Walhalla | |
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![]() Oconee County Courthouse | |
![]() Location in Oconee County and the state of South Carolina. | |
Coordinates: 34°46′2″N83°3′52″W / 34.76722°N 83.06444°W | |
Country | United States |
State | South Carolina |
County | Oconee |
First settled | 1848 |
Government | |
• Mayor | Tim Hall |
• Mayor Pro-Tem | Keith Pace |
Area | |
• Total | 3.95 sq mi (10.22 km2) |
• Land | 3.88 sq mi (10.06 km2) |
• Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.16 km2) |
Elevation | 1,027 ft (313 m) |
Population | |
• Total | 4,072 |
• Density | 1,048.13/sq mi (404.68/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
ZIP code | 29691 |
FIPS code | 45-74095 [4] |
GNIS feature ID | 1230451 [2] |
Website | Walhalla, South Carolina |
Walhalla is a city in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Oconee County, South Carolina. Designated in 1868 as the county seat, it lies within the area of the Blue Ridge Escarpment, an area of transition between mountains and piedmont, and contains numerous waterfalls. It is located 16 miles (26 km) from Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina.
This European-American city was founded after Indian Removal of the Cherokee in 1838. Early residents were predominantly German immigrants who had been refugees from the German revolutions of 1848-1849. Some English and Scotch-Irish farmers also settled here. During the Reconstruction era, when Oconee County was organized in 1868, the state legislature designated Walhalla as its county seat. [5]
While the population was 4,263 at the 2010 census, "Walhalla" is used both colloquially and practically to refer to a larger area than is within city limits, often being expanded to the whole 29691 zip code. This larger area has a higher, more spread-out population.
The German Colonization Society of Charleston was founded in 1848 to aid a wave of immigrants from the failures of the German revolutions of 1848-1849 and settle them in The Upstate; in the aftermath, numerous liberal merchants and farmers immigrated to the United States. Society trustees including General John A. Wagener, Claus Bullwinkel, John C. Henckel, Jacob Schroder, and Christopher F. Seeba bought 17,859 acres (72.27 km2) of land for $27,000 from Reverend Joseph Grisham of West Union in the Pickens District on December 24, 1849, to support German settlement in this area. [6]
As mostly political refugees, the German colonists named their settlement Valhalla, in reference to the afterlife in Norse Mythology where warriors would go if selected to fight during Ragnarök. The Germans had sailed from the port of Hamburg, Germany to Charleston. Many were from Bavaria, and the ship also carried some English and Scots-Irish immigrants. [6] [7]
When Oconee County was organized in 1868, Walhalla was selected as the county seat. After this the predominant German population was diluted and became outnumbered by an influx of new settlers, mostly former British settlers from surrounding counties such as Pickens and Anderson. [8]
Ellicott Rock, Keil Farm, Oconee County Cage, Oconee Station and Richards House, St. John's Lutheran Church, Stumphouse Tunnel Complex, and Walhalla Graded School are natural formations and structures in Walhalla that have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [9]
In 1988, Walhalla elected their first (and only) female mayor, Gladys Pepper. [10]
Walhalla is located at 34°46′2″N83°3′52″W / 34.76722°N 83.06444°W (34.767263, -83.064321). [11] The city developed in the northwestern part of the state near the Georgia and North Carolina borders. South Carolina Highway 28 and South Carolina Highway 183 intersect here. The small town of West Union borders Walhalla to the east.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km2), of which 3.7 square miles (9.6 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (1.33%) is water.
The town is built mostly upon granite rock. Near some minor faults, it has been subject to small and infrequent earthquakes. The last nearby earthquake had its epicenter in Newry, South Carolina, and occurred at 7:42 am EDT on May 19, 1971. [12] The earthquake had an intensity of VI (strong) in Newry as measured by the Mercalli intensity scale. The cause of the Newry quake was likely a slippage of the Brevard Fault and other faults in the area, aided by the immense weight of the man-made Lake Keowee, created by the Keowee Dam.
The Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel is located near Walhalla.
