?Did You Know? What Makes South Carolina Special? Section1

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1 Section1?Did You Know? South Carolina s nickname is the Palmetto State. It is also called the Iodine State, Keystone of the South Atlantic Seaboard, Rice State, and Swamp State. Below: Marvin Ladson is a shrimp fisherman on St. Helena Island. What Makes South Carolina Special? As you read, look for: the diversity of South Carolina s population, South Carolina communities, South Carolina s economy, South Carolina s resources, and vocabulary terms: ethnic group, census, senior citizen, rural, urban, suburbs, economy, natural resource, yield, cash crop, kaolin, and tourism. The population of South Carolina today can be described in many ways. It is as diverse as the towns and cities in which people live and work. The towns and cities are judged on their quality of life, which reflects their location, availability of health care, low cost of living, and low crime rate. Most towns in South Carolina enjoy these features. Crops of all kinds are grown throughout the state. Abundant fresh water provides energy production and recreation opportunities which are important to the state s economy. In the last twenty-five years, the industrial base in the state has broadened. Although the state is still primarily agricultural, the economy is growing in other fields, especially tourism. South Carolina s People The United States has been called a melting pot, where people from many different countries have learned to live and work together. This contributes to the overall culture of the United States. It has also been called a tossed salad, where many different groups of people have been thrown together in a large bowl and blended together to make a society. Each person or group, however, retains something of distinction, like each ingredient in the salad. 4 Chapter 1 Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places

2 Figure 1 South Carolina s Population in 1990 Other, 1.8% Black 29.8% Female 51.6% RACE SEX over 65, 11.4% SEX under % AGE White 69.9% Male 48.4% 18-65, 62.2% Both descriptions for South Carolina are true. People from many different regions of the world Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas have been mixed together to form the South Carolina of today. But each group retains distinctive characteristics of its ancestry. Today, the population of South Carolina is made up of more than one hundred different ethnic groups. An ethnic group is a group of people who possess a common tradition and strong feelings of belonging. According to the 2000 census (an actual count of the population), the largest ethnic group European Americans or whites makes up just over 66 percent of the population. The second largest group African Americans or blacks accounts for about 30 percent of the population. Asian Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians account for roughly 4 percent of the total population. These broad ethnic groups can be broken down further. European Americans include English, Scotch- Irish, Irish, French, Belgian, German, Swiss, Swedish, and numerous other groups whose origins are found in Europe. African Americans include Zairian, Sierra Leonian, Nigerian, and many other groups whose origins are found in Africa. They also include blacks from the Caribbean islands. Asian Americans include Filipino, Asian Indian, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and other groups whose origins are found in Asia or the islands of the Pacific. Those of Hispanic origin include Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Chilean, and other groups whose origins are in Central and South America and the Caribbean. American Indians are those groups who were in America when the Europeans, led by Christopher Columbus, arrived. They can be divided into Cherokee, Catawba, Creek, Yemassee, Lumbee, and many others. All of these groups have contributed to the development of South Carolina. Figure 2 South Carolina s Population in 2002 Other, 4.4% Black 29.5% Female 51.4% RACE SEX over 65, 22.3% SEX under % 18-65, 52.5% AGE White 66.1% Male 48.6% Section 1 What Makes South Carolina Special? 5

3 The population of South Carolina today can be described in other ways. Over 97 percent of South Carolinians are American citizens by birth, while just under 2 percent are non-citizens. Women are a little over 51 percent of the population. Children under the age of 18 make up about 25 percent of the population, while more than 22 percent of the people in the state are senior citizens (those over the age of 65). In fact, the average age of the people of South Carolina has been increasing steadily over the last ten years. The average age of a South Carolinian in 1985 was 38 years; in 1995, it was 40; in 2000, it was 41. Why is the age of the people increasing? For one reason, South Carolinians are living longer. In addition, the number of retired people moving into the state in recent years has increased, and the birth rate has held steady or declined slightly. Below: The town square in Abbeville features a Civil War memorial. South Carolina s Communities Like all other states, South Carolina is made up of many communities. For years, most South Carolinians lived in the rural (countrylike) areas of the state. Even though the residents did not live in cities or towns, they belonged to communities that worked together to provide the best way of life possible. According to the 2000 census more than 60 percent of South 6 Chapter 1 Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places

