Laurens County Statistics
LAURENS
Laurens County is statistically the fastest growing county in the Upstate, with the 2000 census showing a growth of 19.7% since 1990. According to the latest records, 70,508 people call Laurens County home. Thirty percent of the residents of the county live in the two main cities of Clinton and Laurens. The remainder live in the smaller communities of Cross Hill, Fountain Inn, Gray Court, Hickory Tavern, Mountville, Joanna, Ware Shoals, Waterloo or in rural areas.
The historic city of Laurens serves as the county seat. The first record of the town being called Laurens, and not Laurensville, appears on a charter issued in 1873. Today, the area of the public square and most of the surrounding streets are officially recognized as the “Laurens Historic District,” which has been placed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The city of Laurens has 9,916 residents and is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government.
CLINTON
The beginnings of Clinton can be traced to the arrival of Scotch-Irish immigrants two decades before the American Revolution. The town itself was officially incorporated in 1852. It was agreed to name the town for Henry Clinton Young, a lawyer from Laurensville, who helped lay out the first streets. Clinton is the second largest city in Laurens County, with 8,091 residents. A City Manager/Council form of government governs the city.
CROSS HILL
The town of Cross Hill is located in southeastern Laurens County, bordered on the east by Newberry County and on the southwest by Lake Greenwood. The area was a north-south Indian path, across the fish dams on the Broad River, and leading to the fish dams on the Savannah River. Many years ago, someone crossed the first path on a hill and gave Cross Hill its name. Rosemont, the family plantation of Ann Pamela Cunningham, leader in the effort to save President George Washington’s home in Mount Vernon, Virginia, was located near the community.
Today the town of Cross Hill has 601 residents and is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government.
FOUNTAIN INN
Fountain Inn takes its name from the old inn with a fountain that attracted travelers seeking rest from the tiresome stagecoach journeys between Greenville and the Low Country. It is a charming small town with landmarks, interesting anecdotes, and historic figures. “Peg Leg” Bates, the famous dancer and entertainer, was a native son.
Fountain Inn has a population of 6,017 residents. It has a Mayor/Council form of government. A large portion of the town is located in Greenville County.
GRAY COURT
Nestled in the northwest corner of Laurens County is the town of Gray Court, originally named Dorroh or Dorrohville in honor of a local family. On October 17, 1899, the name was changed to Gray Court and the town was chartered three days later.
The population of Gray Court has seen an increase of 11 percent in the past 10 years, with the 2000 census recording 1,021 residents. The town has a Mayor/Council form of government.
JOANNA
Joanna is the largest non-incorporated community in the county, with 1,609 residents. For many years the community was known as Goldville until its name was officially changed on August 1, 1948. During the War Between the States, the community around the railroad was known as Martin’s Depot. On the night of April 30, 1865, Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his entourage spent the night at the nearby Lafayette Young House during their escape from Richmond at the close of the war.
WATERLOO
The town of Waterloo is located 12 miles south of Laurens on the shores of beautiful Lake Greenwood. The town was incorporated on December 4, 1885.
The small community of 203 residents offers many outdoor sporting and recreational activities. Waterloo is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government.
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