Hardeeville, South Carolina
Hardeeville is a city in Jasper County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,952 at the 2010 census, a 64 percent increase from its recorded population of 1,793 from the 2000 Census. Hardeeville is included within the Hilton Head Island–Beaufort Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The earliest European settlement in the region was Purrysburg, a former Swiss Huguenot and German settlement founded in 1732 on the banks of the Savannah River, about two miles (3 km) northwest of the current city's center. The settlement ultimately failed as disease and competition from growing Savannah proved too much for the local settlers to overcome. Many left the immediate area, moving elsewhere in the Lowcountry region (including a new hamlet called Switzerland) or upriver to the new communities of Augusta and Hamburg, though some remained.The area saw some skirmishes between Union and Confederate forces during the Civil War. The Charleston and Savannah Railway (today's CSX railway) was considered a prized possession and major strategic goal for Union forces. In an effort to defend the railroad, the Battle of Honey Hill was one of the last battles won by southern forces in late 1864, shortly before General William Sherman attacked South Carolina after his 'March to the Sea' in Georgia.The area within the city was settled in the 19th century by Isaac Hardee, a native North Carolinean. Through his son William White Hardee's efforts, a depot and general store along the Charleston to Savannah railway opened up. This depot and the surrounding areas became collectively known as Hardee's Station, and eventually as Hardeeville at the town's founding in 1911. The area became renowned for its timber operations with the Argent Lumber Company, which had one of the largest logging operations in the world centered around the town. Unique to the area was the swamp logging procedure that was utilized, which made operations far more treacherous than standard logging. Narrow-gauge railroads were constructed to help deliver timber to a processing area, where the lumber would be lifted onto standard-gauge rail cars or trucks headed to all parts of North America. As a tribute to Argent's impact on the community, the city was donated an H.K. Porter 2-8-0 steam locomotive (c/n 4776, built January 1911), Argent Lumber Company Number 7, for display in 1960.Growth continued at a modest pace throughout the rest of the 20th century, though timbering operations were gradually scaled back as overseas lands became more sought after due to lower costs and more standard logging procedures. In spite of the decline of the logging industry, the construction of U.S. 17 and later Interstate 95 provided a new type of commerce; motorist services such as motels, restaurants, and gas stations. The development of Hilton Head Island as a resort destination had a further impact on the community, with an additional interstate exit providing greater commercial opportunity and affordable costs of living for service employees who moved to the city.At the turn of the 21st century, development pressures along the U.S. 278 corridor became a central concern for city leaders. In response, Hardeeville began to annex large undeveloped parcels of land that were previously held by timbering and paper concerns. These annexations were done in order to guide new growth into larger planned developments, increasing the city limits from 5 square miles (13 km2) in 2000 to over 50 square miles (130 km2) in 2010. In 2004, Core Communities became the first company to sign a development agreement with the city and began constructing Tradition Hilton Head. In the following years, other developments have begun or announced plans at developing in these areas. Although the recession beginning in late 2007 had significantly slowed down the pace of development, the city has continued to grow due to continuous commitments from existing developers, and new investment related to industrial and commercial opportunities. These investments have allowed the city to make improvements to its existing areas in the form of streetscaping projects, improved community facilities, and general reinvestment.
Geography
Hardeeville is located at 32°17′2″N 81°4′43″W / 32.28389°N 81.07861°W / 32.28389; -81.07861 (32.283850, -81.078496).According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 49.7 square miles (128.71 km²), all land in 2010. Nearly 90 percent of the city limits was annexed between 2000 and 2010, primarily to accommodate large, planned development communities located on former lands devoted to logging and timber harvesting.The vast majority of the city is located on flat coastal plain land, with very few variations in elevation. The average elevation of the city is approximately 20 feet (6.1 m) above mean sea level. Most of Hardeeville is located within Jasper County, though a small portion of the city limits crosses into Beaufort County. Much of the city is bordered to the west by the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, a large-scale nature preserve along the South Carolina and Georgia sides of the Savannah River.
Downtown area
'Downtown' or 'Old Town Hardeeville' refers generally to the original city limit extents of the community, bound between Exits 5 and 8 along I-95 and between the interstate and the CSX rail line. Downtown consists mostly of one-story single-family homes along quiet and shaded streets. Main Street (S.C. 46) and Whyte Hardee Boulevard (U.S. 17) provide the majority of commercial development in downtown. Locally-oriented commerce is located along Main Street and northern portions of Whyte Hardee Boulevard.
Car Moorer Acres, also known asCarmore Acresis often considered to be part of downtown Hardeeville but is located on the eastern side of Interstate 95. A small commercial area exists along Main Street and along Frontage Road.
Jenny Greeneis located about 1.5 miles (2.5 km) north of downtown Hardeeville. It is an affordable housing community of attached homes and apartments, developed by WODA.
