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Chester, South Carolina

Coordinates:34°42′20″N81°12′42″W/ 34.70556°N 81.21167°W/34.70556; -81.21167
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Chester, South Carolina
City
Chester County Courthouse, built in 1852
Chester County Courthouse, built in 1852
Official seal of Chester, South Carolina
Seal
Nickname(s):
The Picture Perfect City; The Little City on the Big Hill
Motto:
"At The Center Of It All"
Location of Chester, South Carolina
Location of Chester, South Carolina
Coordinates:34°42′20″N81°12′42″W/ 34.70556°N 81.21167°W/34.70556; -81.21167
CountryUnited States
StateSouth Carolina
CountyChester
Government
• TypeCouncil
• MayorCarlos Williams
Area
[1]
• Total3.31 sq mi (8.56 km2)
• Land3.31 sq mi (8.56 km2)
• Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
[2]
541 ft (165 m)
Population
(2020)[3]
• Total5,269
• Density1,593.77/sq mi (615.42/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5(Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)UTC−4(EDT)
ZIP code
29706
Area code(s)803, 839
FIPS code45-14095[4]
GNISfeature ID1247275[2]
Websitewww.chestersc.org

Chesteris a small rural city inChester County, South Carolina,United States. The population was 5,607 at the 2010 census,[5]down from 6,476 at the 2000 census. It is thecounty seatofChester County.[6]

History

[edit]

While being transported toRichmond, Virginia,for his trial for treason, former Vice-PresidentAaron Burrpassed through Chester. Burr "flung himself from his horse and cried for a rescue, but the officer commanding the escort seized him, threw him back like a child into the saddle, and marched on."[7]The large stone he stood on has been inscribed and is preserved in the town center, and is known locally as the Aaron Burr Rock.

Chester was home toBrainerd Institute,a school for African American children.[8]

TheCatholic Presbyterian Church,Chester City Hall and Opera House,Chester Historic District,Colvin-Fant-Durham Farm Complex,Fishdam Ford,Kumler Hall,Lewis Inn,andMcCollum Moundare listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.[9]

Geography and climate

[edit]

Chester is located just west of the center of Chester County at34°42′20″N81°12′42″W/ 34.70556°N 81.21167°W/34.70556; -81.21167(34.705553, -81.211638).[10]U.S. Route 321bypasses the city to the west and the south, leading north 22 miles (35 km) toYorkand south 25 miles (40 km) toWinnsboro.South Carolina Highway 9passes through the city center and leads east 11 miles (18 km) toInterstate 77nearRichburgand west 49 miles (79 km) toSpartanburg.Highways72and121lead northeast 19 miles (31 km) toRock Hilland southwest 28 miles (45 km) toWhitmire.

According to theUnited States Census Bureau,the city has a total area of 3.3 square miles (8.5 km2), all of it land.[5]

Young mill workers in Chester, 1908, photographed byLewis Hine
Climate data for Chester, South Carolina, normals 1981–2010, extremes 1923-present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 82
(28) 		83
(28) 		88
(31) 		96
(36) 		102
(39) 		105
(41) 		106
(41) 		106
(41) 		105
(41) 		100
(38) 		90
(32) 		80
(27) 		106
(41)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 52.1
(11.2) 		56.4
(13.6) 		64.7
(18.2) 		73.6
(23.1) 		80.7
(27.1) 		87.5
(30.8) 		90.5
(32.5) 		88.9
(31.6) 		82.9
(28.3) 		73.4
(23.0) 		64.2
(17.9) 		54.4
(12.4) 		72.4
(22.5)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 29.0
(−1.7) 		31.4
(−0.3) 		37.9
(3.3) 		45.6
(7.6) 		55.6
(13.1) 		64.9
(18.3) 		68.7
(20.4) 		67.8
(19.9) 		60.6
(15.9) 		48.0
(8.9) 		38.4
(3.6) 		30.8
(−0.7) 		48.2
(9.0)
Record low °F (°C) −3
(−19) 		−1
(−18) 		4
(−16) 		21
(−6) 		28
(−2) 		38
(3) 		50
(10) 		47
(8) 		37
(3) 		16
(−9) 		9
(−13) 		−5
(−21) 		−5
(−21)
Averageprecipitationinches (mm) 4.13
(105) 		3.78
(96) 		4.16
(106) 		3.38
(86) 		2.99
(76) 		4.37
(111) 		4.01
(102) 		4.85
(123) 		3.66
(93) 		3.35
(85) 		3.48
(88) 		3.59
(91) 		45.75
(1,162)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 1.1
(2.8) 		1.0
(2.5) 		0.5
(1.3) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		— 0.5
(1.3) 		2.8
(7.1)
Source: NOAA[11]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18801,899—
18902,70342.3%
19004,07550.8%
19104,75416.7%
19205,55716.9%
19305,528−0.5%
19406,39215.6%
19506,8937.8%
19606,9060.2%
19707,0452.0%
19806,820−3.2%
19907,1585.0%
20006,476−9.5%
20105,607−13.4%
20205,269−6.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[12][3]

