Cherokee County, South Carolina

Cherokee County is a  in  South Carolina of the United States. The county was created in 1897 from the areas of York, Union, and Spartanburg. In 2000, the population of this county was 52,537; in 2005 estimated the county population to be 53,844, the county seat was Gaffney.

History
This area was occupied for thousands of years by and by the historic Cherokee people before European encounter.

When European traders and settlers entered the area, they used the existing Native American paths: called collectively the Trading Path. The Upper Road and Lower Cherokee Traders Path were paths that passed through the piedmont. The former connected to Fredericksburg, Virginia, leading from the Virginia Tidewater into the Piedmont and to the South. The Lower Cherokee Traders Path especially connected areas in present-day western North Carolina, northern South Carolina and northeastern Georgia. In the mid-18th century, waves of British migrants and immigrants, an estimated 250,000 people, traveled by these paths into Cherokee and neighboring counties in the piedmont. This backcountry area was initially settled especially by immigrant, Germans and Anglo-Americans migrating into the area.

In later years, some plantations were developed and African-American slaves were brought into the area as labor.

The, a decisive engagement of the American Revolution's southern theatre, was fought on January 17, 1781, in northwestern Cherokee County, north of the town of Cowpens.

Geography
According to the, the county has a total area of 397 sqmi of which 393 sqmi is the area of land and 5 sqmi of the total area (1.16%) is the area of water.

Mountain peaks

 * Draytonville Mountain
 * Brown's Mountain
 * Thicketty Mountain
 * Whitaker Mountain

Draytonville Mountain is known to locals as McKown's Mountain, named for a farmer who owned much of the land in that area.

Population
According to the, the county had a population of 52,537 people, 20,495 households, and 14,612 families residing in the district. was 134 sqmi. There were 22,400 housing units at an average density of 57 sqmi. The racial structure of the population living in this county includes 46.92% of, 40.56% or , 10.20% , 0.31% of  0.02% , 1.16% from , and 0.84% ​​from two or more races. 2.08% of the population is or  of any race. 39.1% were of, 6.8% of , 5.8% and 5.6% of  according to the results from the.

There are 20,495 households out of which 32.70% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.30% are married couples living together, 15.40% have a female head of household with no husband living with them, and 28.70% are not family. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.53 and the average household size is 3.01.

The structure of the population in this district is as follows 25.80% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 26.60% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.40 % of people are 65 years old or older. The average age is 35 years old. For every 100 females there are 93.80 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there are 90.70 males.

The median income of a household in this county is $33,787, and the median household income in this county is $39,393, Men earn an average of $30,984 vs. $21,298 for women. for the county is $16,421, About 11.00% of families and 23.90% of the population live below the, including 16.90% of those aged 18 years. and 15.20% are people 65 years of age or older.

Transportation
The lifeline of Cherokee County,, runs through the city limits of Gaffney, South Carolina It carries traffic and trade contributing to the business development along Floyd Baker Blvd, the county's main thoroughfare, which bisects. Much of the county's growth occurs along.

The county is also served by US 29, which preceded and today is mostly used for local traffic. The major road in the downtown area of Gaffney was made part of US 29. Several of the major South Carolina highways that serve the county are: SC Highway 11, SC Highway 150, SC Highway 105, SC Highway 18 serve the Gaffney area. SC Highway 5 serves the Blacksburg area.

With no airports of its own, Cherokee County is served by and Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport. A study to determine the feasibility of building an airport in the county revealed that an airport is desperately needed by businesses. Previous studies have determined the structure of the airport and possible airport sites have been narrowed down to two sites - one located just south of Gaffney and one located outside of Blacksburg. A major economic feasibility study is now being conducted, as required for funding by the federal government. If the airport is economically viable, the government could contribute 95% of the funds needed to construct the airport, if the project is authorized by Congress. If the study fails, then no federal funding will be provided.

Nuclear power plant
In 2002, the President administration initiated the Nuclear Power 2010 Program, to encourage development of  to meet energy needs. The program developed streamlining of approval processes for licensing and had subsidies. Additional incentives were authorized under the Nuclear Power Act of 2005.

On March 16, 2006 Duke Power announced that a Cherokee County site had been selected for a potential new, to be called the William States Lee III Nuclear Generating Station, informally known as Lee Station. The site is jointly owned by Duke Power and Southern Company. Duke plans to develop the site for two Westinghouse Electric Company AP1000 (advanced passive). Each reactor is capable of producing approximately 1,117 megawatts. (See Nuclear Power 2010 Program.)

On December 14, 2007 Duke Power submitted a Combined Construction and Operating License to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, with an announcement that it will spend $160 million in 2008 on the plant with a total cost of 5-6 billion dollars. Due to a slowdown in licensing and increase in costs, a federal license for what is estimated to be an $11 billion plant is not expected until 2016. Duke Energy will decide after that point whether to go forward with construction.

This site will be adjacent to the old Cherokee Nuclear Power Plant site, which was never completed and ultimately abandoned. It was used by as a set for the 1989 film The Abyss.

Neighboring districts

 * Cleveland, North Carolina - North
 * York, South Carolina - East
 * Union, South Carolina - South
 * Spartanburg, South Carolina - West
 * Rutherford, North Carolina - Northwest

National protected area

 * Cowpens National Battlefield
 * Kings Mountain National Military Park (part)

Other unincorporated communities

 * Corinth
 * Draytonville
 * Goucher
 * Grassy Pond
 * Thicketty