Gaffney, South Carolina | |
|---|---|
 Gaffney Commercial Historic District is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places. | |
 Seal | |
| Nickname: "Peach Capital of South Carolina" | |
  Gaffney Location of Gaffney, South Carolina | |
| Coordinates:35°4′18″N81°39′00″W / 35.07167°N 81.65000°W /35.07167; -81.65000 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | South Carolina |
| County | Cherokee |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Lyman Dawkins III[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 8.71 sq mi (22.55 km2) |
| • Land | 8.68 sq mi (22.49 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2) |
| Elevation | 784 ft (239 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 12,764 |
| • Density | 1,470.00/sq mi (567.55/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 29340-29342 |
| Area codes | 864, 821 |
| FIPS code | 45-28060 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1247855[3] |
| Website | www |
Gaffney is a city in and theseat ofCherokee County, South Carolina, United States,[5] in theUpstate region of South Carolina. Gaffney is known as the "Peach Capital of South Carolina". The population was 12,539 at the2010 census,[6] with an estimated population of 12,609 in 2019.[7] It is the principal city of the Gaffney, South Carolina,Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Cherokee County and which is further included in the greaterGreenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, South CarolinaCombined Statistical Area. Gaffney was the home ofLimestone University, which operated from 1845 until 2025.[8]
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Michael Robert Gaffney was born in the town ofGranard in County Longford, Ireland, in 1775.[9] He emigrated to the United States in 1797, arriving inNew York City and moving toCharleston, South Carolina, a few years later. Gaffney moved again in 1804 to theSouth Carolina Upcountry and established a tavern and lodging house at what became known as "Gaffney's Cross Roads". The location was perfect for growth because of the two major roads which met here, one from the mountains ofNorth Carolina to Charleston and the other fromCharlotte intoGeorgia. Michael Gaffney died here on September 6, 1854.[10]
In 1872, the area became known as "Gaffney City". Gaffney became the county seat of Cherokee County which was formed out of parts ofYork,Union, andSpartanburg counties in 1897. Gaffney became a major center for thetextile industry in South Carolina, which was the backbone of the county's economy up until the 1980s.
Uptown Gaffney began to languish afterInterstate 85 was built in the county as industries located near the new highway.
Two serial killers have at different times attacked residents of Gaffney. In 1967–1968Lee Roy Martin, known as the Gaffney Strangler, killed four people; two were young girls, a fourteen-year-old and a fifteen-year-old.[11] In 2009, a series of shootings byPatrick Tracy Burris led to five deaths.[12]
Gaffney is located in northern South Carolina near the center of Cherokee County. It is located 55 miles (89 km) southwest ofCharlotte, North Carolina and 50 miles (80 km) northeast ofGreenville.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, Gaffney has a total area of 8.35 square miles (21.63 km2), of which 8.32 square miles (21.56 km2) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.07 km2), or 0.31%, is water.[6]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 400 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,631 | 307.8% | |
| 1900 | 3,937 | 141.4% | |
| 1910 | 4,767 | 21.1% | |
| 1920 | 5,065 | 6.3% | |
| 1930 | 6,827 | 34.8% | |
| 1940 | 7,636 | 11.9% | |
| 1950 | 8,123 | 6.4% | |
| 1960 | 10,435 | 28.5% | |
| 1970 | 13,253 | 27.0% | |
| 1980 | 13,453 | 1.5% | |
| 1990 | 13,145 | −2.3% | |
| 2000 | 12,968 | −1.3% | |
| 2010 | 12,539 | −3.3% | |
| 2020 | 12,764 | 1.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[13][4] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 5,798 | 45.42% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 5,763 | 45.15% |
| Native American | 37 | 0.29% |
| Asian | 81 | 0.63% |
| Pacific Islander | 8 | 0.06% |
| Other/Mixed | 458 | 3.59% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 619 | 4.85% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 12,764 people, 4,220 households, and 2,116 families residing in the city.
As of thecensus of 2000, there were 12,968 people, 5,304 households, and 3,336 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,649.7 inhabitants per square mile (637.0/km2). There were 5,765 housing units at an average density of 733.4 per square mile (283.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 50.48%White, 47.19%African American, 0.15%Native American, 0.45%Asian, 0.03%Pacific Islander, 0.99% fromother races, and 0.71% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.98% of the population.[citation needed]
There were 5,304 households, out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.1% weremarried couples living together, 21.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 33.3% 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 2.32 and the average family size was 2.96.[citation needed]
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.4% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.7 males.[citation needed]
The median income for a household in the city was $29,480, and the median income for a family was $38,449. Males had a median income of $30,145 versus $22,167 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $17,755. About 13.3% of families and 26.2% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 19.2% of those under age 18 and 18.0% of those age 65 or over.[citation needed]
Gaffney has a public library, a branch of the Cherokee County Library System.[15]
Located in the historic district of downtown Gaffney, is Harold's Restaurant, a diner founded in 1932 by Harold Tindall.[16] The diner was featured on Food Network'sDiners, Drive-ins, and Dives and visited by hostGuy Fieri in 2007.[17]
In 2008, the Cherokee County History and Arts Museum opened on the former mustering ground of the South Carolina militia (1812–1914), and is one of the city's three nationally registered historic sites.
Other historic sites listed in theNational Register of Historic Places includeArcheological Site 38CK1,Archeological Site 38CK44,Archeological Site 38CK45,Carnegie Free Library,Coopersville Ironworks Site (38CK2) and Susan Furnace Site (38CK67),Cowpens Furnace Site (38CK73),Winnie Davis Hall,Ellen Furnace Site (38CK68),Gaffney Commercial Historic District,Gaffney Residential Historic District,Irene Mill Finishing Plant,Jefferies House,Limestone Springs Historic District,Magness-Humphries House,Nesbitt's Limestone Quarry (38CK69), andSettlemyer House.[18]
The city's park system include askatepark, two passive parks, and several children's playgrounds.[19]
Gaffney is served by the Cherokee County School District, which is one unified school district. Public schools in Gaffney include:
Private schools in Gaffney include:
Colleges & universities:
Gaffney is located on theInterstate 85 corridor, linking it toAtlanta andCharlotte.U.S. Route 29 passes through the center of Gaffney.
Public transit is available through the Gaffney Cab Company.
The region is served by two airports,Greenville–Spartanburg International Airport, andCharlotte Douglas International Airport.
ThePeachoid water tower is a water tower shaped like a peach, and serves both artistic and practical functions.
Fictional politicianFrank Underwood, the protagonist of theNetflix seriesHouse of Cards, is a native of the city and its congressman in theU.S. House of Representatives (forSouth Carolina's 5th congressional district) and laterPresident of the United States. ThePeachoid was shown, and referred to in multiple episodes.[25][26]
{{cite web}}:|last= has generic name (help)Municipalities and communities ofCherokee County, South Carolina,United States | ||
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| Other communities | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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