Climate data for Walhalla, South Carolina (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1896–present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 81 (27) | 82 (28) | 94 (34) | 94 (34) | 101 (38) | 105 (41) | 106 (41) | 106 (41) | 108 (42) | 98 (37) | 87 (31) | 81 (27) | 108 (42) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 51.7 (10.9) | 55.7 (13.2) | 63.1 (17.3) | 72.2 (22.3) | 78.9 (26.1) | 85.4 (29.7) | 88.5 (31.4) | 87.3 (30.7) | 81.8 (27.7) | 71.7 (22.1) | 62.0 (16.7) | 53.9 (12.2) | 71.0 (21.7) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 40.5 (4.7) | 43.3 (6.3) | 50.1 (10.1) | 58.4 (14.7) | 66.7 (19.3) | 74.2 (23.4) | 77.5 (25.3) | 76.6 (24.8) | 71.0 (21.7) | 59.8 (15.4) | 49.4 (9.7) | 42.9 (6.1) | 59.2 (15.1) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 29.2 (−1.6) | 30.9 (−0.6) | 37.1 (2.8) | 44.7 (7.1) | 54.5 (12.5) | 63.1 (17.3) | 66.5 (19.2) | 66.0 (18.9) | 60.1 (15.6) | 47.8 (8.8) | 36.8 (2.7) | 31.8 (−0.1) | 47.4 (8.6) |
Record low °F (°C) | −5 (−21) | −4 (−20) | 3 (−16) | 20 (−7) | 28 (−2) | 39 (4) | 49 (9) | 49 (9) | 32 (0) | 20 (−7) | 9 (−13) | −3 (−19) | −5 (−21) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 5.43 (138) | 4.78 (121) | 5.17 (131) | 4.75 (121) | 4.79 (122) | 5.25 (133) | 4.93 (125) | 6.17 (157) | 4.89 (124) | 4.60 (117) | 4.54 (115) | 5.80 (147) | 61.10 (1,552) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.8 (2.0) | 0.7 (1.8) | 0.2 (0.51) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.5 (1.3) | 2.2 (5.6) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 10.1 | 9.6 | 10.7 | 9.6 | 10.5 | 11.6 | 12.0 | 12.3 | 8.9 | 7.8 | 8.6 | 10.5 | 122.2 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.4 |
Source: NOAA [13] [14] |
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1870 | 716 | — | |
1880 | 789 | 10.2% | |
1890 | 820 | 3.9% | |
1900 | 1,307 | 59.4% | |
1910 | 1,595 | 22.0% | |
1920 | 2,068 | 29.7% | |
1930 | 2,388 | 15.5% | |
1940 | 2,820 | 18.1% | |
1950 | 3,104 | 10.1% | |
1960 | 3,431 | 10.5% | |
1970 | 3,662 | 6.7% | |
1980 | 3,977 | 8.6% | |
1990 | 3,755 | −5.6% | |
2000 | 3,801 | 1.2% | |
2010 | 4,263 | 12.2% | |
2020 | 4,072 | −4.5% | |
U.S. Decennial Census [15] [3] |
Race | Num. | Perc. |
---|---|---|
White (non-Hispanic) | 2,626 | 64.49% |
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 168 | 4.13% |
Native American | 12 | 0.29% |
Asian | 19 | 0.47% |
Pacific Islander | 3 | 0.07% |
Other/Mixed | 206 | 5.06% |
Hispanic or Latino | 1,038 | 25.49% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,072 people, 1,668 households, and 1,202 families residing in the city.
As of the census [4] of 2000, there were 3,801 people, 1,558 households, and 1,028 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,023.8 inhabitants per square mile (395.3/km2). There were 1,705 housing units at an average density of 459.2 per square mile (177.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 83.19% White, 15.35% Hispanic (of any race), 6.92% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 1.42% from two or more races, and 7.66% other races.
There were 1,558 households, out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% 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 2.98.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,063, and the median income for a family was $34,184. Males had a median income of $28,445 versus $21,106 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,691. About 14.1% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over.
Walhalla has a lending library, a branch of the Oconee County Public Library. [17] It is also home to Walhalla Middle School and James M. Brown Elementary School. Outside of city limits, there is also Walhalla High School and Walhalla Elementary School.
