Lake City, South Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lake City, South Carolina
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Historic Downtown Lake City
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| Motto(s):
"Harvesting our past, cultivating our future"
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Location of Lake City in South Carolina
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| Country | United States | |
| State | South Carolina | |
| County | Florence | |
| Settled | 1736 | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 5.46 sq mi (14.13 km2) | |
| • Land | 5.45 sq mi (14.11 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) | |
| Elevation | 75 ft (23 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,903 | |
| • Density | 1,083.32/sq mi (418.31/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
29560
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| Area code(s) | 843, 854 | |
| FIPS code | 45-39310 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 1246275 | |
Lake City is a city located in Florence County, South Carolina, United States. It is in the central part of South Carolina. Lake City is south of Florence and is part of the larger Florence Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2020, about 5,903 people lived there.
Contents
Discovering Lake City's Past
How Lake City Got Its Start
The area where Lake City is now was first settled in 1736. A group of people from Scotland and Ireland moved there. It was first known as "Graham's Crossroads." This name came from Aaron Graham, who owned land where the main streets of Church and Main are today.
The Railroad Brings Growth
In 1856, the Northeastern Railroad built its main line through the area. This helped the community grow a lot. On March 4, 1874, the town officially became a city and was named Graham.
Why the Name Changed to Lake City
On December 24, 1883, the town changed its name to "Lake City." This happened because there was another post office in South Carolina with a similar name. The new name came from the swimming lakes just north of the town.
Farming and the "Bean Capital"
By 1893, Lake City had about 300 people. Just five years later, by 1898, the area became famous for growing strawberries. It was the top strawberry farming area in South Carolina.
Lake City was once known as the "Bean Capital of the World." This was because of its important Bean Market downtown. This building was built in 1936. It was a central place where farmers from all over the South could sell their beans. Today, the Bean Market is used for events and community gatherings. It is also listed as a historic place in the National Register of Historic Places. Another historic building in Lake City is the W.T. Askins House.
Where is Lake City Located?
Lake City is in the southern part of Florence County. Its exact location is 33°52′4″N 79°45′22″W / 33.86778°N 79.75611°W. U.S. Route 52 is the main highway that goes through the city. It leads north about 24 miles to Florence, which is the county seat. It also goes south about 17 miles to Kingstree.
Another major road, U.S. Route 378, crosses US 52 about 1.5 miles north of the city center. This road goes east about 45 miles to Conway and west about 35 miles to Sumter.
Lake City covers a total area of about 5.46 square miles (14.13 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a very small amount of water. Lake Swamp flows through the northern part of the city. It drains into the Lynches River and then into the Pee Dee River.
Who Lives in Lake City?
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 374 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,074 | 187.2% | |
| 1920 | 1,606 | 49.5% | |
| 1930 | 1,942 | 20.9% | |
| 1940 | 2,522 | 29.9% | |
| 1950 | 5,112 | 102.7% | |
| 1960 | 6,059 | 18.5% | |
| 1970 | 6,247 | 3.1% | |
| 1980 | 6,731 | 7.7% | |
| 1990 | 7,153 | 6.3% | |
| 2000 | 6,478 | −9.4% | |
| 2010 | 6,675 | 3.0% | |
| 2020 | 5,903 | −11.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Lake City's Population in 2020
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 933 | 15.81% |
| Black or African American | 4,647 | 78.72% |
| Native American | 21 | 0.36% |
| Asian | 27 | 0.46% |
| Other/Mixed | 143 | 2.42% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 132 | 2.24% |
According to the 2020 United States Census, there were 5,903 people living in Lake City. These people made up 2,415 households and 1,568 families.
Learning in Lake City
Lake City has a public library. It is a part of the Florence County Library System. This means kids and adults can borrow books and use other resources there.
Famous People from Lake City
Lake City is the hometown of several notable people.
- Derrick Burgess (born 1978) was an NFL player for the Oakland Raiders.
- Brad J. Cox (1944–2021) helped create the programming language Object-C. This language was important for building Mac OS and iOS.
- D. T. Cromer (born 1971) is a former Major League Baseball player.
- Tripp Cromer (born 1967) is also a former Major League Baseball player.
- Derrick Faison (1967–2004) was a professional football player for the Los Angeles Rams.
- Ronald McNair (1950–1986) was an astronaut. He was one of the astronauts who died during the launch of the space shuttle Challenger. Lake City has a public library and a memorial park named after him.
- Darla Moore (born 1954) is a well-known investor and a person who gives money to good causes.
Images for kids
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Astronaut Ronald McNair. Lake City has several sites named in McNair’s honor, including a public library and memorial park.
See also
In Spanish: Lake City (Carolina del Sur) para niños
