Woodruff, South Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Woodruff, South Carolina
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| Motto(s):
"Time Well Spent"
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Location of Woodruff, South Carolina
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| 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)
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| • 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
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| Area codes | 864, 821 | |
| 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 (34.740530, -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 plant costing US$2,500,000 (equivalent to US$27,550,125 in 2022), 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 | |||
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| 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
| 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
- Ken "The Hawk" Harrelson, former Major League Baseball player, current TV broadcaster for the Chicago White Sox.
- Sammy Taylor, major league baseball player from 1958 to 1963 with the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds.
- Tony Rice (American football), quarterback for University of Notre Dame (1986-1988, 1988 NCAA Football National Champions), Canadian Football League and World League of American Football.
- Wilson Casey, Trivia Guinness World Record holder, professional entertainer/speaker, nationally syndicated newspaper columnist in 500+ newspapers, most-read writer from the Carolinas with 50 versions of published books, works, and calendars.
- Willie Varner (1926-2009), in the National High School Sports Hall of Fame.
- Tory Dandy, sports agent
See also
In Spanish: Woodruff (Carolina del Sur) para niños