4 Discovering South Carolina Lost Places in South Carolina Have you ever heard about ghost towns out west? Ghost towns are places where buildings still stand but no one lives there. Are there any ghost towns in South Carolina? Not really. But there are plenty of places that are lost; that is, they existed at one time but no longer exist. Many of the lost places in South Carolina are plantations, houses, and cemeteries that were lost or destroyed when one of South Carolina s large man-made lakes was built. The land beneath Lake Murray was once home to 5,000 individuals, 3 churches, 6 schools, and 193 cemeteries. When Lake Murray was lowered in 2003 to allow work on a back-up dam for Murray Dam, many gravestones were seen sticking up out of the water. When lakes Marion and Moultrie were created in 1939 from land in Berkeley and Orangeburg counties, numerous old plantations, cemeteries, and antebellum houses were flooded. These places are lost forever in history. Several towns have been lost in South Carolina. The first town to become lost in the state was Hamburg. Hamburg was located in Aiken County in the early 1840s and was one of the important locations for railroad development. Over a number of years the town dwindled to nothing and today is part of North Augusta. Aiken, Allendale, and Barnwell counties were home to several towns destroyed in the early 1950s to make way for the Savannah River Nuclear Plant. The inhabitants of seven small towns Ellenton, Dunbarton, Hawthorne, Leigh, Meyers Mill, Robbins, and Sleepy Hollow were required to give up their homes and move to other places. Dunbarton was a small town in Aiken County with less than 300 people. The town had several small businesses, Above: The brick bell tower of St. George s Anglican Church still stands at Colonial Dorchester Historic Site in Summerville. Dorchester was destroyed by retreating British troops in a train depot, two cotton gins, a fertilizer plant, a lumber mill, and several grain and syrup mills. It also had a strong sense of community. Only one of the towns Ellenton was recreated outside of the 200,000 acre Savannah River site. That town is now called New Ellenton. Overall, about 1,500 families had to move to new homes as part of the plan for the United States to have a facility to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons. The next time you travel and see one of South Carolina s big lakes, think about what may be lost under the water. Remember, as well, that inhabitants of entire towns were required to move to establish the Savannah River Plant. There are many lost places in South Carolina, but they do not have to be forgotten. Section 1 What Makes South Carolina Special? 7

5 Carolinians live in urban (city) areas, though 75 percent of South Carolina s cities and towns had a population of less than 5,000. Even the urban areas are made up of communities. Some of the communities, such as Melrose Heights in Columbia and The Battery in Charleston, are within the city limits. Other communities called suburbs surround the cities but are outside city limits. Whether residents of cities or small towns, South Carolinians have kept the small-town feeling. Travel brochures boast of smiling faces, picture-perfect scenes, and warm hospitality. Most South Carolinians believe that small towns are the best places to live and raise families. Yet, most of the small towns are close to large cities. South Carolina towns and cities have earned national attention as All-American cities or have made the lists of best towns or cities in which to live. Florence and Aiken are two All-American cities. Year after year, Charleston, Greenville, and Columbia are listed in the top one hundred cities in which to live. The towns and cities are judged on their quality of life, which reflects their location, availability of health care, low cost of living, and low crime rate. Most towns in South Carolina enjoy these features. Above: South Carolina s cities are some of the most livable in the United States. This city park is in Spartanburg. South Carolina s Economy For more than three hundred years, South Carolina s economy revolved around agriculture. The word economy refers to all the activities involved in the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. First rice, then cotton was the backbone of the South Carolina economy. Indigo, tobacco, corn, and peaches are other crops on which South Carolina based its economy. After the Civil War, textile manufacturing became the primary industry in the state. Even today, every county in South Carolina has at least one textile-producing business. In the last twenty-five years, the industrial base in the state has broadened. Automobile and automobile parts manufacturing and chemical production are some of the new industries in South Carolina. The United States military provides South Carolina with an even broader economic base. Fort Jackson outside of Columbia, Shaw Air Force Base west of Sumter, and Parris Island Marine Corps Training Facility near Beaufort bring millions of dollars into the state each year. Other places also had military bases that are now closed. Charleston Naval Base closed in 1995, and Myrtle Beach Air Force Base closed in The leading growth areas in the state are Columbia, the state capital and site of the University of South Carolina; Greenville-Spartanburg in the up- 8 Chapter 1 Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places

