3] The population was 23,222 at the 2010 census.

Geography

Greenwood is located at 34°11′N 82°10′W / 34.183°N 82.167°W (34.1885, -82.1605).[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.7 square miles (35 km2), of which 13.7 square miles (35 km2) is land and 0.07% is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1870700—
18807456.4%
18901,32678.0%
19004,824263.8%
19106,61437.1%
19208,70331.6%
193011,02026.6%
194013,02018.1%
195013,8066.0%
196016,64420.6%
197021,06926.6%
198021,6132.6%
199020,807−3.7%
200022,0716.1%
201023,2225.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the census[1] 2000, there were 22,071 people, 8,496 households, and 5,174 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,612.1 people per square mile (622.5/km²). There were 9,373 housing units at an average density of 684.6 per square mile (264.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 50.10% White, 45.51% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.41% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.52% of the population.

There were 8,496 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.5% were married couples living together, 21.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 15.2% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,284, and the median income for a family was $32,573. Males had a median income of $26,477 versus $21,476 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,347. About 18.1% of families and 25.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.4% of those under age 18 and 18.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Greenwood is governed via a mayor-council system. The mayor is elected at-large. The city council consists of six members who are elected from one of six wards.[5] The current mayor of Greenwood is Welborn Adams.[6]

Leath Correctional Institution, a South Carolina Department of Corrections prison for women, is located in unincorporated Greenwood County, South Carolina, near Greenwood.[7]

Festivals

Festival of Flowers

Every year in June, Greenwood hosts the South Carolina "Festival of Flowers". The festival was originally started in 1968 as an outgrowth of Park Seed Corporation's annual Grower Days, and Park Seed remains a major sponsor of the festival. The Festival has also included jazz concerts, Cessna flights for children, world food, a showcase for classic cars, and even a dog show. There is also a medical symposium, hosted by Self Regional Healthcare during the festival. This event draws many gardening enthusiasts from around the nation. The calendar of events may be found at the Festival Homepage.

Festival of Discovery

The second weekend in July, the Uptown Greenwood Development Corporation hosts the South Carolina "Festival of Discovery." This is a weekend of food, fun, music, and much more as you experience and learn about the history, traditions, folklore, arts and crafts, music and dance, and vernacular of Greenwood and the South Carolina Upstate area. The festival includes a Kansas City Barbeque Society sanctioned and South Carolina State Championship cook-off featuring some the best BBQ teams in the country. In addition, the Festival honors the Greenwood cooking tradition of black kettle hash. Also celebrated during the weekend is the rich sound of and tradition of the blues. The Greenwood Blues Cruise features Blues music at seven different venues in the downtown area.

Economy

According to an article published by The New York Times in 2011, Greenwood County experienced the sharpest economic decline, according to poverty rates, of any county in the United States. One of the contributing factors to this decline was the deindustrialization of the textile mills that at one time supported the economy of Greenwood. Over time, a large majority of the textile mills were shut down which eliminated numerous jobs from the Greenwood community. Many of the middle-income citizens in Greenwood also experienced lay offs and cutbacks due to the recession; as a result, many of these middle-class individuals were forced to settle for jobs that they would not ordinarily take. This took jobs that would have been available to the poor, uneducated citizens.[8]

Industry

Greenwood also houses several large industries, including:

Public services

Greenwood contains Self Regional Hospital, one of the largest in the area. Self is known for its high quality vascular surgery system, cancer center, heart center, and neurosurgery among many other things. They offer a Level III Emergency Care Center, that is open 24 hours per day. Self Regional Hospital Homepage.

Self Regional Healthcare also has an excellent family medicine residency program. The Greenwood Family Medicine Residency Program is located at the Montgomery Center for Family Medicine. The program has 30 residents and is considered one of the top family medicine residency programs in the United States. It is an unopposed residency that is also involved in extensive medical missions projects. Graduates of the program practice all over the country. In recent years, several graduates have gone on to do fellowships in obstetrics and sports medicine. The residency program physicians serve as team physicians for several local colleges and high schools. Greenwood Family Medicine Homepage.

Another notable medical establishment in Greenwood is the Greenwood Genetic Center , a nonprofit institute, organized to provide clinical genetic services and laboratory testing, to develop educational programs and materials, and to conduct research in the field of medical genetics.

Designed solely for the provision of specialized rehabilitative care, Greenwood Regional Rehabilitation Hospital is the only freestanding acute rehabilitation hospital in Greenwood. The facility’s unique design fosters a comfortable and responsive environment for patients. The hospital provides rehabilitative services for patients with functional deficits as a result of debilitating illnesses, or injuries. Through inpatient rehabilitation programs, patients recover quickly and return home with a renewed sense of self-sufficiency.

The city of Greenwood is home to the main branch of the Greenwood County Library .

The city of Greenwood is a part of Greenwood County School District 50 (District Homepage), and offers public schooling up to the secondary level, including career and technology education.

Greenwood District 50 consists of:

Secondary (Enrollment):

Middle:

Elementary:

Private Education:

Points of interest

The Barratt House, J. Wesley Brooks House, Lander College Old Main Building, Magnolia Cemetery, Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church, Old Greenwood Cemetery, Old Greenwood High School, James C. Self House, Stony Point, Sunnyside, Tabernacle Cemetery, and the Vance-Maxwell House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[9]

Transportation

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  5. ↑ City of Greenwood: Government Retrieved 2010–09–08.
  6. ↑ City of Greenwood: Elected officials Retrieved 2010–09–08.
  7. ↑ "Leath Correctional Institution." South Carolina Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 17, 2010.
  8. ↑ Doob, Christopher (2013). Social Inequality and Social Stratification in US Society. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.. pp. 241. ISBN 978-0-205-79241-2.
  9. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2010-07-09.

External links