Seneca, SC welcome sign on Highway 123

Seneca is a city in Oconee County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 7,652 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Seneca Micropolitan Statistical Area (population 66,215 according to year 2000 estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau), an (MSA) which includes all of Oconee County and which is further included in the greater Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, South Carolina Combined Statistical Area (population 1,185,534 according to year 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimates). Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3072x2304, 2630 KB) Seneca, SC welcome sign on Highway 123. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3072x2304, 2630 KB) Seneca, SC welcome sign on Highway 123. ... Oconee County is a county located in the state of South Carolina. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston(1670-1789) Columbia(1790-present) Largest city Columbia Largest metro area Columbia Area  Ranked 40th  - Total 34,726 sq mi (82,965 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 260 miles (420 km)  - % water 6  - Latitude 32°430N to 35°12N... A Micropolis (mini-city) is a demographics term that gained currency in the 1990s to describe growing population centers in the United States that are far removed from a large city, even 100 miles (160 km) or more. ... The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... Location in South Carolina Coordinates: County Greenville County Founded 1831 Government  - Mayor Knox White Area  - City 67. ... Spartanburg is the largest city and the county seat of Spartanburg CountyGR6 in South Carolina, a state of the United States of America, and is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina. ... Anderson is a city located in Anderson County, South Carolina. ... The United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. ...

The Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate for 2004, former United States Senator from North Carolina, John Edwards, was born in Seneca. The city is the current home of United States Senator Lindsey Graham. It was named for the nearby Cherokee town of Isunigu, known to the English as "Seneca Town". The Vice President of the United States is the second-highest executive official of the United States government, the person who is, in the words of Adlai Stevenson, a heartbeat from the presidency. ... The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (901 km)  - % water 9. ... Johnny Reid John Edwards [1] (born June 10, 1953), is an American politician who was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004 and a one-term U.S. Senator from North Carolina. ... The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ... Lindsey Olin Graham (born July 9, 1955) is an American politician from South Carolina. ... For other uses, see Cherokee (disambiguation). ... Isunigu (also called Seneca, Esseneca, and Sinica) was a Cherokee town on the Keowee River, near present-day Clemson, South Carolina and Seneca, South Carolina. ...

Geography

Seneca is located at 34°41′3″N, 82°57′21″W (34.684145, -82.955778)^GR1. Image File history File links Adapted from Wikipedias SC county maps by Seth Ilys. ...

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.4 km² (7.1 mi²). 18.3 km² (7.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.56%) is water. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... A square metre (US spelling: square meter) is by definition the area enclosed by a square with sides each 1 metre long. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ...

Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 7,652 people, 3,286 households, and 2,096 families residing in the city. The population density was 418.5/km² (1,084.6/mi²). There were 3,677 housing units at an average density of 201.1/km² (521.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 63.32% White, 33.77% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.65% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.53% of the population. 1870 US Census for New York City A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... It has been suggested that Ethnicity (United States Census) be merged into this article or section. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ...

There were 3,286 households out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were married couples living together, 17.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.93. This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ...

In the city the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,643, and the median income for a family was $44,487. Males had a median income of $31,381 versus $21,472 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,498. About 13.0% of families and 15.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.0% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those age 65 or over. The per capita income for a group of people may be defined as their total personal income, divided by the total population. ... Map of countries showing percentage of population who have an income below the national poverty line The poverty line is the level of income below which one cannot afford to purchase all the resources one requires to live. ...

History

Seneca was founded as Seneca City and named for a nearby Native American village and the Seneca River. The town was located at the intersection of the Blue Ridge Railroad and the newly built Atlanta and Charlotte Air Line Railroad. Both lines are now part of the Norfolk Southern Railway. A. W. Thompson and J. J. Norton, who were locating engineers for the Air Line Railroad, purchased the land from Col. Brown of Anderson, South Carolina. A stake marking the center of town was driven into the intersection of the railroad tracks and the current Townville St. The land was divided into lots for one-half mile from thestake. An auction was held on August 14, 1873. The town was given a charter by the state legislature on March 14, 1874. In 1908, the name was changed to Seneca. The Seneca River is created by the confluence of the Keowee River and the Little River in northern South Carolina, just downriver from Lake Keowee. ... Chartered in 1887, the Blue Ridge and Atlantic Railroad purchased the Cornelia and Tallulah Falls Railroad in an attempt to connect Savannah, GA to Knoxville, TN. It went bankrupt in about 1892 and in 1898 its properties became part of the newly formed Tallulah Falls Railway. ... Norfolk Southern Headquarters Norfolk, Virginia. ... Anderson is a city located in Anderson County, South Carolina. ... August 14 is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1873 (MDCCCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The South Carolina General Assembly (also called the South Carolina Legislature) is the legislative branch of South Carolina and consists of the South Carolina House of Representatives and the South Carolina Senate. ... March 14 is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Seneca developed as a marketing and shipping point for cotton. During the harvest, wagons bringing cotton would line up for blocks from the railroad station. A passenger terminal, several hotels, and a park were built near the railroad tracks. Recently, this park was named the Norton-Thompson Park in honor of its founders.

