Fort Lawn, South Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fort Lawn, South Carolina
Fort's Lawn
|
|
|---|---|
Location of Fort Lawn, South Carolina
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | South Carolina |
| County | Chester |
| Incorporated | 1887 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.39 sq mi (3.61 km2) |
| • Land | 1.39 sq mi (3.61 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 532 ft (162 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 962 |
| • Density | 690.60/sq mi (266.73/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
29714
|
| Area code(s) | 803, 839 |
| FIPS code | 45-26845 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1222502 |
Fort Lawn is a small town located in Chester County, South Carolina. In 2010, about 895 people lived there. By 2020, the population grew to 962 residents.
Contents
History of Fort Lawn
How Fort Lawn Got Its Name
A long time ago, in the 1870s, a man named John A. G. Walker owned a very large farm, or plantation, in Chester County. It was about 1,000-acre (400 ha) big! After he passed away, his wife wanted to build a town on their land. She even wanted to name it Walkerville.
She offered some land to the Chester and Cheraw Railroad company. She hoped they would build a train track through her new town. They did! The Walkers' daughter later married a doctor named Dr. Fort. He had a big house with a nice lawn right next to the railroad tracks. People say that the train's conductor, the person in charge of the train, would call out, "Everybody off for Fort's Lawn!" This is how the town got its unique name.
Growth and Industry
In 1907, a company called Southern Power built a dam nearby. This helped a town called Great Falls grow a lot. Fort Lawn also wanted to grow. In 1959, local leaders worked hard to bring new businesses and factories to the area. Over the next three years, companies like Springs Industries invested a lot of money, about $18 million, to build facilities there. This helped create jobs and make Fort Lawn a more active place.
Geography and Climate
Where is Fort Lawn?
Fort Lawn is located in the eastern part of Chester County. It's about 2 miles (3 km) west of the Catawba River. You can find it at these coordinates: 34°42′3″N 80°53′47″W / 34.70083°N 80.89639°W.
A main road, U.S. Route 21, goes right through the town. If you go north on US 21, you'll reach Rock Hill in about 20 miles (32 km). If you go south, you'll get to Great Falls in about 9 miles (14 km). Another important road, South Carolina Highway 9, crosses US 21 in the middle of Fort Lawn. This road goes east across the Catawba River to Lancaster (about 8 miles (13 km) away) and west to Interstate 77 near Richburg (about 10 miles (16 km) away).
Fort Lawn covers a total area of about 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2). All of this area is land, with no large bodies of water inside the town limits.
Demographics
Population Changes Over Time
The population of Fort Lawn has changed quite a bit over the years. Here's a look at how many people have lived in the town during different census years:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 126 | — | |
| 1910 | 204 | 61.9% | |
| 1920 | 231 | 13.2% | |
| 1930 | 180 | −22.1% | |
| 1940 | 168 | −6.7% | |
| 1950 | 216 | 28.6% | |
| 1960 | 192 | −11.1% | |
| 1970 | 510 | 165.6% | |
| 1980 | 471 | −7.6% | |
| 1990 | 718 | 52.4% | |
| 2000 | 864 | 20.3% | |
| 2010 | 895 | 3.6% | |
| 2020 | 962 | 7.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Who Lives in Fort Lawn? (2020 Census)
The 2020 United States census found that 962 people lived in Fort Lawn. There were 358 households (groups of people living together) and 242 families.
The census also looks at the different groups of people living in a town. Here's a quick look at the main groups in Fort Lawn in 2020:
| Group | Number of People | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic or Latino) | 557 | 57.9% |
| Black or African American (not Hispanic or Latino) | 329 | 34.2% |
| Native American | 3 | 0.31% |
| Asian | 3 | 0.31% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.1% |
| Other or Mixed Race | 56 | 5.82% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13 | 1.35% |
Places of Interest
Landsford Canal State Park
Just about 9 miles (14 km) north of Fort Lawn, you can visit Landsford Canal State Park. This park is special because it's home to the world's largest group of Rocky Shoals spider lilies. These are beautiful white flowers that bloom in the rocky parts of the river. It's an amazing sight to see!
Fort Lawn Community Center
The Fort Lawn Community Center is a hub for many events throughout the year. It's a place where people can gather and enjoy different activities. The center also has a special memorial dedicated to the 9/11 events. This memorial was built using actual pieces of a steel beam from the World Trade Center site in New York City. It's a powerful reminder of that important day in history.
See also
In Spanish: Fort Lawn para niños
