Irmo, South Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Irmo, South Carolina
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| Motto(s):
"Gateway to Lake Murray and Home of the Okra Strut"
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Location in Richland County and the state of South Carolina.
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| Country | United States |
| State | South Carolina |
| Counties | Lexington, Richland |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.85 sq mi (17.74 km2) |
| • Land | 6.85 sq mi (17.74 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 358 ft (109 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 11,097 |
| • Estimate
(2019)
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12,483 |
| • Density | 1,822.34/sq mi (703.56/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
29063
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| Area code(s) | 803, 839 |
| FIPS code | 45-35890 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1231420 |
| Demonym | Irmite |
Irmo is a town in Lexington and Richland counties, South Carolina, United States and a suburb of Columbia. It is part of the Columbia Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located 12 miles (19 km) northwest of the city center. The population of Irmo was 11,097 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Irmo is located at 34°05′33″N 81°11′10″W / 34.092629°N 81.186073°W (34.092629, -81.186073).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16.2 km2), all land.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 193 | — | |
| 1910 | 267 | 38.3% | |
| 1920 | 236 | −11.6% | |
| 1930 | 365 | 54.7% | |
| 1940 | 230 | −37.0% | |
| 1950 | 281 | 22.2% | |
| 1960 | 359 | 27.8% | |
| 1970 | 517 | 44.0% | |
| 1980 | 3,957 | 665.4% | |
| 1990 | 11,280 | 185.1% | |
| 2000 | 11,039 | −2.1% | |
| 2010 | 11,097 | 0.5% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 12,483 | 12.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 6,466 | 55.89% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 3,518 | 30.41% |
| Native American | 42 | 0.36% |
| Asian | 241 | 2.08% |
| Pacific Islander | 29 | 0.25% |
| Other/Mixed | 610 | 5.27% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 663 | 5.73% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 11,569 people, 4,686 households, and 3,327 families residing in the town.
History
Irmo was chartered on Christmas Eve in 1890 in response to the opening of the Columbia, Newberry and Laurens Railroad. The name of Irmo was the result of combining the names of Captain C.J. Iredell and Henry Moseley, two important figures in the founding of the town. Despite the town's growth, Irmo does not have an actual downtown area. Rather, it consists of several clusters of suburban neighborhoods. Columbiana Centre mall was built in 1990, which led to the growth of the Harbison area.
The Jacob Wingard Dreher House was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Festivals
Irmo is home to the annual Okra Strut, a festival and parade. The festival was spawned in 1973 when the Lake Murray-Irmo Women's Club were trying to find a way to raise money for a new Irmo Public Library. Gene McKay, a news anchor and radio personality for WIS, the NBC affiliate in Columbia, came up with the idea to have a festival based on okra. It started out as a modest arts and crafts sale held in Seven Oaks Park, during which the women also sold okra. By 1978, it had grown into a full-fledged festival with rides, food, and dancing, and even pets/farm animals. By 1980, proceeds from the Okra Strut had gained enough money to pay for the Irmo Town Library. Attendance for the 2010 festival was said to be in excess of 50,000. The 2011 Irmo Okra Strut Festival was held at the Irmo Village shopping center on Friday, September 23 and Saturday, 24, 2011.
Education
Irmo has a public library, a branch of the Lexington County Library.
Irmo Elementary serves grades K-5.
Irmo High School serves grades 9-12.
Notable people
- Tyler Bass (born 1997) NFL Kicker, attended Dutch Fork High School
- Ben Bridwell (born 1978), musician
- Alaina Coates (born 1995), professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky
- Leeza Gibbons (born 1957), talk show host
- Dustin Johnson (born 1984), professional golfer; attended Dutch Fork High School
- B.J. McKie (born 1977), professional basketball player University of South Carolina
- Courtney Shealy (born 1977), swimmer, 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist
- E. Lee Spence, born in 1947, pioneer underwater archaeologist and shipwreck historian