Deerfield Villageis located approximately two miles (3 km) north of downtown Hardeeville. It is an affordable housing community of single-family homes and duplexes, developed by Jasper County Neighbors United, a local non-profit housing group.
Pine Arboris an area with larger homes and properties east of the downtown core along Pine Arbor Road. The Heritage Place neighborhood is located along this corridor. Some of the properties along this road are not in the city limits.
U.S. 278 corridor
Much of Hardeeville's population growth can be attributed to the continuing development along the U.S. 278 corridor, which connects Hardeeville with Bluffton, Hilton Head Island, and Beaufort. Most of these areas of the city were formerly owned by the Argent Lumber Company and is divided into several large parcels which are slated for development. Included in this area are the following developments:Hilton Head Lakes at Hardeeville, a single-family residential development with lagoon-oriented lots. A future commercial and multi-family phase will be included within the development. In 2010, Hilton Head Lakes acquired the former Tradition Hilton Head property and renamed it Hilton Head Lakes North. The property is expected to be a mixed use development and includes additional lifestyle amenities, including a golf course.
Hampton Pointe, a residential golf course community byToll Brothers.
Courtney Bend, a luxurygarden apartmentcommunity by ContraVest.
Sun CityHilton Head, a new northern phase to the existing over-55 community byPulte-Del Webb Communities.
Media
Hardeeville's weekly newspaper is Hardeeville Today, which is a subsidiary of the Savannah Morning News. Other local newspapers that serve the community include the Jasper County Sun, and the Island Packet.The city of Hardeeville also owns and operates a public affairs channel (HTVN Channel 9) on local cable networks. Broadcast channels shown on local services originate in the Savannah market.
Community facilities
Hardeeville City Hall
Hardeeville Museum (inside City Hall)
Hardeeville Community Library
Senior Citizens Center
Coastal Carolina Hospital
Hardeeville Recreational Park (sports and recreation fields & courts)
Hardeeville Veterans Park & Argent Lumber Company Engine 7
Sgt. Jasper County Park
The Sarge Disc Golf Course
Festivals and events
The city hosts celebrations throughout the year to garner community involvement and interest. Among the more notable celebrations include:Easter Egg Hunt(March/April)
Relay for Life(April/May)
Children'sFishing Rodeo(May)
Fireworks & FunFourth of JulyCelebration (June/July)
National Night Out(August)
CatfishFestival (September/October)
ChristmasParade (December)
Sports and recreation
Through the city's recreation department, Youth and Adult athletics are sponsored year-round. Activities include football, flag football, basketball, softball, soccer, and cheerleading. Most recreational events take place at the city's recreation complex located behind City Hall.The city is currently home to the University of South Carolina Beaufort Sand Sharks baseball team. The Sand Sharks have played at the Richard Gray Baseball Complex since 2008 and will continue games at the facility until a new facility is built on the USCB's south campus in Beaufort County.
Religion
The city is home to several Christian denominations, with most churches located in the downtown area. Other religious faiths have houses of worship in surrounding communities, especially in Beaufort, Hilton Head, and Savannah.
Economy
Hardeeville's central location from other fast growing areas including Hilton Head Island, Beaufort, and Bluffton make it a prime site commercial and industrial development. Large land tracts, good access to downtown Savannah, the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport, the Port of Savannah, and a future container port to be built on the Savannah River are additional features that the city capitalizes on to attract investment. Upon final build-out of major projects and other developments, the city will likely become one of the ten largest cities in South Carolina based on population and land area.The Hardeeville Industrial Park has served the City for several years, allowing a location for light industrial development and distribution. The industrial park is connected both to road and rail networks. Additional light industrial development is occurring in other areas of the city, especially along the Argent Boulevard and Highway 170 corridors.RiverPort is a major new industrial development that will focus on logistics, transportation, and port-related industrial uses. This development will occur along the U.S. Highway 17 corridor south of the downtown area. Downtown Hardeeville has traditionally been the center of commercial activity in the city, with traveler services along U.S. 17 mixing together with more local-oriented businesses along Main Street. Hardeeville's two exits along Interstate 95 are some of South Carolina's more popular stopping points, with traveler-oriented commercial services. Although Exit 5 has been in existence longer and has more commercial activity, Exit 8 has experienced recent commercial growth as well. Exit 8 also is the access point to the local hospital and a popular county park located within 1 mile (2 km) of the exit. A future exit 3 is planned to facilitate industrial development in RiverPort and alleviate truck congestion through downtown Hardeeville.New commercial opportunities will continue to expand along the U.S. 278 corridor in future years.
Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,793 people, 642 households, and 428 families residing in the city. The population density was 419.8 people per square mile (162.1/km²). There were 700 housing units at an average density of 163.9 per square mile (63.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 45.79% White, 40.83% African American, 0.89% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.33% Pacific Islander, 10.32% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.41% of the population.There were 642 households out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were married couples living together, 18.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.31.In the city the population was spread out with 31.0% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 16.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 111.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.0 males.The median income for a household in the city was $28,977, and the median income for a family was $31,625. Males had a median income of $25,417 versus $20,781 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,795. About 27.7% of families and 31.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.3% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Hardeeville is governed by an elected, non-partisan city council, with one mayor and four council members. All members are elected to staggered four-year terms and are considered at-large (not representing geographic districts). The city council as of June 2010 was represented by the following officials:Bronco Bostick, Mayor (term ends 2012)
Michael Foskey, Mayor Pro-Tem (term ends 2012)
Roy Powell, Councilman (term ends 2012)
Sal Arzillo, Councilman (term ends 2014)
Sherry Carroll, Councilman (term ends 2014)
The city also has an Election Commission, a Planning Commission, a Board of Zoning Appeals. Meetings from these boards as well as community events and news are broadcast by the city's local-access cable station, HTVN Channel 9.Since 2006, Hardeeville operates under a council-manager form of government. City departments include finance, fire and EMT, planning & development, police, parks & recreation, and public works.
Education
Hardeeville presently has three schools (two public, one private). Hardeeville Elementary School and Hardeeville Junior/Senior High School are technically two separate public schools (run by the Jasper County School District) operating on one campus. The 'Hardeeville South Campus' as it is officially known was opened in October 2007 and serves students in Hardeeville and southern Jasper County. Abundant Life Academy, a private, Christian-affiliated K-12 school is also located in the city limits. The Hardeeville Community Library serves residents in Hardeeville and southern Jasper County. Additional schools are planned in the future through development agreements signed by private developers and the city.Two local institutions comprise the current extent of higher education in the Hardeeville area. Both the University of South Carolina Beaufort South Campus and the Technical College of the Lowcountry New River Campus are located just outside the city limits in Beaufort County.
Transportation
Hardeeville serves as a major transportation hub for the Lowcountry and Coastal Empire regions, with several major regional transportation links. Listed below are some of the major transportation links that are located in the city. Interstate 95, the major north-south highway on the Eastern Seaboard runs through Hardeeville. Exits 5 and 8 are located in the city and provide numerous motorist services. A South Carolina welcome center is located in the city, shortly before Exit 5 on the northbound lanes. The four-lane interstate is expected to be widened to six lanes from Exit 8 to the state line to help with increasing congestion. A future exit 3 is being planned and will help assist in the flow of traffic around the city and to Bluffton and Hilton Head Island. U.S. Highway 17, a principal route connecting Charleston, Savannah and beyond enters Hardeeville shortly after crossing the Savannah River from Georgia and remains in the city limits for 15 miles (24 km). The road is known locally as Speedway Boulevard for points south of I-95 and as Whyte Hardee Boulevard north of the interstate. U.S. 17 is exit 5 off I-95. The road is mainly four lanes wide, with some segments having a suicide lane, whereas other segments are limited-access. Sections of two-lane configurations exist in the northern and southern areas of the city. U.S. Highway 278, also known as Independence Bouleveard, is a heavily traveled thoroughfare connecting Hardeeville and Interstate 95 with Bluffton and Hilton Head Island. As mentioned above, most of the city's major large-scale developments are occurring along this corridor. U.S. 278 is exit 8 off I-95. Heading north, the route runs concurrent with U.S. 17 until Ridgeland, before veering west towards Augusta and Atlanta. U.S. Highway 321, also known as Deerfield Highway is a lightly traveled route for cars, yet serves as a commercially important link for trucks heading for the Port of Savannah. From its starting point/terminus at U.S. 17 near Interstate 95, the route heads northward toward Columbia, Charlotte, and Knoxville. S.C. Highway 46, known locally as Main Street, runs eastward from its starting point at U.S. 321 over the CSX rail line, intersects at U.S. 17, goes under I-95, and continues eastward towards Bluffton, passing by the hamlet of Pritchardville and the new development of Palmetto Bluff. The route provides a more scenic and less traveled alternative to U.S. 278. S.C. Highway 170, known locally as Okatie Highway, Freedom Parkway, and Alligator Alley, runs generally northeast to southwest, connecting Hardeeville with Beaufort and northern Beaufort County as well as Port Wentworth and the northern suburbs of Savannah. The highway also goes through the neighboring rural communities of Okatie and Levy, as well as the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge.The CSX Railway, (also known as the Charleston-Savannah Railway) currently operates both freight trains and passenger trains (via Amtrak) along the lines, but do not stop at Hardeeville.Local public transportation and dial-a-ride service is provided by Palmetto Breeze, a regional transportation authority run by the Lowcountry Council of Governments, which serves as the regional Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).
Utilities
Since 2005, water and sewer services are provided by the regional Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority (BJWSA), based in Okatie. South Carolina Electric and Gas Company(SCE&G) and Palmetto Electric Cooperative are the major suppliers of power to the city. Hargray provides telephone and broadband services. Waste Pro provides solid waste services.
