McClellanville, South Carolina
Encyclopedia
McClellanville is a small fishing town
in Charleston County
, South Carolina
, United States
. The population was 459 at the 2000 census. It is situated on the Atlantic coast, on land surrounded by Francis Marion National Forest
and has traditionally derived its livelihood from the sea and coastal marshes by fishing
, shrimp
ing and oyster
ing. As defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and used by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes only, McClellanville is included within the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metropolitan area and the Charleston-North Charleston Urbanized Area.
In 1989 the town was devastated by the full brunt of Hurricane Hugo
which destroyed homes, downed century old oaks, deposited shrimp boats in front yards, and otherwise altered much of the picturesque character of this historic fishing village. The stronger north side of the eyewall passed directly over the village while a Category 4 hurricane. Residents taking refuge in the local high school, a designated storm shelter, were surprised by a storm surge which threatened to drown the refugees. Helping one another in complete darkness, they managed to crawl into a space above the false ceilings of the building and, fortunately, none were lost.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.6 km²), of which, 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (4.59%) is water.
of 2000, there were 459 people, 206 households, and 138 families residing in the town. The population density
was 220.9 people per square mile (85.2/km²). There were 254 housing units at an average density of 122.2 per square mile (47.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 92% White and 7.14% African American. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.18% of the population.
There were 206 households out of which 20.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.7% were married couples
living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.75.
In the town the population was spread out with 16.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 36.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $42,500, and the median income for a family was $50,000. Males had a median income of $36,750 versus $25,781 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $22,425. About 8.3% of families and 11.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.8% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Charleston County
Charleston County, South Carolina
Charleston County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. According to a 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, its population was 330,368. Its county seat is Charleston. It is the third-most populous county in the state . Charleston County was created in 1901 by an act of the South...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 459 at the 2000 census. It is situated on the Atlantic coast, on land surrounded by Francis Marion National Forest
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 ecoregion....
and has traditionally derived its livelihood from the sea and coastal marshes by fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
ing and oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
ing. As defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and used by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes only, McClellanville is included within the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metropolitan area and the Charleston-North Charleston Urbanized Area.
History
McClellanville village began in the late 1860s when local plantation owners A.J. McClellan and R.T. Morrison sold lots in the vicinity of Jeremy Creek to planters of the Santee Delta, who sought relief from summer fevers. The first store opened soon after the Civil War, and the village became the social and economic center for a wide area that produced timber, rice, cotton, naval stores, and seafoods. Incorporated in 1926, McClellanville township became, and remains, best known for its shrimping fleet and seafood industries.In 1989 the town was devastated by the full brunt of Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo was a classical, destructive and rare Cape Verde-type hurricane which struck the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, Montserrat, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and the USA mainland in South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane during September of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season...
which destroyed homes, downed century old oaks, deposited shrimp boats in front yards, and otherwise altered much of the picturesque character of this historic fishing village. The stronger north side of the eyewall passed directly over the village while a Category 4 hurricane. Residents taking refuge in the local high school, a designated storm shelter, were surprised by a storm surge which threatened to drown the refugees. Helping one another in complete darkness, they managed to crawl into a space above the false ceilings of the building and, fortunately, none were lost.
Geography
McClellanville is located at 33°5′17"N 79°28′1"W (33.088056, -79.466888).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.6 km²), of which, 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (4.59%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 459 people, 206 households, and 138 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 220.9 people per square mile (85.2/km²). There were 254 housing units at an average density of 122.2 per square mile (47.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 92% White and 7.14% African American. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.18% of the population.
There were 206 households out of which 20.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.75.
In the town the population was spread out with 16.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 36.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $42,500, and the median income for a family was $50,000. Males had a median income of $36,750 versus $25,781 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $22,425. About 8.3% of families and 11.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.8% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.