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Bennettsville, South Carolina

8 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1942 and the latest in 1983. It stands in the Bennettsville census division. It lies in ZIP code area 29512. The Survey maps it on the Bennettsville South quadrangle. 7,020 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 157 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Bennettsville within Marlboro County

On record in Bennettsville

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 8 records

Surveyed buildings and structures 3 records

Population over time

2 figures

Bennettsville fell from 9,069 to 7,020 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20109,069
20207,020-2,049 (-23%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

5 surveys from 8 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Photographs

3 photographs,

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

Ruins, Adjoining Golf Club, Bennettsville, Marlboro County, SC
Ruins, Adjoining Golf Club, Bennettsville, Marlboro County, SC
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Courthouse (Entrance), Bennettsville, Marlboro County, SC
Courthouse (Entrance), Bennettsville, Marlboro County, SC
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
MacColl House, 1157 Highway 15/401 West, Bennettsville, Marlboro County, SC
MacColl House, 1157 Highway 15/401 West, Bennettsville, Marlboro County, SC
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress

Fires near this place

353 since 1992

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 353 fires within 5 miles of Bennettsville between 1992 and 2020, burning about 1,187 acres in total. 2 started naturally. 70 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning116
Missing data/not specified/undetermined107
Arson/incendiarism70
Equipment and vehicle use29
Misuse of fire by a minor17
Railroad operations and maintenance5
Smoking5
Natural2
Power generation/transmission/distribution1
Fireworks1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
3 September 2010Debris and open burningunder an acreSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
3 September 1993Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
25 September 2007Missing data/not specified/undetermined2.0 acresSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
24 September 2007Debris and open burning1.0 acresSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
21 September 2019Arson/incendiarismunder an acreSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
20 September 2005Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
2 September 2011Debris and open burningunder an acreSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named
2 September 1999Arson/incendiarism20 acresSouth Carolina Forestry Commissionnot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Marlboro County

Mines and quarries near this place

9 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 9 workings within 5 miles of Bennettsville: 3 producers, 3 unknowns, 2 past producers, 1 plant. 4 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Field Plant PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Harrel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Hollis MineSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknownSedimentary
Hollis MineSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Marboro PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionPlant
Marlboro Field PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducerSedimentary
Marlboro MineSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Marlboro PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducerSedimentary
Unnamed Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknownSedimentary

