Powdersville is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...

(CDP) in 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 7,618 at the 2010 census, up from 5,362 in 2000. Powdersville was initially a farming community until the increase in housing subdivisions and businesses along Highway 153.

History

The name Powders comes from the production and trade of

gunpowder Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, carbon (in the form of charcoal) and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). Th ...

in the area. One of the first stores in present-day Powdersville was called the Powdersville Area General Store. In 1859 a powder mill was established in present-day Powdersville by John Bowen. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

the area was used to store gunpowder but Columbia was the primary site for the production of the state's powder. Due to the area's use of gunpowder the name Powders became a fixture for the location. The Saluda Valley-Powdersville Water Company was created in 1971 to serve drinking water to around 1,200 customers. In 1992 the name changed to Powdersville Water Company and in 2001 the name changed again to Powdersville Water District. The first high school in Powdersville was established in 2011 as Powdersville High School.

Geography

Powdersville is located in the northern corner of Anderson County at (34.782620, -82.492138). Its northwest border is the Pickens County line, and its northeast border is the

Saluda River The Saluda River is a principal tributary of the Congaree River, about 200 mi (320 km) long, in northern and western South Carolina in the United States. Via the Congaree River, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which fl ...

, which forms the Greenville County line. The southeast border of the CDP is formed by

Interstate 85 Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, ...

, a six-lane highway with access to Powdersville via exits 39 and 40. Greenville, the largest city in the region, is to the northeast. 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 t ...

, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.90%, 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 10,025 people, 3,515 households, and 2,570 families residing in the CDP.

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 in ...

of 2000, there were 5,362 people, 1,989 households, and 1,615 families residing in the CDP. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), 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 ...

was 384.4 people per square mile (148.4/km²). There were 2,133 housing units at an average density of 152.9/sq mi (59.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.18%

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 o ...

, 4.35%

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 ...

, 0.26% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.06%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.21% 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 0.58% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties forme ...

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 1.14% of the population. There were 1,989 households, out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.8% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.8% were non-families. 16.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.01. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $50,255, and the median income for a family was $57,131. Males had a median income of $41,297 versus $25,136 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 CDP was $20,901. About 2.4% of families and 2.5% 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 1.1% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

The largest religious group in Powdersville is

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

. The oldest church congregation in Powdersville dating back to 1833 is Bethesda Church. File:PalmettoBaptistChurchPowdersville.jpg, Palmetto Baptist Church File:BethesdaUnitedMethodistPowdersvilleSC.jpg, Bethesda United Methodist Church File:SiloamBaptistChurchPowdersville.jpg, Siloam Baptist Church File:LifespringchurchofGodPowdersville.jpg, Lifespring Church of God File:CarpentersHousePowdersville.jpg, The Carpenters House File:NewSpringchurchPowdersville.jpg, NewSpring Church Powdersville

Education

Public education in Powdersville is administered by Anderson County School District One. The district operates Concrete Primary School, Powdersville Elementary School, Powdersville Middle School and Powdersville High School. Powdersville has a public library, a branch of the Anderson County Library System.

Transportation

State Highways

SC 153 *

SC 81

Interstate

References

External links

Powdersville.com
local information

''The Powdersville Post''
{{authority control Census-designated places in Anderson County, South Carolina Census-designated places in South Carolina