The first school was built in 1874. The community was the home of the Seneca Institute - Seneca Junior College, which was an African-American school from 1899 to 1939. The Seneca Institute - Seneca Junior College was an African-American school in Seneca, South Carolina from 1899 to 1939. ...

Textile mills came in to the area with the construction of a plant-and-mill village by the Courtenay Manufacturing Company in Newry on the Little River in 1893. W.L. Jordon built another textile plant and mill village east of Seneca. This village has been called Jordania, Londsdale, and Utica as the ownership of the plant changed. The J. P. Stevens Plant, which was later called the Westpoint Stevens Plant, was a large integrated textile mill built on Lake Hartwell. Many other textile mills came to the area. These plants were the main industry for Seneca for the first half of the twentieth century. Nearly all these textile plants have been closed. The Little River flows from headwaters in northern South Carolina into Lake Keowee. ... Utica is a census-designated place located in Oconee County, South Carolina. ... Lake Hartwell is a man-made lake bordering Georgia and South Carolina on the Savannah, Tugaloo, and Seneca Rivers. ...

With the construction of Lake Hartwell in 1963, Lake Keowee in 1971, and Lake Jocassee in 1974, Seneca and the area saw dramatic changes. The Oconee Nuclear Station was built on Lake Keowee. The recreation provided by the lakes and other attractions such as nearby Clemson University brought many retirees from other parts of the country. Retirement communities have been built in the area.^[1][2] Lake Hartwell is a man-made lake bordering Georgia and South Carolina on the Savannah, Tugaloo, and Seneca Rivers. ... Lake Keowee is a reservoir created by Keowee Dam and Little River Dam. ... Lake Jocassee Lake Jocassee is a 7,500 acre, 145-foot deep lake located in northwest South Carolina created by the state in partnership with Duke Power in 1973. ... The Oconee nuclear power plant is located neared Greenville, South Carolina. ... Clemson University is a public, coeducational, land-grant research university located in Clemson, South Carolina. ...

Historical Districts

In an around Seneca, there are a number of historic buildings and districts that are on the National Register of Historic Places: A typical plaque showing entry on the National Register of Historic Places. ...

• Seneca Historic District was listed in 1974. It is located south of the railroad tracks. The district consists of a number of homes and three churches that were built in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The houses have architectural styles that were popular in the period. It also includes a log cabin from the mid nineteenth century that was moved from Long Creek, South Carolina. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History has additional pictures and information,^[3] copies of the nomination forms^[4][5], and a map of the district.^[6]

• Ram Cat Alley Historic District was listed in 2000. It is a twenty-one building commercial district built in the 1880s to the 1930s. The name of the street came from cats that gathered around a meat market. Many of these buildings have been rejuvenated and now house restaurants, shops, and professional offices. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History has additional pictures and information,^[7] a copy of the nomination form,^[8] and a map.^[9]

• Newry Historic District was listed in 1982. It is a historic textile mill village near Seneca. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History has additional pictures and information,^[10] a copy of the nomination form,^[11]and a map.^[12]

Places to visit

Lake Keowee - Constructed by Duke Power Company to generate hydroelectric power and to provide cooling water for the Oconee Nuclear Generating Station, Lake Keowee covers Keowee Town, site of the capital of the Lower Cherokee Nation. Keowee, meaning "Place of the Mulberries," was visited by Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto when he came through the area in 1540. 18,500 acres (75 km²) of water and a 300 mile (500 km) shoreline make the Lake Keowee area a popular place for boating, fishing, water-skiing, swimming, camping and picnicking. Lake Keowee is a reservoir created by Keowee Dam and Little River Dam. ... Corporate Headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina Duke Energy NYSE: DUK, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is an energy company with assets in the United States (primarily North and South Carolina), Canada and Latin America. ... The Oconee nuclear power plant is located neared Greenville, South Carolina. ...

Local Parks with Camping Facilities

• South Cove County Park
• High Falls County Park
• Devils Fork State Park
• Oconee State Park
• Lake Hartwell State Park
• Chau-Ram County Park

Lake Jocassee in Devils Fork State Park Devils Fork State Park is in northwestern South Carolina on the eastern edge of the Sumter National Forest at the edge of 7,500-acre Lake Jocassee. ... Oconee State Park is a state park located in the Blue Ridge Mountain region of South Carolina. ...

