Latta, South Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Latta, South Carolina
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Latta water tower
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Location of Latta within South Carolina
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| Country | United States |
| State | South Carolina |
| County | Dillon |
| Settled | c. 1887 |
| Incorporated | March 1890 |
| Named for | Captain Robert Latta |
| Government | |
| • Type | strong council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.10 sq mi (2.84 km2) |
| • Land | 1.10 sq mi (2.84 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 105 ft (32 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,296 |
| • Density | 1,182.48/sq mi (456.66/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
29565
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| Area code(s) | 843, 854 |
| FIPS code | 45-40480 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1246298 |
Latta is a small town located in Dillon County, South Carolina, in the United States. It is the second largest town in Dillon County. In 2010, about 1,379 people lived there.
Contents
History of Latta, South Carolina
Latta was started in 1887. The town grew because people needed a railroad. This railroad made it easier to travel to different places in South Carolina. Before this, people often had to go all the way to Wilmington, North Carolina, to reach many parts of South Carolina.
Building the Railroad and Town
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad built two train stations. One was in Dillon and the other was about 7 miles (11 km) south in Latta. These stations were finished in 1888. Many families moved to this area because of the new railroad. In March 1890, the state government officially made Latta a town.
The town was named after Captain Robert Latta. He was from York County, South Carolina. Captain Latta was an engineer for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. He helped plan where the railroad would go. He also drew the first plans for the town of Latta itself. Because of the railroad, Latta grew very quickly, especially between 1900 and 1910.
Historic Buildings and Places
Latta has a special historic area, mostly along Main Street. Many buildings in this area are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are about 55 buildings in the historic district. They were built between 1890 and 1930.
Latta is also home to one of South Carolina's 13 Carnegie public library buildings. The Latta library opened in 1914. It is one of only five original Carnegie libraries in South Carolina that are still used as libraries today. The post office in Latta has been open since 1888.
Changes in Town Government
In April 2014, the mayor of Latta, Earl Bullard, made a decision to remove Police Chief Crystal Moore from her job. This decision caused a lot of discussion in the town.
In June 2014, the people of Latta voted to change how their town government worked. They decided to switch from a "strong mayor" system to a "strong council" system. This change gave more power to the town council. Because of this new system, the town council was able to bring Crystal Moore back as Latta's police chief. They voted to do this together on June 28, 2014.
Registered Historic Sites in Latta
Several places in Latta are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are important historical sites. They include:
- Joel Allen House
- Catfish Creek Baptist Church
- Early Cotton Press
- John Hayes Farmstead
- Latta Downtown Historic District
- Latta Historic District No. 1
- Latta Historic District No. 2
- McMillan House
- Old Ebenezer Church
Geography of Latta
Latta is located in the southern part of Dillon County. Its exact location is 34°20′18″N 79°25′59″W / 34.33833°N 79.43306°W.
Major Roads and Nearby Towns
U.S. Routes 301 and 501 go through the middle of Latta. They are known as Second Avenue. These roads lead northeast about 6 miles (10 km) to Dillon, which is the main town of the county.
US 501 goes south about 12 miles (19 km) to Marion. US 301 separates from US 501 south of Latta. It then goes southwest about 24 miles (39 km) to Florence. South Carolina Highway 917 is called Main Street in Latta. It goes west about 6 miles (10 km) to Interstate 95 at Exit 181. It also goes southeast about 15 miles (24 km) to Mullins.
Town Area
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Latta covers a total area of about 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2). All of this area is land, with no water.
Population of Latta
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 453 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,358 | 199.8% | |
| 1920 | 1,079 | −20.5% | |
| 1930 | 1,166 | 8.1% | |
| 1940 | 1,334 | 14.4% | |
| 1950 | 1,602 | 20.1% | |
| 1960 | 1,901 | 18.7% | |
| 1970 | 1,764 | −7.2% | |
| 1980 | 1,804 | 2.3% | |
| 1990 | 1,565 | −13.2% | |
| 2000 | 1,239 | −20.8% | |
| 2010 | 1,379 | 11.3% | |
| 2020 | 1,296 | −6.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In the year 2000, there were 1,410 people living in Latta. These people lived in 580 households, and 399 of these were families. The town had about 1,359 people per square mile. There were 665 homes in total.
Population Makeup
The people in Latta came from different backgrounds:
- 57.94% were White
- 40.50% were African American
- 0.71% were Native American
- 0.07% were from other races
- 0.78% were from two or more races
About 0.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.
Households and Age Groups
Out of the 580 households, 25.9% had children under 18 living with them. About 43.6% were married couples. Around 21.4% had a female head of household with no husband present. About 31.2% were not families. Also, 29.7% of all households had only one person living there. About 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.
The average household had 2.43 people. The average family had 3.01 people. The population was spread out by age:
- 24.0% were under 18
- 8.9% were from 18 to 24
- 23.8% were from 25 to 44
- 25.2% were from 45 to 64
- 18.2% were 65 or older
The average age in town was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were about 74.7 males.
Income and Poverty
The average income for a household in Latta was $25,833. For families, the average income was $36,406. Males earned an average of $30,714, while females earned $19,583. The average income per person in the town was $17,451. About 16.5% of families and 21.2% of all people lived below the poverty line. This included 24.9% of those under 18 and 31.4% of those 65 or older.
Education in Latta
Public schools in Latta are managed by the Latta School District. This district runs three schools:
- Latta Elementary School
- Latta Middle School
- Latta High School
Latta also has a public library. It is a part of the Dillon County Library system.
Notable People from Latta
Many interesting people have come from Latta:
- Raymond Felton (born 1984), a professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
- Carlisle Floyd (1926–2021), a famous opera composer.
- Kathryn Frost (1948–2006), a Major General in the United States Army.
- Chuck Jackson (1937–2023), an R&B and soul singer.
- John L. McLucas (1920–2002), who served as the United States Secretary of the Air Force.
- Norm McMillan (1895–1969), a Major League Baseball shortstop, mostly with the Chicago Cubs.
- Leroy Stanton (1946–2019), a professional baseball player for several teams.
- Chuck Brown (comics artist), a creator of comic books.
See also
In Spanish: Latta para niños
