Ehrhardt, South Carolina

Ehrhardt, South Carolina
Town
Location of Ehrhardt, South Carolina
Coordinates: 33°5′45″N81°0′48″W / 33.09583°N 81.01333°W / 33.09583; -81.01333
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
County	Bamberg
Chartered (town)	1898
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council
• Mayor	William Stanley
Area [1]
• Total	3.11 sq mi (8.06 km2)
• Land	3.11 sq mi (8.06 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation [2]	141 ft (43 m)
Population  (2020) [3]
• Total	457
• Density	146.85/sq mi (56.71/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	29081
Area code(s)	803, 839
FIPS code	45-23200 [4]
GNIS feature ID	1222249 [2]
Website	ehrhardtsc.com

Ehrhardt is a town in Bamberg County, South Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 545. ^[5]

History

Ehrhardt was named for Conrad Ehrhardt (1832-1908), a German emigrant to South Carolina and successful saw mill operator, who was also the progenitor of a prominent local family of that name. ^[6]

The Copeland House and Rivers Bridge State Park are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. ^[7]

Geography

Ehrhardt is located in southern Bamberg County at 33°5′45″N81°0′48″W / 33.09583°N 81.01333°W / 33.09583; -81.01333 (33.095899, -81.013226). ^[8] U.S. Route 601 runs through the town, leading north 14 miles (23 km) to Bamberg, the county seat, and south 17 miles (27 km) to Hampton. South Carolina Highway 64 crosses US 601 in Ehrhardt, leading southeast 26 miles (42 km) to Walterboro and northwest 24 miles (39 km) to Barnwell.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Ehrhardt has a total area of 3.1 square miles (8.1 km²), all of it land. ^[5]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1900	215		—
1910	315		46.5%
1920	495		57.1%
1930	432		−12.7%
1940	407		−5.8%
1950	510		25.3%
1960	482		−5.5%
1970	478		−0.8%
1980	353		−26.2%
1990	442		25.2%
2000	614		38.9%
2010	545		−11.2%
2020	457		−16.1%
U.S. Decennial Census [9] [3]

As of the census ^[4] of 2000, there were 614 people, 253 households, and 154 families residing in the town. The population density was 193.1 inhabitants per square mile (74.6/km²). There were 317 housing units at an average density of 99.7 per square mile (38.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 40.07% White, 56.84% African American, 1.95% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.77% of the population.

There were 253 households, out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.0% 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 3.15.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 30.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 76.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $22,813, and the median income for a family was $41,250. Males had a median income of $31,875 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,874. About 17.0% of families and 22.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.6% of those under age 18 and 23.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Since 2022 it is a part of the Bamberg County School District. ^[10] Prior to 2022, it was in the Bamberg School District One. ^[11] The public high school is Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School.

Bamberg 1 formerly operated Ehrhardt Elementary School. ^[12] In 2008 the Bamberg 1 district sought to close Ehrhardt Elementary. Area residents considered filing a lawsuit and attempting to convert the school into a charter school. ^[13] The former elementary school became the town hall. ^[14]

Schützenfest

The Schützenfest commemorates the town's rich German heritage and their German founder, Conrad Ehrhardt, an immigrant from Weiterode, Kurhessen, Germany. The festival is held annually.

References

1. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Ehrhardt, South Carolina
3. "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
4. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
5. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Ehrhardt town, South Carolina". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2014.
6. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  115.
7. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
8. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
9. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
10. Gleaton, Dionne (January 29, 2023). "PROGRESS/AUGUST 2022: Bamberg County brings school districts together". The Times and Democrat . Retrieved May 31, 2024.
11. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Bamberg County, SC" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved May 31, 2024. - Text list
12. "Our Schools". Bamberg School District One. Archived from the original on December 16, 2003. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
13. "Consolidation, charter school designation, lawsuit seen as options to closing school". The Times and Democrat . May 21, 2008. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
14. "Contact Us". Town of Ehrhardt. Retrieved May 31, 2024. We are located in the old Ehrhardt Elementary School.[...]Town of Ehrhardt • 13704 Broxton Bridge Rd. • Ehrhardt SC 29081

External links

• Town of Ehrhardt
• Information on the Town of Ehrhardt from the Bamberg County Chamber of Commerce