Jamestown is a town in Berkeley 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 72 at the 2010 census. Jamestown is included within the

Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metropolitan area The Charleston metropolitan area is an urban area centered around Charleston, South Carolina. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget designates the area as the Charleston–North Charleston, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area, a metropolitan stati ...

History

Originally settled by Huguenot refugees from France in the 17th century, the area was established as St. James Santee in 1706, the first parish of the Church of England in Carolina outside Charleston.

Geography

Jamestown is located in northeastern Berkeley County at , south of the

Santee River } The Santee River is a river in South Carolina in the United States, and is long. The Santee and its tributaries provide the principal drainage for the coastal areas of southeastern South Carolina and navigation for the central coastal plain of ...

. U.S. Route 17 Alternate passes through the town, leading east to Georgetown and west to

Moncks Corner Moncks Corner is a town in and the county seat of Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 7,885 at the 2010 census. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Moncks Corner is included within the Charleston-North Charleston-S ...

, the Berkeley County seat.

South Carolina Highway 41 South Carolina Highway 41 (SC 41) is a state highway, connecting the Charleston region with eastern portions of the Pee Dee region in South Carolina. It serves as an alternative route to U.S. Route 52. Route description The route travels ...

leads south from Jamestown to Mount Pleasant in the Charleston area and north to Andrews. The town is within

Francis Marion National Forest The Francis Marion National Forest is located north of Charleston, South Carolina. It is named for revolutionary war hero Francis Marion, who was known to the British as the Swamp Fox. It lies entirely within the Middle Atlantic coastal forests ...

. 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 ...

, Jamestown has a total area of , all of it land. Bridge-jamestown-b

Demographics

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 97 people, 42 households, and 28 families residing in the town. 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 168.7 people per square mile (64.6/km²). There were 51 housing units at an average density of 88.7 per square mile (34.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 55.67%

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 ...

, 43.30%

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 ...

, 1.03% 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 ...

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 1.03% of the population. There were 42 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.7% 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, 31.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.83. In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.8% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 73.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.0 males. The median income for a household in the town was $16,250, and the median income for a family was $13,542. Males had a median income of $19,375 versus $16,875 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 town was $7,021. There were 41.9% of families and 52.5% of the population living 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 91.9% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Events

Every year Jamestown holds the Hell Hole Swamp Festival on the first full weekend in May. It is a family event with children's games,

cocoa Cocoa may refer to: Chocolate * Chocolate * ''Theobroma cacao'', the cocoa tree * Cocoa bean, seed of ''Theobroma cacao'' * Chocolate liquor, or cocoa liquor, pure, liquid chocolate extracted from the cocoa bean, including both cocoa butter and ...

-spitting contest (organizers say

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

was discontinued due to lack of participation), horseshoe pitching, arm wrestling, beauty contests, a parade, talent contest, exhibits (including a confiscated

moonshine Moonshine is high-proof liquor that is usually produced illegally. The name was derived from a tradition of creating the alcohol during the nighttime, thereby avoiding detection. In the first decades of the 21st century, commercial dist ...

still, which is also the festival's logo), and arts and crafts. The festival started in 1972, and 2011 was the 40th anniversary. A 10k Gator Run began in 1976 and is billed as the oldest road race in South Carolina; winners get real alligator heads as trophies.

Reputation as a speed trap

Jamestown has garnered a reputation as a

speed trap Speed limits are enforced on most public roadways by authorities, with the purpose to improve driver compliance with speed limits. Methods used include roadside speed traps set up and operated by the police and automated roadside 'speed camera' ...

for motorists. As of 2009, Jamestown generates 62% of its annual operating budget ($195,000 of $313,000) through writing tickets. Jamestown uses its placement along an alternate route to popular vacation destination

Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its ...

to trap unwary drivers. Entering the town, the speed limit drops from to . Many motorists complain that the speed limit change is poorly marked along with poorly marked pedestrian cross walks. Jamestown police officers often sit in convenience store or church parking lots near the intersection of SC Route 41 and U.S. Highway 17-A, particularly at night, and catch drivers as they slow down to turn. Speeding tickets in Jamestown generally run anywhere from $180 to $300, and drivers can usually avoid having points added to their license by paying anywhere from $50 to $200 extra.

References

{{authority control Towns in Berkeley County, South Carolina Towns in South Carolina Charleston–North Charleston–Summerville metropolitan area