Bennettsville, South Carolina
Encyclopedia
Bennettsville is a city in and the county seat
of Marlboro County, South Carolina, United States. and home to the Bennettsville Historic District
. Bennettsville's population was recorded at 9,425 for the 2000 census
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 6.2 square miles (16.1 km²), of which, 5.6 square miles (14.5 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (10.13%) is water.
, then governor of South Carolina.
In the same year, the S.C. General Assembly authorized the relocation of the courthouse from the eastern bank of the Great Pee Dee River to a more central location, selecting a 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) apple orchard located on a bluff above Crooked Creek for the new courthouse, designed by South Carolina architect Robert Mills
. Streets were then developed spreading out from the square, one of the state's largest. In 1852, the Mills building was replaced.
In 1865, during the American Civil War
, the city was occupied by Union troops. During this time, the Jennings-Brown House and the first County Courthouse was used as the headquarters for General William T. Sherman during the Civil War. The new courthouse escaped burning, making it one of South Carolina's few county seats with records accessible for genealogical research dating back to 1785.
In 1884, another Second Empire style courthouse was erected on the site and is the central portion of the present building. Two story red brick wings and the present clock steeple designed by Bennettsville architect Henry D. Harrall were added during the 1952-1954 remodeling.
In 1885, Duncan Donald McColl brought the first railroad, bank and textile mills to Bennettsville. The economy boomed during this "king cotton" era. The city became one of the richest agricultural areas in the state. Because of this importance to its early history, the State of South Carolina gave Bennettsville the designation of its first "G.R.E.A.T. Town" (Governor's Rural Economic Achievement Trophy).
, historic buildings include the Jennings Brown House (1826), the Female Academy (1830), the Medical Museum (1902), and the Murchison School (1902) — as well as other residences in the Queen Anne and Beaux Arts style.
The D. D. McColl house at 300 West Main Street is a South Carolina mosquito cottage built in 1826 originally constructed by H. H. Covington on Darlington Street and sold in 1871 to Duncan Donald McColl (1842–1911) (who brought the first railroad, bank, and textile mills to Marlboro County). McColl lived in the home until 1884 — the house later being moved to S. Liberty Street, and later still to McColl Street. Now home to the Marlboro Chamber of Commerce and The South Carolina Cotton Trail, the house had been purchased, restored, relocated to its West Main Street location and presented to the county in 1991 by D.D. McColl's great-grandson, Bennettsville native Hugh L. McColl, Jr.
, former Bank of America Chairman of Charlotte. D. D. McColl's 1884 Victorian brick home sits nearby.
See: the D.D. McColl house
A new Marlboro County library named in honor of Marian Wright Edelman
, opened on February 22, 2010. Located on 4.4 acres (17,806.2 m²) at the intersection of Marlboro Street and Fayetteville Avenue adjacent to the Murchison building (1902) and the Northeastern Technical College, the new single-story building is approximately 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²), with a proposed front tower oriented on axis with that of the Murchison Building. The building's cost has been secured by $ 1.325mil in federal funding. The Library holds 60,000 volumes and has two conference rooms, seating 50 and 12.
of 2000, there were 9,425 people, 3,289 households, and 2,167 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,686.2 people per square mile (651.0/km²). There were 3,775 housing units at an average density of 675.4 per square mile (260.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 63.15% African American, 34.80% White, 0.85% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.11% from other races
, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.63% of the population.
There were 3,289 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.7% were married couples living together, 25.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 107.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,389, and the median income for a family was $29,272. Males had a median income of $24,697 versus $21,054 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,917. About 22.0% of families and 27.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.2% of those under age 18 and 22.1% of those age 65 or over.
Bennettsville is the center of an urban cluster with a total population of 12,070 (2000 census).
system. The city administrator is appointed by the city council and serves as the chief executive officer to carry out polices and oversee the daily business of the city.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Marlboro County, South Carolina, United States. and home to the Bennettsville Historic District
Bennettsville Historic District
The Bennettsville Historic District is a historic district in Bennettsville, South Carolina, United States that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978....
. Bennettsville's population was recorded at 9,425 for the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
Geography
Bennettsville is located at 34°37′17"N 79°41′5"W (34.621270, -79.684830).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 6.2 square miles (16.1 km²), of which, 5.6 square miles (14.5 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (10.13%) is water.
History
The city of Bennettsville was founded in 1819 and named after Thomas Bennett, Jr.Thomas Bennett, Jr.
Thomas Bennett, Jr. was the 48th Governor of South Carolina from 1820 to 1822.-Early life and career:Born in Charleston, Bennett was educated at the College of Charleston. In a partnership with his father, Bennett ran a lumber and rice milling operation...
, then governor of South Carolina.
In the same year, the S.C. General Assembly authorized the relocation of the courthouse from the eastern bank of the Great Pee Dee River to a more central location, selecting a 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) apple orchard located on a bluff above Crooked Creek for the new courthouse, designed by South Carolina architect Robert Mills
Robert Mills (architect)
Robert Mills , most famously known for designing the Washington Monument, is sometimes called the first native born American to become a professional architect, though Charles Bulfinch perhaps has a clearer claim to this honor...
