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Pacolet, South Carolina

Pacolet is a town in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,274 at the 2020 census.

Etymology
The town of Pacolet is named after the Pacolet River which runs through it. Several theories exist to explain the origin of the word Pacolet. The word is believed to be French in origin, meaning "swift messenger," "swift runner," or "swift horseman." One of the early settlers of the nearby community of Grindal Shoals was a Frenchman named Packolette. Several historical examples exist of individuals in the area using Pacolet or Packolette as a first or middle name. Another theory states that the word is Cherokee in origin, although there is no substantial evidence to support this claim. According to C. Bruce Littlejohn in his memoir Pacolets I Have Known, a person from Pacolet is called a Pacoletian, either pronounced /pækʔ'leʂɪn/ (pack-LAY-shin) or /pækʔ'lɛtiɪn/ (pack-LET-ee-in). ==History==
History
Precolonial The area that would become Pacolet was seldom occupied for thousands of years, only occasionally passed through by American Indians. The local Catawba and Cherokee would almost exclusively use the land as hunting grounds, with the exception of soapstone quarries around the Pacolet River established approximately 3,000 to 5,000 years ago. The soapstone mined in the area would be used to make storage vessels and tools. It is believed that one of the quarries in the Pacolet area was the largest American Indian soapstone quarry in the United States. They would be present in many battles across the Eastern theater, including General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. On May 6th, 1896, Pacolet Station became incorporated. ==Geography==
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which 0.01 square miles (0.03 km²) (0.34%) is water. The most common soil series is Cecil, although there is a significant amount of Bethlehem in the area surrounding the Pacolet River. Climate The town of Pacolet has a humid subtropical climate with long, hot, and humid summers and cool to semimild winters. The average annual temperature is 61.6 °F (16.4 °C). In the summer from June through September, average highs are in the 80s °F (20s °C) to low 90s °F (30s °C), while in the winter, average highs are in the mid-50s °F (10s °C). Annual rainfall is spread fairly evenly throughout the whole year. Pacolet receives very little snowfall, with the annual average being under 2 inches (5 cm). Annual precipitation is around 50 inches (127 cm), and the average growing season is about 235 days. {{Weather box ==Demographics==
Demographics
2020 census As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,274 people, 957 households, and 590 families residing in the town. 2010 census As of the census of 2010, there were 2,235 people, 962 households, and 625 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 962 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 75.7% White, 21.7% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.1% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1% of the population. There were 1,070 households, out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.00. In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.3% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $31,494, and the median income for a family was $41,367. Males had a median income of $30,592 versus $22,440 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,856. About 10.4% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 22.6% of those age 65 or over. == Arts and Culture ==
Arts and Culture
Attractions • Pacolet River Fest, a historic celebration held annually on the third Saturday in October on the Flats by the river. Formerly known as the Indian Summer Festival, the event features live entertainment, crafts, food vendors, and more. • Pacolet Farmers Market, operating on the second Saturday of every month from May to August. • Movies by the River, a showing of various family movies by the river on the second Saturday of every month from May to August. • The Pacolet Amphitheater, a historic amphitheater that is decorated every Christmas using lights and inflatables. • The Pacolet Trojan Horse, a fiberglass statue of a white horse placed atop the foundation of the old bridge, which commemorates the Pacolet Trojans baseball teams. ==Education==
Education
Pacolet currently has one school, Pacolet Elementary School. The town is in Spartanburg County School District 3. From 1953 to 1970, Pacolet was the home of Benjamin E. Mays Consolidated School, which served Black students in Pacolet in grades 1-6 and all Black students in the district in grades 7-12. After the school’s closing, it became a middle school from 1976 to 2021. Pacolet has a lending library, a branch of the Spartanburg County Public Library. == Infrastructure ==
Infrastructure
Transportation Major Highways • • • ==Notable people==
Notable people
George Banks (1938 – 1985), baseball player • Robert Henry Best (1896 – 1952), American broadcaster of Nazi propaganda during World War II. • C. Bruce Littlejohn (1913 – 2007), Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme CourtJoe Littlejohn (1908 – 1989), racing driver • Ricky Smith, member of the National Sporting Clays Association Hall of Fame • William Westmoreland (1914 – 2005), United States Army general, most notably the commander of United States forces during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1968 • Ernie White (1916 –1974), baseball player • Charles "Spades" Wood (1909 - 1986), baseball player ==References==
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