Due to its German heritage, Walhalla established an annual Oktoberfest celebration. [7] It begins on the third Friday of October each year. The festival takes place on Main Street in Walhalla (Hwy 28) and on the city's Sertoma Field, located between the middle school and downtown (Hwy 183). The festival includes art and craft vendors, music, dancing, specialty food vendors, carnival rides, and other festive activities. [18] Walhalla also hosts a Merchant Market every year, taking place shortly after the end of the Oktoberfest; it consists of many businesses selling food and gifts on Main Street. [19]
Pickens County is a county located in the northwest part of the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 131,404. Its county seat is Pickens. The county was created in 1826. It is part of the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Oconee County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 78,607. Its county seat is Walhalla and its largest community is Seneca. Oconee County is included in the Seneca, SC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, SC Combined Statistical Area. South Carolina Highway 11, the Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Highway, begins in southern Oconee County at Interstate Highway 85 at the Georgia state line.
Franklin County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,424. The county seat is Carnesville. On February 25, 1784, Franklin and Washington became Georgia's eighth and ninth counties, with Franklin named in honor of patriot Benjamin Franklin.
Hoschton is a city in Jackson County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,377 at the 2010 census. As of 2018 the estimated population was 1,916.
Bostwick is a city in Morgan County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 378.
Buckhead is a town in Morgan County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town had a population of 194.
Rutledge is a city in Morgan County, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1871, the city had a population of 871 at the 2020 census, up from 781 in 2010.
Helen is a city in White County, Georgia, United States, located along the Chattahoochee River. The population was 531 at the 2020 census. The city has now been made over, as a tourist attraction, to look like an old-world Bavarian village. This idea was suggested by John Kollock, an Atlanta artist.
Erie Township is a civil township of Monroe County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,299 at the 2020 census. Sharing a southern border with the city of Toledo, Ohio, about 45 miles (72 km) southwest of the city of Detroit, the township is one of the southernmost areas included in the Detroit–Warren–Ann Arbor Combined Statistical Area.
Walhalla is a city in Pembina County, North Dakota, United States. It sits on the banks of the Pembina River, five miles from the border with Manitoba (Canada) and approximately 45 mi (72 km) from the border with Minnesota. The population was 893 at the 2020 census.
Newry is a borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 231 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Altoona, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area and one of the communities comprising the Altoona Urban Area.
Newberry is a city in Newberry County, South Carolina, United States, in the Piedmont 43 miles northwest of Columbia. The charter was adopted in 1894. The population was 10,277 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Newberry County; at one time it was called Newberry Courthouse.
Salem is a U.S. town in Oconee County, South Carolina. The population was 135 at the 2010 United States Census.
Seneca is a city in Oconee County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 8,102 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Seneca Micropolitan Statistical Area, an (MSA) that includes all of Oconee County, and that is included within the greater Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, South Carolina Combined Statistical Area. Seneca was named for the nearby Cherokee town of Isunigu, which English colonists knew as "Seneca Town".
West Union is a town in Oconee County, South Carolina, United States. Although its name suggests that it is near Union, they are approximately four counties apart. The population was 291 at the 2010 census.
Westminster is a city in Oconee County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,418 at the 2010 census.
Pickens, formerly called Pickens Courthouse, is a city in and the county seat of Pickens County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,126 at the 2010 census. Pickens changed its classification from a town to a city in 1998, but it was not reported to the Census Bureau until 2001. It was named after Andrew Pickens (1739–1817), an American revolutionary soldier and US Congressman for South Carolina.
St. Andrews is a census-designated place (CDP) in Richland County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 20,493 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel in Oconee County, South Carolina is an incomplete railroad tunnel for the Blue Ridge Railroad of South Carolina in Sumter National Forest. The tunnel, along with nearby Issaqueena Falls, are now a Walhalla city park.
Keowee Key is a lakeside community and census-designated place (CDP) in Oconee County, South Carolina, United States. It is considered part of the Salem community. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census with a population of 2,716.