. Streets were then developed spreading out from the square, one of the state's largest. In 1852, the Mills building was replaced.
In 1865, during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the city was occupied by Union troops. During this time, the Jennings-Brown House and the first County Courthouse was used as the headquarters for General William T. Sherman during the Civil War. The new courthouse escaped burning, making it one of South Carolina's few county seats with records accessible for genealogical research dating back to 1785.
In 1884, another Second Empire style courthouse was erected on the site and is the central portion of the present building. Two story red brick wings and the present clock steeple designed by Bennettsville architect Henry D. Harrall were added during the 1952-1954 remodeling.
In 1885, Duncan Donald McColl brought the first railroad, bank and textile mills to Bennettsville. The economy boomed during this "king cotton" era. The city became one of the richest agricultural areas in the state. Because of this importance to its early history, the State of South Carolina gave Bennettsville the designation of its first "G.R.E.A.T. Town" (Governor's Rural Economic Achievement Trophy).
Notable natives
- Hugh McCollHugh McCollHugh L. McColl Jr. is a fourth-generation banker and the former Chairman and CEO of Bank of America. McColl was a driving force behind consolidating a series of progressively larger, mostly Southern banks, thrifts and financial institutions into a super-regional banking force, "the first...
, former president of the Bank of AmericaBank of AmericaBank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina... - Marian Wright EdelmanMarian Wright EdelmanMarian Wright Edelman is an American activist for the rights of children. She is president and founder of the Children's Defense Fund.-Early years:...
, founder of the Children's Defense FundChildren's Defense FundThe Children's Defense Fund is an American child advocacy and research group, founded in 1973 by Marian Wright Edelman. Its motto Leave No Child Behind reflects its mission to advocate on behalf of children... - Henry Steel Commager, historian
- Aziz AnsariAziz AnsariAziz Ansari is an American actor, writer, and stand-up comedian. He currently stars as Tom Haverford on the NBC show Parks and Recreation....
, comedian and actor
Architecture
Within the Bennettsville Historic DistrictBennettsville Historic District
The Bennettsville Historic District is a historic district in Bennettsville, South Carolina, United States that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978....
, historic buildings include the Jennings Brown House (1826), the Female Academy (1830), the Medical Museum (1902), and the Murchison School (1902) — as well as other residences in the Queen Anne and Beaux Arts style.
The D. D. McColl house at 300 West Main Street is a South Carolina mosquito cottage built in 1826 originally constructed by H. H. Covington on Darlington Street and sold in 1871 to Duncan Donald McColl (1842–1911) (who brought the first railroad, bank, and textile mills to Marlboro County). McColl lived in the home until 1884 — the house later being moved to S. Liberty Street, and later still to McColl Street. Now home to the Marlboro Chamber of Commerce and The South Carolina Cotton Trail, the house had been purchased, restored, relocated to its West Main Street location and presented to the county in 1991 by D.D. McColl's great-grandson, Bennettsville native Hugh L. McColl, Jr.
Hugh McColl
Hugh L. McColl Jr. is a fourth-generation banker and the former Chairman and CEO of Bank of America. McColl was a driving force behind consolidating a series of progressively larger, mostly Southern banks, thrifts and financial institutions into a super-regional banking force, "the first...
, former Bank of America Chairman of Charlotte. D. D. McColl's 1884 Victorian brick home sits nearby.
See: the D.D. McColl house
A new Marlboro County library named in honor of Marian Wright Edelman
Marian Wright Edelman
Marian Wright Edelman is an American activist for the rights of children. She is president and founder of the Children's Defense Fund.-Early years:...
, opened on February 22, 2010. Located on 4.4 acres (17,806.2 m²) at the intersection of Marlboro Street and Fayetteville Avenue adjacent to the Murchison building (1902) and the Northeastern Technical College, the new single-story building is approximately 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²), with a proposed front tower oriented on axis with that of the Murchison Building. The building's cost has been secured by $ 1.325mil in federal funding. The Library holds 60,000 volumes and has two conference rooms, seating 50 and 12.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 9,425 people, 3,289 households, and 2,167 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,686.2 people per square mile (651.0/km²). There were 3,775 housing units at an average density of 675.4 per square mile (260.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 63.15% African American, 34.80% White, 0.85% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.11% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.63% of the population.
There were 3,289 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.7% were married couples living together, 25.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 107.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,389, and the median income for a family was $29,272. Males had a median income of $24,697 versus $21,054 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $13,917. About 22.0% of families and 27.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.2% of those under age 18 and 22.1% of those age 65 or over.
Bennettsville is the center of an urban cluster with a total population of 12,070 (2000 census).
Government
The city is run by an elected Mayor-council governmentMayor-council government
The mayor–council government system, sometimes called the mayor–commission government system, is one of the two most common forms of local government for municipalities...
system. The city administrator is appointed by the city council and serves as the chief executive officer to carry out polices and oversee the daily business of the city.