Liberty, South Carolina
Liberty, South Carolina | ||
---|---|---|
Coordinates: 34°47′18″N 82°41′42″W / 34.78833°N 82.69500°W | ||
Country | United States | |
State | South Carolina | |
County | Pickens | |
Government | ||
• Type | Mayor–council government | |
• Body | Liberty City Council | |
• Mayor | Erica Romo Woods | |
• City Council | List
| |
Area FIPS code | 45-41380[4] | |
GNIS feature ID | 1246350[2] | |
Website | www.libertysc.com |
Liberty is a city in
Toponymy
How exactly Liberty got its name has been a source of debate over the years. There are no real historical accounts of why Liberty was given the name it was. The most popular—though probably mythical—story regarding the reason the area was named Liberty was put forth by Mrs. Annie Craig in 1936: "At the close of the Revolutionary War a religious meeting was being held at a church close to a spring near the present town of Liberty when the word came that Cornwallis had surrendered and the colonies had gained their independence. This church was named Liberty and it and the spring were located just beyond where the cemetery is now located, hence the name Liberty."[5]
Some have claimed that Liberty was once named Salubrity Springs, but was renamed Liberty in the late 19th century. References to early land records, however, suggest that such is not the case. While there are many records that refer to the area as Liberty Spring, there are no private or legal documents that contain a reference to Salubrity Spring.[6] The first reference to Salubrity comes from the name of a farm purchased by the Rev. Allen Fuller, Universalist, in 1837. In 1839, Mr. Fuller set up a post office in his home, naming it the Salubrity Post Office. This post office remained in operation until February, 1876, three years after the first official Liberty post office was established in 1873.[7] Once the town of Liberty was chartered a little more than a month after the Salubrity post office closed, the name Salubrity became little more than a memory.
History
Early history (to 1890)
Liberty today sits on land that was once part of the Cherokee Indians' hunting ground. The Otarre, or Lower Hill Cherokees, had several thriving villages along the riverbanks in the area; perhaps the most notable example being the village of Keowee, located near the modern day Oconee and Pickens County line. Cherokee tribesmen, who often survived by growing crops, and tended to live in small villages, were in many ways more domesticated than other Native American tribes. The Cherokee also hunted game, believing that the foothills were a sacred hunting ground for deer, buffalo, and other large animals.[8]
Tradition holds that
Much of the history of the Liberty area in the late 18th century is unknown. By 1800, Liberty—then called Liberty Spring—was included in the newly formed Pendleton District, which included most of modern-day Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens Counties. During the
The Civil War and Reconstruction Era (1860–1877)
In 1860, a group of Pickens County delegates went to
After the war, Pickens District, like the rest of the South, was placed under martial law by Union troops.
The Founders' Era (1876–1900)
Liberty's official recognition as a town came soon after the Charlotte-Atlanta Airline Railway was completed in the early 1870s.
In 1877, James Avenger was appointed the town's first marshall. The marshall, a forerunner to today's chief of police, was satirized in a Pickens Sentinel article that claimed, "there was nothing for him to do, except to look after the cows that go astray."[21] The town's first mayor W.E. Holcombe, a lawyer and former state senator, was elected in 1876.[22] He, like every succeeding mayor until the early 20th century, conducted most municipal business in his own home. Several schools were already in operation by this time, with most being privately funded, and sponsored either by the community or by the local churches. The Liberty First Baptist Church had existed prior to the city's founding, being located at the old Liberty Spring site.[23] Reports indicate the Church had a congregation as early as year 1802, when they met at an old log house north of the present-day town. The Liberty Presbyterian Church was built in 1883 at its present site; formerly the church's members had worshiped at Mt. Carmel Church in the country.[24]
The Textile Era (1900–1980)
Liberty's next change came in 1901, when Mr. Jeptha P. Smith organized and started the first
The growth of cotton mills in the area brought about a major shift in the way people lived. Many migrated away from farmlands to the mill villages, and went from growing food to survive to earning hourly wages in the mills. Though farming was a hard life, early mill life was grueling in its own right; mill workers—condescendingly referred to as lintheads—often worked twelve or more hours a day in unventilated rooms.[26] Nevertheless, most workers believed that they were fortunate just to have such work, and willingly worked in the same mills all their lives. In many mill village families, both the husband and wife worked in the same mill.
Outside of the mills, several other major changes also happened during this long time period. Electricity came to Liberty in 1910, when Mr. J. Warren Smith, a salesman, installed two gasoline generators downtown to operate the first street lights and the lights of several shops. By 1928, demand had increased to the point that Mr. Smith decided to sell his assets to Duke Power, which established a small office downtown.[27] The Liberty Fire Department was first established in 1925, with J. Warren Smith—the same man who brought electricity to Liberty—being named as the first fire chief. The Fire Department moved into its present building in 1974.[28] The first town library originated in 1947 as a small room located in the same building as City Hall. The Sarlin Community Library, the one in current use, was built at its present location in 1966.[29] Liberty's police department was finally organized in the 1920s, when the city employed a chief of police and two policemen. The first telephone service came to Liberty in 1902, when Southern Bell installed a telephone switchboard in the same building as the post office. The first water plant for the town was built in 1918 on Black Snake Road. This plant initially supplied water to around one hundred homes. This plant was phased out by 1956 after a newer waterworks site was built on Eighteen Mile Creek.[30]
The former Mohawk Carpet plant is currently occupied by Southern Vinyl Windows & Doors, a major employer in the area.
