KEY TO THE CITY - USA City Directory Top USA City Resource Guide
SOUTH CAROLINA FACTS & LINKS
SEARCH KEY TO THE CITY or anywhere on the web
South
Carolina
Smiling Faces. Beautiful Places
|
|
|
|
Time Zone: South Carolina is in the Eastern Time zone
Geography:
The
state is divided up into three major divisons: Appalachian Mountain,
Piedmont and the Coastal Plain. The Blue Ridge is where the highest
elevations are in the northwestern corner of the state. The Piedmont
rolls out toward the flatter coastal plain. About two thirds of the
state is made up of the Coastal plain. The coastal area has many
islands which become more common as you go south.
Size:
Total area -
34,726 square miles
Total land area - 30,109 square miles
width - 200 miles
length
- 260 miles
Latitude - 32°4'30"N
to 35°12'N
Longitude - 78°0'30"W to 83°20'W
Highest Point:
Sassafras Mountain at 3,560 feet above sea level
Lowest
Point: Atlantic Ocean at sea level
Mean elevation: 350 feet above
sea level
Economy:
The largest portion of the economy is from manufacturing, particularly in the textiles. The second largest is tourism, which continues to grow each year. The popularity of the state as a retirement haven has helped this business grow. Though agriculture has been renewed by rehabilitation of the soil, it has not primarily an agricultural state. Geologically the state's highest mineral yield is gold with other resources including kaolin, vermiculite, sand, gravel and granite.
History:
Coming here in 1521, Spaniard Francisco Cordilla was the first European to explore South Carolina. Five years later, Vasquez de Ayllon followed trying to establish a settlement near Winyah Bay. The settlement was quickly abandoned due to poor conditions. The French then tried to settle the area with Jean Ribault in 1562, but this attempt ended in the same way. Finally in 1670, the English had better luck. Charles Towne was founded at Albemarle Point. It was named in honor of the reigning English King. The area grew quickly and within 10 years moved the present site of Charleston
The Civil War struck the area hard. South Carolina seceded from the Union on Dec. 20, 1860, the first southern state to do so. The War began four months later. The reconstruction period was especially difficult and slow for South Carolina. The lack of able-bodied men to farm and raise crops led the state to turn more to the textile industry to rebuild. World War II brought heavy industry to the state which also brought more growth and diversification for the economy.
Need help on the
highways of South Carolina? Dial *HP
State Highway Emergency
Patrol (SHEP) can offer you the assistance you need, including
notifying emergency personnel.
Population:
1790
- 249,073
1800 - 345,591
1810 - 415,115
1820 - 502,741
1830
- 581,185
1840 - 594,398
1850 - 668,507
1860 - 703,708
1870
- 705,606
1880 - 995,577
1890 - 1,151,149
1900 -
1,340,316
1910 - 1,515,400
1920 - 1,683,724
1930 -
1,738,765
1940 - 1,899,804
1950 - 2,117,027
1960 -
2,382,594
1970 - 2,590,516
1980 - 3,121,820
1990 -
3,486,703
2000 - 4,012,012
2005 - 4,255,083 (estimate)
Population Density:
2000
- 133.2 persons per square mile
Income:
Per
capita - $18,795 (1999)
Median Household - $38,003 (2003)
LINKS
GOVERNMENT
The
Governor's Mansion
Built in 1855, the mansion was chosen in
1868 as the official residence for the state's governors
Guided tours of the Governor's Mansion are free of charge. To learn more about the mansion or to make arrangements for a tour, call (803) 737-1710.
The South Carolina State
Capitol
P.O. Box 142
Columbia, SC 29202
(Main St. At
Gervais St.)
Phone: 803-734-2430
South
Carolina official state website
South Carolina has 46
counties, 47 state parks and 4 state forests.
South
Carolina State Parks
1205 Pendleton Street
Columbia, SC
29201
Phone: 803-734-0156
FAX: 803-734-1017
Toll-free:
1-888-88-PARKS
State
Education page
Clemson
University
University of South
Carolina
Military:
Fort
Jackson in Columbia
Shaw Air
Force Base in Sumter
ORGANIZATIONS & GROUPS
Discover South Carolina - official State Tourism site
South
Carolina Chamber of Commerce
1201 Main Street, Suite 1700
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: 803.799.4601
South
Carolina Historical Society
100 Meeting Street
Charleston,
SC 29401
Phone: (843)723-3225
Fax: (843)723-8584
Jewish
Historical Society of South Carolina
Room 215
Sylvia
Vlosky Yaschik Jewish Studies Center
96 Wentworth Street
Charleston, SC
Phone: 843.953.3918
ATTRACTIONS & OTHER INFORMATION
South
Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Museum
301 Gervais Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: 803-737-8095
McKissick
Museum Folklife Programs
Phone: 803-777-7251
Find the weather for anyplace in the USA
This page was created 3 September 1998
This page was last updated 20 September 2006 at 10:39 pm
Return to the South Carolina State page on Key to the City
To go to another state, go to the States page
Thanks for dropping by. Be sure to come back soon!!