2020 census

[edit]
Chester racial composition[13]
Race Num. Perc.
White(non-Hispanic) 1,449 27.5%
Black or African American(non-Hispanic) 3,448 65.44%
Native American 11 0.21%
Asian 42 0.8%
Pacific Islander 2 0.04%
Other/Mixed 197 3.74%
HispanicorLatino 120 2.28%

As of the2020 United States census,there were 5,269 people, 2,244 households, and 1,131 families residing in the city.

2000 census

[edit]

As of thecensus[4]of 2000, there were 6,476 people, 2,465 households, and 1,639 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,042.8 inhabitants per square mile (788.7/km2). There were 2,774 housing units at an average density of 875.0 per square mile (337.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 62.26%African American,36.37%White,0.15%Native American,0.28%Asian,0.03%Pacific Islander,0.25% fromother races,and 0.66% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof any race were 0.83% of the population.

There were 2,465 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.4% weremarried couplesliving together, 26.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.3% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,518, and the median income for a family was $32,973. Males had a median income of $27,321 versus $20,802 for females. Theper capita incomefor the city was $13,386. About 16.4% of families and 19.4% of the population were below thepoverty line,including 28.3% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.

Chester is the center of an urban cluster with a total population of 11,140 (2000 census).

Education

[edit]

Chester has apublic library,a branch of the Chester County Library System.[14]

Police

[edit]

The Chester Police Department has a staff of three police officers.

The department includes gang, narcotics and road patrol units.[15]

Although a small town, Chester suffers higher crime rates than the national average in all categories.[16]

In the media

[edit]

Chiefs,aminiseriesbased on the novel byStuart Woods,was filmed in Chester over the course of three months in 1983.[17]It was nominated for three prime-time Emmy awards, and featured a star-studded cast includingCharlton Heston,Keith Carradine,Brad Davis,Paul Sorvino,Billy Dee Williams,Paula KellyandDanny Glover.[18]

In 2014, a celebration of the filming of Chiefs was organized in Chester byCatherine Fleming Brucein collaboration with local organizations. Among the presenters was author Stuart Woods.[19]The Chester newspaper reprinted coverage of Woods' visit to the City on the occasion of his death in 2022.[20]

Notable people

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"ArcGIS REST Services Directory".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedOctober 15,2022.
  2. ^abU.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Chester, South Carolina
  3. ^ab"Census Population API".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedOctober 15,2022.
  4. ^ab"U.S. Census website".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedJanuary 31,2008.
  5. ^ab"Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Chester city, South Carolina".U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived fromthe originalon February 13, 2020.RetrievedJuly 1,2015.
  6. ^"Find a County".National Association of Counties. Archived fromthe originalon May 9, 2015.RetrievedJune 7,2011.
  7. ^,History of the United States of America during the Administrations of Thomas Jefferson,Library of America, 1986, p. 828.
  8. ^"Brainerd Institute".
  9. ^"National Register Information System".National Register of Historic Places.National Park Service.July 9, 2010.
  10. ^"US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990".United States Census Bureau.February 12, 2011.RetrievedApril 23,2011.
  11. ^"NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data".National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.RetrievedJune 12,2016.
  12. ^"Census of Population and Housing".Census.gov.RetrievedJune 4,2015.
  13. ^"Explore Census Data".data.census.gov.RetrievedDecember 14,2021.
  14. ^"South Carolina libraries and archives".SCIWAY.RetrievedJune 7,2019.
  15. ^"Police Department".City of Chester.RetrievedJune 13,2020.
  16. ^"CHESTER, SC CRIME RATES".Neighborhood Scout.RetrievedJune 13,2020.
  17. ^"A Salute to Chiefs", The Rock Hill Herald, July 27, 1983.
  18. ^"Chiefs"– via www.imdb.com.
  19. ^Garner, Brian (October 3, 2014)."Celebration of CBS mini-series 'Chiefs' set for April, receives Humanities grant".The News and Reporter.RetrievedMarch 26,2024.
  20. ^Garner, Brian (July 28, 2022)."An afternoon with Stuart Woods: A remembrance of the author of 'Chiefs'".The News and Reporter.RetrievedMarch 26,2024.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related toChester, South Carolina.

CHESTER OWN "S FAIRFIELD

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