Belton is a city in eastern Anderson County,

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

, United States. The population was 4,134 at the 2010 census.

History

In 1845 a group was created to connect the

Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

region of South Carolina by rail to the existing rail system which then ran from Columbia to Charleston. The expanded rail line ran through what was to become Belton, with a spur line which ran to the nearby town of

Anderson Anderson or Andersson may refer to: Companies * Anderson (Carriage), a company that manufactured automobiles from 1907 to 1910 * Anderson Electric, an early 20th-century electric car * Anderson Greenwood, an industrial manufacturer * Anderson ...

. Because of the population explosion that occurred by the time the railroad had been completed in 1853, the state incorporated the town in 1855, with the boundaries being located within a half mile radius from the new railroad depot. The city was given the name of Belton after the first president of the

Columbia and Greenville Railroad The Columbia and Greenville Railroad was a South Carolina railroad that operated in the late 19th century. Originally chartered and begun as the Greenville and Columbia Railroad, the line was sold under foreclosure and reorganized under the Columb ...

from

Newberry Newberry is a surname, a variant of Newbury. Notable people with the surname include: * Booker Newberry III (born 1956), American singer and keyboardist * Brennan Newberry (born, 1990), American professional stock car racing driver * Brian Newb ...

, John Belton O'Neal. The city prospered not only due to the railroad junction, but also because of the area's

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...

crop, which led to the establishment of

cotton mill A cotton mill is a building that houses spinning (textiles), spinning or weaving machinery for the production of yarn or cloth from cotton, an important product during the Industrial Revolution in the development of the factory system. Althou ...

s. A large contribution of money was donated to the railroad business in which Belton prospered the 1840s by a man named

William Henry Blaauw William Henry Blaauw (1793–1870) was an English antiquarian and historian, particularly active in Sussex. Life Blaauw was born in London on 25 May 1793. His father William Blaauw, of Queen Anne's Street, was a Dutch immigrant, from a line of ...

. In 1908, a municipal water system was established. A reinforced concrete tower with a capacity was built. Known as the Belton Standpipe, the tower is still in use today. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

on November 5, 1987. The standpipe is the inspiration for the yearly Belton Standpipe Festival, first held in 1987 as a fundraising event. In bygone years Belton was the

cotton gin A cotton gin—meaning "cotton engine"—is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, enabling much greater productivity than manual cotton separation.. Reprinted by McGraw-Hill, New York and London, 1926 (); a ...

ning center for South Carolina, with many cotton mills that were part of the heritage. Belton boasts an arts center that holds regular art exhibitions open to the public. The arts center adds much character and artistic vibrancy to the city, and is available for event rentals and hosting many city events. The old train depot has been completely refurbished and is currently used as a comfortable function venue. Part of the depot is a museum filled with old Belton history. Tennis is an integral part of Belton's culture. The South Carolina Palmetto championships are held in Belton each year, using local residential tennis courts as part of the competition. In addition to the Belton Standpipe, the Belton Depot and

Chamberlain-Kay House The Chamberlain-Kay House is located in Belton, a city in Anderson County, South Carolina. The house was built around 1854 as a residence for Charles C. Chamberlain. Chamberlain was the first supervisor of the rail line from Belton to Greenvil ...

are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

Belton is located in eastern Anderson County at (34.525630, -82.496129). It is east of

, the county seat, by U.S. Routes 76 and 178. Honea Path is to the southeast by the same highway, and

South Carolina Highway 20 South Carolina Highway 20 (SC 20) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The highway connects the cities of Abbeville, Belton, Williamston and Greenville. The highway is signed as a west-east highway though it ...

leads north to Greenville. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the city has a total area of , of which , or 0.33%, is water.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 4,335 people, 1,956 households, and 1,158 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 4,461 people, 1,948 households, and 1,275 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 1,158.2 people per square mile (447.4/km²). There were 2,129 housing units at an average density of 552.7 per square mile (213.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.52%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 17.51%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.38% Native American, 0.27%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.34% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.99% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 1.79% of the population. There were 1,948 households, out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.84. In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.9% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $28,191, and the median income for a family was $36,531. Males had a median income of $30,100 versus $22,470 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $16,970. About 15.2% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public education in Belton is administered by Anderson County School District Two. The district operates several elementary schools, Belton Middle School and

Belton-Honea Path High School Belton-Honea Path High School (BHP) is a comprehensive, co-educational, public secondary school located in Honea Path, South Carolina, United States. It is the only public high school serving Honea Path and Belton. The school is accredited by th ...

. Belton has a

public library A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants. There are ...

, a branch of the Anderson County Library System.

Notable people

* William L. Ball *

Dave Cockrum David Emmett Cockrum (; November 11, 1943 – November 26, 2006) was an American comics artist known for his co-creation of the new X-Men characters Nightcrawler, Storm, Colossus, and Mystique, as well as the antiheroine Black Cat. Cockrum was ...

Matthew LeCroy Matthew Hanks LeCroy (born December 13, 1975) is an American former professional baseball catcher, first baseman, and designated hitter and current manager for the Rochester Red Wings. During his time in Major League Baseball (MLB), LeCroy had th ...

Viola Thompson Viola Thompson ''Griffin(January 2, 1922 – December 31, 2017) was a pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). Listed at , , she batted and threw left-handed. A hard-throwing, underhand ...

References

External links

City of Belton official website

Belton Area Partnership

Anderson County School District Two

Belton/Historic Belton Historical Marker

Greenville & Columbia RR / Belton Historical Marker
{{authority control Cities in South Carolina Cities in Anderson County, South Carolina Populated places established in 1855 1855 establishments in South Carolina