Oconee County South Carolina
Welcome to my information page about Oconee County South Carolina. I hope I can do it justice since there is so much natural beauty to Oconee County, and the people are great, I would hate to let them down. Upstate South Carolina may be a website about real estate, but I want it to also let people from all around the world know about what a great area we are blessed to live in! Oconee County South Carolina is the westernmost county in the state of South Carolina and is referred to as "The Golden Corner". The county seat is Walhalla. Other towns and cities in the county include Seneca, Westminster, Salem, Utica, Long Creek, Mountain Rest, Tamassee, Fair Play and West Union. It is a rare combination of natural beauty and great location that make it a highly desireable place to call home, with friendly neighbors and strong economic growth. The 3 beautiful big lakes in Oconee county are Hartwell, Keowee and Jocasee, as well as the Tugaloo River on the border with Georgia. There are many waterfalls and 13 state and local parks to enjoy the scenic beauty. If you are looking for a place to retire, raise a family or start a new business, Oconee county has so much to offer. And if you are lucky enough to already live here, I do not need to tell you how great Oconee county is!
Population & Demographics
In 2000 the census recorded Oconee county's population at 66,215. In 2005, the US Census Bureau estimated the population had reached 69,577. There were 27,283 households out of which 28.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.80% were married, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.85. In the county, the population was spread out with 22.90% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 26.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.50 males.
Oconee county population in July 2007 was 70,753 with 29% urban and 71% rural. There were 21,380 county owner-occupied houses and condos and 5,903 renter-occupied apartments. There was an estimated 22% of the population renting versus 28% for South Carolina.
The median age is 39.5 years versus the state median age of 35.4. Males made up 49.2% of the population. Average wage per job in 2003 was $30,973 while the county population in 2003 was 68,504. Total labor force in 2004 was 31,944 and the unemployment rate in 2004 was 7.4%.
Estimated median household income in 2007 was $40,197 versus $36,666 in 1999.
History
Oconee County takes its name from the Cherokee word "Ae-quo-nee" which means land beside the water. Oconee was a local Cherokee town that was situated on the main British/Cherokee trading path between Charleston and Mississippi River in the early 1700's.
The Upstate of South Carolina was inhabited by native clans and tribes for thousands of years before the appearance of European settlers. The Cherokee Indians were the last tribe of Native Americans to live in Oconee County in what were known as the "Lower Towns" of the Cherokee. Their villages were almost always located on large streams or rivers to insure a plentiful supply of drinking water, food, and transportation. One of the most important of the Cherokee Lower Towns was Seneca (Esseneca), located at the headwaters of the Savannah River.
In his travels through the South Carolina up country in May 1775, American naturalist William Bartram made this report: "The Cherokee town of Sinica is a very respectable settlement, situated on the East Bank of the Keowee River, though the greatest number of Indian habitations are on the opposite shore, where likewise stands the council-house.. . " During the American Revolution the Patriots built a fort at the site of Seneca town and named it Fort Rutledge, but it came to be called Seneca Fort.
On November 25, 1785, U.S. Treaty Commissioners met with a delegation of Cherokee at Treaty Oak on Hopewell Plantation within sight of the town of Seneca and signed the very first treaty between the new United States of America and the Cherokee Nation.
The modern city of Seneca was founded by Confederate veterans Col. Joseph Norton and Col. Robert Thompson on August 14, 1873. When the new city was named, the tradition established by the naming of our county, and towns in our county was used. The name of the nearby Cherokee village was adopted and the name Seneca continued to be a part of our heritage.
Its location was determined by the junction of the Blue Ridge Railroad and the new Air Line Railroad connecting Charlotte and Atlanta. Governor Wade Hampton signed the charter for the town on March 14, 1874
Oconee county was formed in 1868 from the Pickens District. Nestled in the northwest corner of South Carolina at the edge of the the Blue Ridge Mountains, it was home to the Cherokees Indians but they gave up their lands in treaties signed in 1777 and 1816. After the American Revolution, settlers from other parts of the state began moving in, including the Germans from Charleston who founded the town of Walhalla in 1850. In 1856 work began on a tunnel for the Blue Ridge Railroad that would have linked Charleston with Knoxville, Tennessee, but the Civil War ended that project; the unfinished Stumphouse Tunnel can still be seen today.
Business
Business opportunities are great in Oconee county South Carolina with the strong support of the Economic Development Council and the public/privately funded Oconee Alliance plus very active Chambers of Commerce. The Oconee County Industrial Group, a 25 member also helps to promote industry, work with educators to improve worker skills, represent industry to local government and bring attention to the positive economic impact that industry can expect in Oconee county. Several high tech industries are already located in the county with the all the incentives that any industry could desire to ensure future growth to entice more companies to locate here.
Geography
Oconee county has a hilly landscape that has been used to create man-made lakes. Three large man-made lakes provide residents with fishing, water skiing, sailing as well as hydroelectric power. Hartwell Lake is the biggest and was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1955 and 1963. Lake Kowee is the next biggest lake and the Oconee Nuclear Plant operates by the lake. Lake Jocassee is the third biggest and is also a source for hydroelectric power. Jocasse is popular for its waterfalls and pretty scenery. Bad Creek Reservoir, located in the mountains above Jocassee, is for generating electricity during peak hours. The water level can fall by tens of feet per hour and during off-peak times water is pumped back into the lake for the next peak period. Because of this, boating and swimming are prohibited in the reservoir.
Agriculture
In Oconee county famrs are an average of 89 acres. The average value of agricultural products sold per farm is $64234. Oconee county famrs averaged $48827 in total farm production expenses. There is 21.92% of harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms. Only 2.91% of land in farms is irrigated harvested cropland. The average market value of all machinery and equipment per farm is $28820. 96.01% of farms are operated by a family or individual with 54 being the average age of the principle farm operator. Average number of cattle and calves per 100 acres of all land in farms was about 25, and milk cows account for 1.55% of all cosw and calves. There was 410 acres of corn for grain reported, 894 acres for wheat, 49 acres of upland cotton, 1055 for soybeans, 96 acres for vegetables, and 1300 acres in orchards.
Climate
Seneca has a healthy, invigorating climate well suited for activities as well as comfortable retirement living. The area offers four distinct but mild seasons.
The climate in the Seneca area is temperate with a mean annual temperature of 60°F while the average July temperature is 78°F. The average relative humidity daily is 78% at 1:00 AM; 82% at 7:00 AM; 54% at 1:00 PM; 64% at 7:00 PM.
The mean annual precipitation in the Seneca area is 47.54 inches and the average growing season is 208 days. The elevation of Seneca is 950 feet above sea level.
Seneca, the largest city in Oconee County, is located in the northwestern corner of South Carolina, "The Golden Corner of South Carolina." Seneca is bounded by 18,500-acre Lake Keowee to the north, and to the west and south is Lake Hartwell.
If you are looking to buy real estate in Oconee County, don't forget you can use the Oconee County South Carolina Free MLS Real Estate Search to check out all the homes for sale in Oconee County South Carolina!