kids encyclopedia robot

Woodruff, South Carolina facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Woodruff, South Carolina
Official seal of Woodruff, South Carolina
Seal
Motto(s): 
"Time Well Spent"
Location of Woodruff, South Carolina
Location of Woodruff, South Carolina
Country United States
State South Carolina
County Spartanburg
Area
 • Total 5.09 sq mi (13.19 km2)
 • Land 5.07 sq mi (13.14 km2)
 • Water 0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)
Elevation
787 ft (240 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 4,212
 • Density 830.11/sq mi (320.48/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
29388
Area code(s) 864
FIPS code 45-79090
GNIS feature ID 1251504
Website www.cityofwoodruff.com

Woodruff is a city in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 4,333 at the 2020 census. The city is part of the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Combined Statistical Area.

Geography

Woodruff is located at 34°44′26″N 82°1′57″W / 34.74056°N 82.03250°W / 34.74056; -82.03250 (34.740530, -82.032580).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.7 square miles (9.6 km2), of which 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2), or 0.54%, is water.

History

In 1787, Joseph Woodruff, his brothers, and other family were listed as members and deacons in the earliest minutes of the Church of Christ at Jamey’s Creek, which would later become Woodruff Baptist Church. As early as 1789, Woodruff purchased two hundred acres of land on Jamey’s Creek, including the present site of Woodruff. By 1825, Woodruff post office (which took its name from the postmaster Thomas Woodruff, Joseph’s son) and Woodruff’s Tavern dominated the crossroads.

Situated in the midst of an expanding cotton region, Woodruff developed as a trade center for the rural farming communities. By the 1850s the town was hosting substantial fairs for the exchange of livestock and domestic manufactures. Woodruff was incorporated in 1874 with a population estimated at 150, but with the coming of the railroad in 1885 the population had grown to an estimated 1,600 by 1886. As a terminus on the rail line, the station at Woodruff included a turntable that would return trains to Augusta, Georgia.

A fair that began in the 1870s grew into a major annual event by the 1890s, drawing visitors from as far away as North Carolina. During the 1880s and 1890s construction steadily progressed along Main Street, with the popular Leatherwood Hotel as the focal point. Industry came to town in 1898 with the arrival of Woodruff Cotton Oil Company, and within three years the newly chartered Woodruff Cotton Mill began operation. By 1907 the W.S. Gray Cotton Mill was established, further expanding Woodruff’s residential base with additional mill houses. Until World War II the major diversion from textiles in the area was peaches, with more than 200,000 trees within a ten-mile radius. During the 1950s, with industries settling near large cities, Woodruff saw a four percent drop in population. But with the 1962 opening of the Jeffery Manufacturing Company, an industrial equipment maker, the town’s industrial base grew and diversified. New jobs attracted residents, and Woodruff’s population reached 4,576 by 1970.

Education

Spartanburg County School District 4 serves Woodruff and nearby areas, encompassing approximately 2,800 students. The district superintendent is Dr. W. Rallie Liston. The district currently operates four schools:

  • Woodruff Primary School
  • Woodruff Elementary School
  • Woodruff Middle School
  • Woodruff High School

Throughout its history, Woodruff High School has achieved significant success in athletics, especially in football. Under the leadership of Coach W. L. Varner, the school's athletics programs have secured numerous state titles.

Woodruff also hosts the Project Fun Homeschool Co-op, which serves students from Spartanburg, Greenville, Laurens, and Union counties. The city has a lending library, a branch of the Spartanburg County Public Library.

Media

Woodruff has a radio station that is Woodruff specific; WQUL is a radio station located in Woodruff that plays oldies, carries local sports games, and keeps the community abreast of local events. It can be found at 101.7 F.M.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 254
1890 380 49.6%
1900 596 56.8%
1910 1,880 215.4%
1920 2,396 27.4%
1930 3,175 32.5%
1940 3,508 10.5%
1950 3,831 9.2%
1960 3,679 −4.0%
1970 4,690 27.5%
1980 5,171 10.3%
1990 4,365 −15.6%
2000 4,229 −3.1%
2010 4,090 −3.3%
2020 4,212 3.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census

Woodruff racial composition
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 2,553 60.61%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 939 22.29%
Native American 11 0.26%
Asian 28 0.66%
Other/Mixed 233 5.53%
Hispanic or Latino 448 10.64%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,212 people, 1,577 households, and 891 families residing in the city.

Notable people

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Woodruff (Carolina del Sur) para niños

kids search engine
Woodruff, South Carolina Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.