6 state; Rock Hill and the area south of Charlotte, North Carolina; Charleston, Myrtle Beach, and Georgetown along the coast; and Aiken near the Georgia border. Businesses and population are both expected to increase in these areas over the next twenty years. South Carolina s Resources South Carolina lies along the Atlantic Coast in an area rich in natural resources, which are those things that are in or supplied by our natural environment and can be consumed or used by people. These include thousands of acres of forests; rich soil; plenty of clean, fresh water; and various minerals. The coastal waters are full of seafood of all kinds. Throughout the state of South Carolina are forests, covering about 65 percent of the state s land area. Every county in the state has some industry based on the use of trees. The greatest forest-related industry is paper and paper products. Lumber and lumber products are also important to the state s economy. During the last twenty years, many improvements have been made in the industry. Waste paper and forest materials that once were burned or discarded in dumps are now used to make paper. Many of the paper-producing companies are also investing in the development of trees that grow faster and produce higher yields (amounts produced). Above: Edgefield County is famous for its peaches. There is an area in the county that, in a good year, produces more peaches per acre than anywhere else in the nation.?did You Know? The water tower in Gaffney called the Peachoid is probably the best-known, most-photographed water tank in the United States. Section 1 What Makes South Carolina Special? 9

7 Map 1 South Carolina s Resources Map Skill: What resources are found in the area where you live? The rich soil of South Carolina allows crops of all kinds to be grown throughout the state. Many grain crops are raised, with corn producing the highest yield and the most money. Fruit and vegetable farms abound. Fruits grown in South Carolina include peaches, apples, nectarines, strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, and grapes. South Carolina is second in the nation in producing peaches, trailing only California. Squash, tomatoes, beans, peppers, and other vegetables thrive in the warm climate and fertile soil. Nonedible crops are also important. Cotton and tobacco are still important to the state even though they are not grown as widely as they were twenty-five years ago. Tobacco remains the top cash crop in the state. A cash crop is one grown to be sold to earn money. Abundant fresh water provides energy production and recreation opportunities, both important to the state s economy. Large manmade lakes like Lakes Murray, Wateree, and Hartwell provide the water needed for both producing electricity and fishing. The water supply is also important to farmers. South Carolina does not have vast amounts of coal, oil, iron, or other important minerals like Kentucky, Minnesota, or Texas. However, deposits of gold have been found in Chesterfield and Fairfield counties and have been or are being mined. Deposits of granite and sand 10 Chapter 1 Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places

8 are found throughout the state. Together with the clay deposits used to make brick, they provide the basis for building materials production. Deposits of kaolin, a fine clay used in ceramics, are found in the western region of the state. Perhaps the most important natural resource South Carolina has is its coastline. Tourism, one of the largest service industries in the state, is built upon people going to the beach. The saltwater also provides the state with fresh seafood such as shrimp, crab, oysters, and fish. The coastline has given the state valuable seaports at Charleston and Georgetown. But South Carolina s greatest resource is its people. South Carolinians have contributed to every aspect of life. Noted inventors, politicians, entertainers, and soldiers have come from inside its borders. The people of the state have gained the reputation of being hard workers. This reputation encourages businesses to move to South Carolina or expand the plants they already have in the state. It s Your Turn 1. How would you describe the size of most of South Carolina s cities and towns? 2. What industry became prominent after the Civil War and is still important in South Carolina today? 3. What are South Carolina s leading growth areas? 4. What is a cash crop, and what is South Carolina s leading cash crop? 5. Name two resources that are provided through South Carolina s manmade lakes. Opposite page, above: The state s rich soil supports many different crops. Top: The sand from this quarry in Walterboro is used for construction and on golf courses. Above: The lumber industry is important to the state s economy. Section 1 What Makes South Carolina Special? 11