Anderson South Carolina
So you want to know a little about my home town of Anderson South Carolina in Upstate SC? Whether you are considering relocating, buying or selling your home, interested in local market reports for real estate, browsing the MLS for homes and land for sale, knowledge about the city of Anderson is the key to making any good decision regarding a real estate transaction.
Anderson is the county seat of Anderson County, South Carolina. The City was founded in December 1826 and incorporated by an Act of Legislature in 1833. Anderson is the center of an urbanized area of 70,530. Anderson is small enough to still be friendly but big enough to offer all the amenities of a large metropolitian city. Anderson covers 13,8 square miles. Anderson is located in the northwestern corner of South Carolina in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. There are many lakes and rivers nearby, most notably Lake Hartwell. It is located along the South Carolina Heritage Corridor right off Interstate I-85, being about 2 hours from both Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina.
The 2000 census found thate there were 25,514 people, 10,641 households, and 6,299 families residing in the city. The population was reported in 2007 as 26,404.
Anderson is nicknamed "The Electric City" and "The Friendliest City in South Carolina." The spirit and quality of life in Anderson has earned national recognition as Anderson County was named an "All-America City" in 2000.
Why is Anderson called the "Electric City"? In the late 1800s, Anderson boasted numerous textile mills. Anderson engineer William Whitner produced a way for electricity to be conducted by wires to these mills using hydroelectric power. Anderson was the first city in the United States to have a continuous supply of electric power and the first in the world to create a cotton gin operated by electricity. Mr. Whitner has several places of distinction in Downtown Anderson, including a statue in front of the Anderson County Courthouse and a street named in his honor. Also, at the corner of McDuffie and Whitner Streets, you will find Generator Park. On the grounds of this 10,000 square-foot park stands the century-old generator that was operated by Whitner at the Portman Power Plant.
Downtown Anderson is the brightest part of the Electric City! The surge of development has brought Downtown Anderson charming new places to shop, dine, live, and work, with others in progress. Downtown Anderson seamlessly blends heritage with the present and the future. You will find a wide variety in downtown, from traditional Southern cuisine to modern cafes, from antique shops to contemporary art galleries. The construction of a parking garage downtown with 10,000+ sq ft of retail space began in October, 2008 and is scheduled to be complete by the end of March, 2009. The streetscape construction of W. Whitner St, Townsend St and Murray Ave along the side of the garage will take place after major construction activities of the retail space has been completed.
The city of Anderson is served by the Anderson County School System (specifically, Anderson School District Five). The school district has 11 elementary schools, three middle schools, and two high schools. A new middle school is to be built soon. The purpose for the new middle school is to relieve overcrowding at McCants Middle School. The school district is refurbishing Concord, Homeland Park, Centerville, Midway, and Varennes Elementary Schools.
There are four colleges and one technical college within a 30-mile radius of Anderson:
Tri-County Technical College
Anderson's cultural and recreational amenities make it a great place to live. Anderson provides abundant recreation and tourism opportunities. Lake Hartwell has 960 miles of shoreline and offers boating, skiing, fishing and just pure relaxation. The City of Anderson provides local recreation opportunities with its 4 community centers, 18 parks, and 22 tennis courts on 181 acres. The city also has joint partnership with Anderson School District 5 for two swimming facilities.
The continual growth of urban Anderson results in increased developments for its residents. According to the 2000 census, population of Anderson County increased from 145,196 in 1990 to 165,740 in 2000.
Residents have been able to enjoy the sports and entertainment found at Clemson University, just 20 minutes from the City of Anderson. County residents as well as out of town visitors can enjoy a wide variety of first-class sports, cultural and educational events. Several thousand fans utilize hotels, motels, and restaurants each fall as they attend football games at Clemson University. During these five or six weekends per year, visitors pump hundreds of thousands of dollars into the local economy.
Closer to home, Anderson College also provides a full calendar of cultural events at its Callie Stringer Rainey Fine Arts Center. The center has a 1,100 seat auditorium, recital hall, theater, and art gallery. The Anderson Symphony, Greater Anderson Musical Consortium (GAMAC), and the Anderson Chamber Orchestra often provide concerts at the Rainey Fine Arts Center.
The Anderson Civic Center, which seats 5,100 also provides various community events, professional performers, trade shows and craft shows. The Civic Center is complemented by a 15,000 seat amphitheater, and a $4 million sports complex containing 4 softball fields, 1 NCAA baseball field, 3 soccer fields, 8 tennis courts, playgrounds, nature trails, and jogging tracks. The 64-acre Anderson Sports and Entertainment Center is capable of booking musical events, baseball tournaments, and nationally known artists of every type.
The Electric City Depot and Anderson County Farmer's Market has 30 bays for selling and a parking capacity for 36 trucks. The building is not only used for the farmers, but is used as a multi-functional facility for other city events, such as a downtown barbeque or arts and crafts shows.
Anderson County is an important part in the overall Upstate retail market due to its location and regional appeal. Studies have revealed that with more than 1,000 wholesale and retail trade businesses, shoppers from at least eleven counties, in South Carolina and Georgia, visit Anderson regularly. Gross annual retail sales in Anderson County have shown a steady increase over the past ten years. Sales have grown from $1.8 billion in 1990 to over $3.0 billion in 1999.
When driving along Clemson Boulevard in Anderson, it's easy to see that this area has become the commercial center of the county. The Anderson retail market is anchored by several large retail centers along Clemson Boulevard. Some examples include Anderson Mall, Target, Best Buy, Lowes, Home Depot, Office Depot, Staples, Circuit City and too many fine restuarants to list. If you can't find it on Clemson Boulevard, you probably don't need it!
Anderson is the home town of Jim Rice, baseball Hall of Fame Inductee.
If you would like to see homes for sale in Anderson, South Carolina please feel free to Contact Me or use my website to search real estate for sale in Anderson SC. Also be sure to check out my page of Articles about Real Estate, my blog about Upstate SC and my page about Anderson County!