|
Port Royal, South Carolina
|
Port Royal is a town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,950 at the 2000 census. Largely because of annexation, the population of the Port Royal town limits has more than doubled since 2000 (estimated 2004 pop.: 9,188). As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Port Royal is included within the Beaufort Urban Cluster and the larger Hilton Head Island–Beaufort Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Frenchman Jean Ribault explored the Port Royal Sound waterways and harbours in 1562, and founded a short-lived colony. The area later became the site of a Spanish and still later Scottish colony during the 17th century. The town of Port Royal was founded in the 1670s by Bermudian emigrants under the first Governor of South Carolina, William Sayle, who had earlier led the Bermudian settlement of the Bahamas. In 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was first read at Christmas under the Proclamation tree in Port Royal. Port Royal hosts the Soft Shell Crab Festival every year in late April during the short soft shell crab season.
The famous hurricane scene from Forrest Gump was filmed in the town's dock area.
Geography
Herman Moll: A Plan of Port Royal-Harbour in Carolina, 1736
Port Royal is located at 32°23′12″N, 80°42′18″W (32.386572, -80.705007)[3].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 5.2 square miles (13.4 km²), of which, 3.9 square miles (10.0 km²) of it is land and 1.3 square miles (3.3 km²) of it (24.95%) is water.
Port Royal, SC is the site of the Naval Battle of Port Royal during the Civil War.
See also: [1]
Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 3,950 people, 1,660 households, and 1,010 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,017.3 people per square mile (393.1/km²). There were 1,792 housing units at an average density of 461.5/sq mi (178.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 64.18% White, 29.16% African American, 0.46% Native American, 1.70% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 1.92% from other races, and 2.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.28% of the population.
There were 1,660 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 31.1% 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 2.27 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 14.6% from 18 to 24, 34.2% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $36,599, and the median income for a family was $40,867. Males had a median income of $26,942 versus $23,671 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,163. About 7.9% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.0% of those under age 18 and 18.6% of those age 65 or over.
References
External links
|
