Kershaw is a town in Lancaster County, South Carolina, United States. It was incorporated in 1888. As of the 2020 census, Kershaw had a population of 1,693. The Haile Gold Mine, where gold was discovered in 1825, is from town and was at one time the largest single producer of gold in the Appalachian region.
History
The Dr. William Columbus Cauthen House, Clinton AME Zion Church, East Richland Street-East Church Street Historic District, Kershaw Depot, Matson Street Historic District, and Unity Baptist Church, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Geography and climate
Kershaw is located in southern Lancaster County. U.S. Routes 521 and 601 pass through the town. US 521 leads northwest to Heath Springs and to Lancaster, the county seat, while US 601 leads northeast to Pageland. Together the two highways lead south to Camden. Kershaw is northeast of Columbia, the state capital, and south of Charlotte, North Carolina.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land. The town drains west to Lick Creek and east to the Little Lynches River, all part of the Lynches River watershed flowing southeast to the Great Pee Dee River.
Demographics
2020 census
{| class="wikitable"
|+Kershaw racial composition
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|White (non-Hispanic)
|1,100
|64.97%
|-
|Black or African American (non-Hispanic)
|478
|28.23%
|-
|Native American
|9
|0.53%
|-
|Asian
|6
|0.35%
|-
|Other/Mixed
|70
|4.13%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino
|30
|1.77%
|}
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,693 people, 736 households, and 480 families residing in the town.
2000 census
At the 2000 census there were 1,645 people, and 465 families in the town. The population density was . There were 771 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 75.68% White, 22.80% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.73%. High School students are served by Andrew Jackson High School
Notable people
- Randy Hinson (1912–2006) - United States Army colonel; college football and baseball coach.
- Dick Richards (1946–2018) - American video artist, music producer and TV personality.
- Nelson Sullivan (1948–1989) - American videographer who is often credited as the first
vlogger.
- Elizabeth Threatt (1926–1993) - American actress of native-American descent.