Blacksburg, South Carolina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Blacksburg, South Carolina
Town
Shelby Street in Uptown Blacksburg
Seal
Nickname(s):  Iron City
Motto(s):  "Beginning the New Beginning"
Blacksburg, South Carolina Location in South Carolina
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
County	Cherokee
Incorporated	1888
Government
• Type	Administrator-Council Government
Area
• Town	1.87 sq mi (4.85 km2)
• Land	1.87 sq mi (4.85 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	761 ft (232 m)
Population  (2020)
• Town	1,889
• Density	1,009.62/sq mi (389.78/km2)
• Metro	9,655
Time zone	UTC5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	29702
FIPS code	45-06400
GNIS feature ID	1246907

Blacksburg is a small town located in Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States. In 2020, about 1,889 people lived there. It's known as "Iron City" because of its history with iron mining.

Blacksburg is in the "Upstate" part of South Carolina. It's about 45 miles southwest of Charlotte, North Carolina. The town is part of a larger area called the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Combined Statistical Area. This area had over 1.4 million people in 2018.

History of Blacksburg

The area where Blacksburg is now was first settled by a man named Stark. He tried to start a farming business, but it didn't work out. People who stayed in the area called it "Stark's Folly."

Railroad and Early Growth

The railroad played a major role in the history of Blacksburg.

Later, in the late 1800s, the Black family lived there. John G. Black, who had fought in the American Civil War, convinced a railroad company to build tracks and a train station in the town. Because of him, the town was first called "Black's Station." It officially became a town in 1876. In 1888, its name was changed to "Blacksburg."

Major John F. Jones from Massachusetts came to Blacksburg to manage the railroad. He cared a lot about the town. He used his own money to build a school, a hotel (the Cherokee Inn), and other buildings. He lived in Blacksburg until 1922.

The "Iron City" Boom

In the 1890s, a lot of iron ore was discovered nearby. Many people came to Blacksburg hoping to get rich from mining. The town quickly grew into a "boom town." This means it grew very fast as people rushed in. New hotels and places to eat were built for all the visitors. For a short time, the town was even called "Iron City."

Because of this "iron rush," Blacksburg became quite wealthy. It was one of the first towns in Upstate South Carolina, and maybe the whole state, to have electric street lights! Even though its name is Blacksburg, it still uses the nickname "Iron City" today.

The Kings Mountain State Park Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. This means it's an important historical site.

Geography

Blacksburg is located in the northeastern part of Cherokee County. It is about 4 miles south of the North Carolina border.

The town covers a total area of about 1.87 square miles (4.85 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Part of Whitaker Mountain is in the northern corner of the town. The top of the mountain is just outside the town limits.

Population Information

2020 Census Details

The 2020 United States census counted 1,889 people living in Blacksburg. There were 785 households (groups of people living together) and 329 families in the town.

Transportation

Major Roads

• Interstate 85 passes northwest of Blacksburg. You can get to it from Exits 100 and 102. There's also a welcome center for South Carolina travelers nearby.
• US 29 is a two-lane road that goes through the center of town. It's the main street, called Cherokee Street. It leads to Gaffney (8 miles southwest) and Grover, North Carolina (6 miles northeast).
• South Carolina Highway 5 is a four-lane road east of the town center. It connects to York (19 miles southeast) and Rock Hill (34 miles southeast).
• South Carolina Highway 198 is a four-lane road that starts near I-85. It goes north for 14 miles to Shelby, North Carolina.

Education

Public schools in Blacksburg are managed by the Cherokee County School District. The schools include:

• Blacksburg Primary School
• Blacksburg Elementary School
• Blacksburg Middle School
• Blacksburg High School

Blacksburg also has a public library. It is part of the Cherokee County Library System.

Local News

• The Cherokee Chronicle is a newspaper for Cherokee County. It comes out on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• The Gaffney Ledger is a newspaper from Gaffney, about 10 miles southwest of Blacksburg. It is published on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Arts and Culture

Festivals and Events

• Iron City Festival: This festival started in 2006. It celebrates the founding of Blacksburg and is held every year on the third weekend in April.
• Battle of Kings Mountain Anniversary: On October 7-8 each year, an event is held at the Kings Mountain National Military Park. It honors those who fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain during the American Revolutionary War.

Nearby Attractions

• Kings Mountain National Military Park and State Park: These parks are about 8 miles northeast of Blacksburg. They remember an important battle from the Revolutionary War.
• The Peachoid: This is a famous water tank shaped like a giant peach! It can hold 1 million gallons of water. You can find it about 10 miles west of Blacksburg, in Gaffney.

Notable People

Some famous people who have connections to Blacksburg include:

• Jason Gilfillan, a professional baseball player. He graduated from Blacksburg High School in 1994.
• James Rhyne Killian, who was the 10th president of MIT.
• Mikki Moore, a professional basketball player. He graduated from Blacksburg High School in 1993.
• Judy Rose, who was the director of athletics at UNC Charlotte.

See also

In Spanish: Blacksburg (Carolina del Sur) para niños