Anderson

Formed December 20, 1826 (30^th county)

Anderson County (187,126), Anderson (26,686)

The 1991 Modern courthouse maintains historic features.  It is on Main Street at Whitner Street.  United States Highway 178 passes one block west of the courthouse.  Frank J. Clark provided the red and tan brick building designs.  Veteran memorials are in front of the structure.  There was an 1898 version earlier.  Anderson County was established on December 20, 1826 as the 30^th county with Anderson as the only county seat.  The county and county seat are named for American Revolutionary War General Robert Anderson.  Anderson County is the birthplace for 3 South Carolina Governors, James L. Orr, Olin D. T. Johnston, and George B. Timmerman, Jr. 

Anderson County government consists of a sheriff and 7 Council Members.  Four Circuit Court Judges and Three Family Court Judges serve Anderson and Oconee counties.  Anderson County is in the northwest part of South Carolina.  Georgia is across the Savannah River western border of the county.  Greenville, South Carolina is directly northeast and Columbia, South Carolina is southeast of the county.  The county center is in Anderson 4.8 miles Northeast of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Pickens, Greenville, Laurens, and Abbeville counties and Georgia and Oconee County. 

The area of the county is 757 square miles.  It is 16 out of 46 in the state.  It ranks 8 out of 46 in population in the state.  It has a density of 247.19 persons per square mile making it 7 out of 46 in the state.  Anderson County has 23.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 85 passes northeast to southwest through the county from Greenville County to Georgia.  United States Highway 29 parallels Interstate Highway 85 from Greenville County to Georgia.  United States Highway 76 comes from the northwest, Oconee County, and goes to the east, Greenville County.  United States Highway 178 enters from Pickens County, north and exits into Abbeville County, southeast.  Anderson County is shaped like a vase.  The City of Anderson is near the center of the county.  Anderson is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 14.3% of the county population.  This county is in the Anderson Metropolitan Statistical Area.