Geography
Liberty is located at 34°47′18″N 82°41′42″W / 34.78833°N 82.69500°W (34.788390, -82.694865).[31]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town had a total area of 4.3 square miles (11 km2), all of it land.
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1880 | 149 | — | |
1890 | 211 | 41.6% | |
1900 | 368 | 74.4% | |
1910 | 1,058 | 187.5% | |
1920 | 1,705 | 61.2% | |
1930 | 2,128 | 24.8% | |
1940 | 2,240 | 5.3% | |
1950 | 2,291 | 2.3% | |
1960 | 2,657 | 16.0% | |
1970 | 2,860 | 7.6% | |
1980 | 3,167 | 10.7% | |
1990 | 3,228 | 1.9% | |
2000 | 3,009 | −6.8% | |
2010 | 3,269 | 8.6% | |
2020 | 3,366 | 3.0% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[32][3] |
2020 census
Race | Num. | Perc. |
---|---|---|
White (non-Hispanic)
|
2,795 | 83.04% |
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)
|
212 | 6.3% |
Native American
|
24 | 0.71% |
Asian
|
16 | 0.48% |
Other/Mixed
|
173 | 5.14% |
Latino
|
146 | 4.34% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,366 people, 1,396 households, and 929 families residing in the city.
2000 census
As of the
There were 1,267 households, out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the town the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $31,055, and the median income for a family was $37,656. Males had a median income of $30,753 versus $21,051 for females. The
Arts and culture
Liberty Idol, was a karaoke style singing competition based on the popular American Idol television series, began in 2006 and lasted 6 seasons. Crowds at Liberty Idol peaked at 3500.[34]
In the media
The film The Midnight Man starring Cameron Mitchell was filmed in the Liberty, Six Mile, and Clemson areas in the 1970s.[35]
A majority of the 1999
Education
Liberty is a part of the School District of Pickens County. It includes a primary school (grades PK-2), an elementary school (Grades 3-5), one middle school (Grades 6-8), and one high school (Grades 9-12). There are 842 students enrolled in Liberty Elementary School, 731 students enrolled at Liberty Middle School, and 690 students enrolled at Liberty High School. 2 new schools were recently built in 2011. The current mascots are the Red Devils for Liberty High School, the Liberty Lab for Liberty Elementary School, Falcons for Liberty Middle School, and Wolfpack for Liberty Primary School.
Liberty has a public library, the Sarlin Community Library, a branch of the Pickens County Library System.[37]
Government
The City of Liberty operates under a Mayor–Council form of municipal government. The mayor acts as an executive and oversees the day to day operation of the city. The council acts as a legislator and enact ordinances, levy taxes, adopt a budget and set compensation. The mayor is elected at-large. There are six council members; two are elected at-large and four are elected based on wards.[38]
District[39] | Council Member |
---|---|
Mayor | Erica Romo Woods |
Ward 1 | Robbie Shoeleben |
Ward 2 | Lavant Padgett |
Ward 3 | Daniel Graybeal |
Ward 4 | Jeff Massie |
At Large | Zachary Arms |
At Large | Rhonda Whitaker |
References
- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Liberty, South Carolina
- ^ a b "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ Craig, Annie B. "Liberty." Pickens County History (1936):
- ^ Woodson, Julia. Liberty, South Carolina: 1876-1976. Greenville, SC: A Press, 1992. 1.
- ^ Woodson, Julia. "Liberty." 118
- ^ McFall, Pearl. It Happened in Pickens County. Pickens, SC: The Sentinel Press, 1989. 8-11.
- ^ McFall, Pearl. "It Happened in Pickens County," 7.
- ^ McFall, Pearl. "It Happened in Pickens County," 15.
- ^ McFall, Pearl. "It Happened in Pickens County," 21.
- ^ Woodson, Julia. "Liberty." 1.
- ^ McFall, Pearl. "It Happened in Pickens County," 70.
- ^ McFall, Pearl. "It Happened in Pickens County," 73.
- ^ McFall, Pearl. "It Happened in Pickens County," 75.
- ^ McFall, Pearl. "It Happened in Pickens County," 81.
- ^ McFall, Pearl. "It Happened in Pickens County," 82.
- ^ McFall, Pearl. "It Happened in Pickens County," 104.
- ^ Woodson, Julia. "Liberty." 2
- ^ Woodson, Julia. "Liberty." 3
- ^ Woodson, Julia. "Liberty." 95
- ^ Woodson, Julia. "Liberty." 93
- ^ Woodson, Julia. "Liberty." 19
- ^ Woodson, Julia. "Liberty." 22
- ^ Woodson, Julia. "Liberty." 67-68.
- ^ Browning, Wilt. Linthead. Asheboro, NC: Down Home Press, 1991. A1.
- ^ Woodson, Julia. "Liberty." 90-91.
- ^ Woodson, Julia. "Liberty." 91.
- ^ Woodson, Julia. "Liberty." 92.
- ^ Woodson, Julia. "Liberty." 95-97.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- ^ "Liberty Idol drawing huge crowds each week". May 25, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
- ^ The Tiger, Clemson University, Friday 16 February 1973, Volume LXVI, Number 19, page 1
- ^ "Filming Locations for "Chill Factor"". IMDB. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
- ^ "Pickens County Library System". Pickens County Library System. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
- ^ "Government – City of Liberty, SC". Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ^ "Mayor & Council Members – City of Liberty, SC". Retrieved April 24, 2023.