How to get there

U.S. Highway 123 and U.S. Highway 76 run together through Seneca and form the main road through town. Highway 123 continues east to Clemson, SC and further to the largest city in the upstate, Greenville, SC. Highway 76 splits off in Clemson and runs south to the city of Anderson, SC. Interstate 85 is the closest interstate highway and can be reached by driving south on Highway 76 (from Clemson) or state Highway 11 (west of Seneca). The Clemson Area Transit provides free bus rides to Clemson. U.S. Highway 123 is a spur of U.S. Highway 23. ... United States Highway 76 is an east-west United States highway that runs for 548 miles (882 km) from southeast North Carolina to Chattanooga, Tennessee. ... Clemson is a city located in South Carolina, a state of the United States of America. ... Greenville is a large city and county seat located in Greenville County6 in South Carolina. ... Anderson is a city located in Anderson County, South Carolina. ... Interstate 85 (abbreviated I-85) is an interstate highway in the southeastern United States. ... Clemson Area Transit is the largest fare-free bus system in the United States in terms of ridership. ...

Oconee County Regional Airport, which has a 4,400 ft runway, is a nearby general aviation airport east of Seneca. Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport near Greer, South Carolina is the nearest airport with commercial service. Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is an airport in Greer, South Carolina, USA, near Greenville, South Carolina and Spartanburg, South Carolina. ... Greer is a town between Greenville and Spartanburg in Greenville and Spartanburg counties in South Carolina. ...

Government

• Seneca City Hall is located on North First Street, in the center of the historic (downtown) area of Seneca. North First Street is also HWY 123 Business. The City Hall Complex is also the location of the Seneca Police Dept, Seneca Light and Water, as well as the offices of the Mayor and City Administrator.

• Seneca Fire Department is housed on West South Fourth Street, in a new complex. The Fire House is just across the street from the Shaver Complex that houses the Shaver Civic Center, and the sports fields for the Seneca Recreation Department, as well as a park for smaller children, and a rubberized soft walking track. The City of Seneca also owns and operates a public pool located on North Fairplay Street.

Education

Seneca Area Schools

• Code Elementary
• Ravenel Elementary
• J. N. Kellett Elementary School
• Northside Elementary
• Seneca Middle School
• Seneca Sr. High School
• Oconee Adult ED
• Oconee Alternative School
• Hamilton Career Center
• Oconee Christian Academy (PK-12)
• Trinity Baptist Preschool (PK-K)
• Seneca Baptist Preschool (PK-K)

• Keowee Elementary School -is located in Seneca however the students continue schooling at Walhalla, SC Middle and High.

Higher Education J. N. Kellett Elementary School is a primary school for kindergarten to grade 5 located one mile from downtown Seneca, South Carolina. ...

• Clemson University (6 miles) large, public university--major athletic program
• Southern Wesleyan University (7 miles) four-year Christian college
• Tri-County Tech (8 miles) two-year community college
• Anderson University (South Carolina) (20 miles) four-year private college
• Furman University (30 miles) private liberal-arts university--good athletic program
• Greenville Tech (30 miles) large two-year community college, has residence halls
• Bob Jones University (35 miles) conservative Christian liberal-arts university
• North Greenville University (40 miles) Christian liberal-arts college, very rural campus
• Limestone College (95 miles) private four-year college (adult classes meet locally)

Public libraries are located in Seneca, Westminster, Salem, and the main branch in Walhalla. Local residents also may visit the main campus Library located at Clemson University. Clemson University is a public, coeducational, land-grant research university located in Clemson, South Carolina. ... Southern Wesleyan University is a four-year Christian college in the town of Central, South Carolina. ... Anderson University is a comprehensive university located in Anderson, South Carolina, offering bachelors and masters degrees in approximately 50 areas of study. ... The Bell Tower Furman University is a private, coeducational, non-sectarian liberal arts university in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. ... Greenville Technical College is a community college located in the city of Greenville, South Carolina. ... Bob Jones University Bob Jones University (BJU) is a private, Protestant Fundamentalist, liberal arts[1] university located in Greenville, South Carolina. ... North Greenville University is a college associated with the Southern Baptist Convention. ... Limestone College is a private 4-year, coeducational liberal-arts college located in Gaffney, South Carolina. ...

References

1. ^ Louise Matheson Bell, Seneca: Visions of Yesterday, 2003, ISBN 0-9763843-0-2.
2. ^ Edgar, Walter, ed. The South Carolina Encyclopedia, University of South Carolina Press, 2006, p. 859, ISBN 1-57003-598-2.
3. ^ Pictures of the Seneca Historic District
4. ^ Seneca Historic District nomination form I
5. ^ Seneca Historic District nomination form II
6. ^ Map of Seneca Historic District
7. ^ Pictures of the Ram Cat Alley Historic District
8. ^ Ram Cat Alley Historic District nomination form
9. ^ Map of the Ram Cat Alley Historic District
10. ^ Pictures of the Newry Historic District
11. ^ Newry Historic District nomination form
12. ^ Map of the Newry Historic District

External links

• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 34.684145° -82.955778°
  • Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
• City of Seneca official website
• Seneca Chamber of Commerce
• Seneca High School
• Oconee School District website
• Oconee County Library
• Video tour of Seneca from 1906