Editing Society Hill, South Carolina

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{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Society Hill, South Carolina
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = SocietyHill_SC.jpg
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<!-- Maps -->
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|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Society Hill, South Carolina
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[South Carolina]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in South Carolina|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Darlington County, South Carolina|Darlington]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='45'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 15, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 5.56
|area_land_km2            = 5.56
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 2.15
|area_land_sq_mi          = 2.15
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
|population_total         = 438
|population_density_km2   = 78.72
|population_density_sq_mi = 203.91

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 51
|elevation_ft             = 167
|coordinates              = {{coord|34|30|50|N|79|51|4|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 29593
|area_code                = [[Area codes 843 and 854|843, 854]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 45-67435<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1250950<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|website                  = 
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}}
'''Society Hill''' is a town in [[Darlington County, South Carolina|Darlington County]], [[South Carolina]], United States alongside the [[Pee Dee River]]. It is the oldest community in Darlington County and one of the first towns founded in [[South Carolina]]. The town was once the intellectual center of the Pee Dee region. However, the town's fortunes declined in the 19th century after rivers became less important as means of transportation. It is part of the [[Florence, South Carolina|Florence]] [[Florence, South Carolina metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

In the 2020 census, the population of Society Hill was 438, down from 563 in 2010, 700 in 2000 and 848 in 1980. Society Hill was originally settled in the 18th century by a colony of Baptists, who named the community after their "St. David's Society," the predecessor to the Society Hill Library Society.

== History ==
[[Welsh people|Welsh]] settlers came to the Society Hill area from [[Pennsylvania]] and [[Delaware]] in 1736.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Behre|first=Robert|date=September 9, 2017|title=Saving Society Hill: The birthplace of the Pee Dee looks to its past for new life|url=https://www.postandcourier.com/news/saving-society-hill-the-birthplace-of-the-pee-dee-looks-to-its-past-for-new/article_c0a5430c-8e5a-11e7-a624-13ae70b2abe2.html|url-access=subscription|access-date=August 12, 2021|website=Post and Courier|language=en}}</ref> It was the first settlement in Darlington County.<ref name="history">{{cite web|title=Society Hill|url=http://darlingtoncounty.org/municipal_details.php?5|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130825125345/http://darlingtoncounty.org/municipal_details.php?5|url-status=usurped|archive-date=August 25, 2013|accessdate=October 19, 2013}}</ref> The Welsh settlers were Baptists and named the community after St. David's Society.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Moyer|first1=Armond|last2=Moyer|first2=Winifred|title=The origins of unusual place-names|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89058322223;view=1up;seq=126|year=1958|publisher=Keystone Pub. Associates|page=122}}</ref> The town was a center of intellectual life in the Pee Dee region in the 18th and early 19th century.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SCDAH|url=http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/darlington/S10817716003/index.htm|access-date=August 12, 2021|website=www.nationalregister.sc.gov}}</ref> St. David's Society educated leading men like [[James Lide Coker]], founder of [[Sonoco]] and [[Coker University]].<ref name=":0" /> Its library built in 1812 is the second oldest lending-library in South Carolina.<ref name=":0" /> A new library, a branch of the Darlington County Library System, was built in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 2, 2014|title=Old Society Hill Library|url=https://www.scpictureproject.org/darlington-county/old-society-hill-library.html|access-date=August 12, 2021|website=SC Picture Project|language=en-US}}</ref>

Society Hill began to decline as rivers became less important as means of transportation.<ref name=":0" /> Business in the region shifted to surrounding towns such as [[Cheraw, South Carolina|Cheraw]] and [[Hartsville, South Carolina|Hartsville]].<ref name=":0" /> The population of the town peaked in 1980 with around 848 people.<ref name=":0" /> In the 2010 census, the population of Society Hill was 563, down from 700 in 2000.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web|title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Society Hill town, South Carolina|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4567435|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213060420/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4567435|archive-date=February 13, 2020|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder|accessdate=January 5, 2016}}</ref>

In 2017, Preservation South Carolina, a nonprofit organization, began a plan to sell eight historic buildings to preservation-minded purchasers within Society Hill. It was the organization's largest preservation effort at that time.<ref name=":0" /> At the time, Society Hill did not have any zoning laws to protect such buildings.<ref name=":0" />

==Geography==
Society Hill is located in northern Darlington County at {{coord|34|30|50|N|79|51|4|W|type:city}} (34.513827, -79.851005),<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> on high ground rising to the west of the [[Pee Dee River]]. U.S. Routes [[U.S. Route 15|15]] and [[U.S. Route 52|52]] pass through the town. US 15 leads northeast {{convert|12|mi}} to [[Bennettsville, South Carolina|Bennettsville]] and {{convert|30|mi}} to [[Laurinburg, North Carolina]], and southwest {{convert|17|mi}} to [[Hartsville, South Carolina|Hartsville]]. US 52 leads north {{Convert|14|mi}} to [[Cheraw, South Carolina|Cheraw]] and south {{convert|16|mi}} to [[Darlington, South Carolina|Darlington]], the [[county seat]]. The two highways merge at the north end of town and pass through it as Main Street before diverging {{convert|0.8|mi}} southwest of the town limits.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|5.7|sqkm|order=flip}}, all land.<ref name="Census 2010"/> The [[Pee Dee River]], which separates Darlington County from [[Marlboro County, South Carolina|Marlboro County]], is {{convert|1.4|mi}} to the northeast of the town via US 15.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1930= 573
|1940= 687
|1950= 645
|1960= 677
|1970= 806
|1980= 848
|1990= 686
|2000= 700
|2010= 563
|2020= 438
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:45&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 15, 2022}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Society Hill town, South Carolina – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Society Hill town, South Carolina |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US4567435&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Society Hill town, South Carolina |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US4567435&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Society Hill town, South Carolina |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US4567435&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|311
|248
|style='background: #ffffe6; |200
|44.43%
|44.05%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |45.66%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|376
|288
|style='background: #ffffe6; |207
|53.71%
|51.15%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |47.26%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|1
|4
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2
|0.14%
|0.71%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.46%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|5
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.71%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|3
|11
|style='background: #ffffe6; |20
|0.43%
|1.95%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.57%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|4
|12
|style='background: #ffffe6; |9
|0.57%
|2.13%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.05%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''700'''
|'''563'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''438'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 700 people, 269 households, and 203 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|320.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 317 housing units at an average density of {{convert|145.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 44.43% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 54.00% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.14% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.86% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.57% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.57% of the population.

There were 269 households, out of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 19.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.0% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 29.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,057, and the median income for a family was $37,875. Males had a median income of $25,662 versus $18,516 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $15,005. About 13.3% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 26.9% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Notable people==
The town was the birthplace of [[Gashouse Gang]] member [[Pat Crawford (baseball)|Pat Crawford]] and the [[Oklahoma]] jurist [[Henry Marshall Furman]]. The [[Welsh Neck-Long Bluff-Society Hill Historic District]] was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1974. [[Japonica Hall]] was listed separately in 1989.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref> Former Governor [[David Beasley]] was from Society Hill and represented the area in the [[South Carolina House of Representatives]] for almost twenty years.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Brown|first=Tonya|date=January 28, 2021|title=Town of Society Hill salutes former S.C. Gov. David Beasley|url=https://wpde.com/news/local/town-of-society-hill-former-south-carolina-governor-david-beasley|access-date=August 12, 2021|website=WPDE}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Darlington County, South Carolina}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Darlington County, South Carolina]]
[[Category:Florence, South Carolina metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Towns in South Carolina]]