Every working recorded in Marlboro County

Storms near this place

53 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Bennettsville in 53 storm reports between 1994 and 2024: 27 thunderstorm wind, 12 hail, 4 flash flood, 4 heavy rain. The reports record 1 death. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
August 1996Flash FloodBennettsville1 killed, $100,000no account filed
October 2016Flash FloodBennettsville$250,000Crooked Creek was out of its banks and caused considerable flooding in the town of Bennettsville. Flood waters did impact some homes in town. Evacuations were reported to include the communities of Richardson Park and Shady Rest. The time was estimated.
October 2016Flash FloodBennettsville$100,000A portion of Covington Mill Pond Road was washed out. The time was estimated.
July 1998Thunderstorm WindBennettsville$80,000Thunderstorm winds caused damage to buildings and sheds at Gold Kist, cotton trailers were overturned at McColl Ginnerry, and the sign, a light pole and car windows were broken at a car dealership.
May 2019Thunderstorm WindBennettsville$50,000Call center reported multiple trees and power lines down in Bennettsville.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindBennettsville$30,000Trees were blown down. The walls and rafters of a funeral home that was under construction collapsed.
May 2003Thunderstorm WindBennettsville$30,000911 reported numerous trees down. A mobile home was significantly damage.
March 1999LightningBennettsville$30,000A morning thunderstorm lightning strike caused a fire to a residence. No injuries.
July 2003Thunderstorm WindBennettsville$20,000An apparent microburst snapped three large oak trees that fell on two cars. A home had the shingles blown off, and a shed had the roof blown off. Trees were reported down on State St. and South Parsonidge. Small hail was also reported.
September 2004Tornado (F0)Bennettsville$15,000A tornado damaged a steel conveyor belt track at a sand and gravel mine. Several trees were snapped, and the roof of a front porch of a church was lifted off.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindBennettsville$12,000Numerous trees were reported down across Bennettsville. The time was estimated based on radar data.
May 1998Thunderstorm WindBennettsville$10,000Strong winds downed trees, signs, and blew debris around Bennettsville. Heavy rains measured up to 4.5 inches, causing curb-deep water in the city. Hail reports ranged to 1 inch diameter.
August 2011FloodBennettsville$5,000Flooding was reported on Beauty Spot Road East. A car hydroplaned and wrecked.
April 2001Thunderstorm WindBennettsville$5,000Spotter reported trees down on power lines on Hickory Grove Road. A metal carport was also destroyed. A Bennettsville city administrator reported trees down on East Main Street, Breeden Heights, Crestview Street, and Kinney Circle.
June 1999Thunderstorm WindBennettsville$5,000Downed trees and power outages were reported.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindBennettsville$3,000A few large trees were reported down along Broad Street.
August 2024FloodBennettsville$2,000Flood waters were flowing over the intersection of Beauty Spot Road and East Main Street.
April 2010Thunderstorm WindBennettsville$1,500A tree was reported down on a house along Spruce Street. No damage to the house was reported.
May 2020Thunderstorm WindBennettsville$1,000A large tree was blown down in the road.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindBennettsville$1,000A tree was reported down near the intersection of Stornaway Street and West Main Street. The time was estimated based on radar data.
April 2012HailBennettsville$1,000Hail to the size of quarters was reported.
August 2011Thunderstorm WindBennettsville$1,000A large tree was reported down across Highway 9. The time was estimated based on radar data.
July 2005Thunderstorm WindBennettsville$1,000Strong winds knocked large limbs down and blew a fence over.
July 2012HailBennettsville$250Hail to the size of nickels was reported.
January 2024Thunderstorm WindBennettsville-Several reports of trees and power lines down including along Willamette Road, Hodges Ave, Salem Road, and Ancil Street.
May 2024HailBennettsville-Quarter-sized hail fell in Bennettsville. Photo evidence tweeted by broadcast media. Event time estimated by radar.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindBennettsville-Multiple trees down across the county per 911 call center, including 1000 block of Airport Rd.
August 2023Thunderstorm WindBennettsville-Trees and power lines down off Main Street.
May 2013FloodBennettsville-Flooding on Main Street in Bennettsville. Water was covering the sidewalks.
July 2010Heavy RainBennettsville-Flooding was reported along Hwy 15-401 near the Sanders Auction House. Several lanes were closed.
August 2008Thunderstorm WindBennettsville-A large tree was reported down on power lines on Breeden Street.
June 2007HailBennettsville-Nickel size hail fell along SR 79.
June 2007HailBennettsville-Nickel size hail covered the ground one mile west of Chavistown on State Route 9.
June 2006Thunderstorm WindBennettsville-Trees down near the intersection of SR 9 and SR 79.
March 2005Thunderstorm WindBennettsville-Trees down on Hwy 38 (Blenheim Highway).
July 2005Heavy RainBennettsville-The 911 center reported numerous flooded roadways.
August 2004Tornado (F0)Bennettsville-A tornado touched down near the intersection of Hwy 79 and Hwy 38. The tornado moved northeast, with F0 damage to trees. The tornado dissipated about one mile south of Goodwins Millpond.
July 2004Heavy RainBennettsville-Flooding was reported on W Main Street. Many other streets were flooded, and portions of Hwy 15 and Hwy 401 were closed.
April 2003HailBennettsville-The Sheriff's department reported quarter size hail.
July 2003HailBennettsville-Emergency manager reported nickel size hail.
July 2003Heavy RainBennettsville-Heavy rain caused widespread street flooding.
March 2002HailBennettsville-Spotter reported pea to ping pong ball size hail.
April 2001Thunderstorm WindBennettsville-Spotter reported large tree down on Grants Mill Road east.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindBennettsville-Spotter's wind equipment measured a 58 mph wind gust.
June 2000Thunderstorm WindBennettsville-Marlboro county 911 reported two trees down.
August 2000Flash FloodBennettsville-Marlboro 911 reported street flooding.
May 1999HailBennettsville-Slow moving thunderstorm dropped hailstones measuring up to golf ball size, covering the ground.
May 1998HailBennettsville-Hail occurred with winds strong enough to cause power outages.
April 1998HailBennettsville-Reported by 911 dispatcher
November 1995Thunderstorm WindBennettsville-Small pine trees knocked down.
September 1996Thunderstorm WindBennettsville-no account filed
May 1995Thunderstorm WindBennettsville-no account filed
April 1994HailBennettsville-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Marlboro County

Newspapers printed here

1,967 digitised pages

2 papers published in this town, digitised by the Library of Congress and free to read: 358 issues, 1,967 pages. Every page is searchable, so a name or a street can be looked for directly in what the town printed about itself at the time.

NewspaperPublished
The Marlboro Democrat1882 to 1908
The Marlboro Democrat1911

What the paper printed

34,730 words

Front pages of the local paper, read from the Library of Congress scans: 7 issues spread across its run from 1885 to 1911, 34,730 words in total. Each is reproduced on its own page, exactly as the recogniser returned it.

These pages read less well than anything else here, and the number is worth stating: about three words in four come through cleanly, against nine in ten for the building records. An 1896 broadsheet sets eight-point type in seven columns on microfilm, which is the hardest thing in this archive to read by machine. We tested our own recognisers against the Library's and they were not better, so the Library's text is what appears, with the wholly unreadable columns removed. Read it as a guide to what the paper covered, and follow the link to the scan before quoting anything.

IssuePaper Length
1911-10-20The Marlboro Democrat1,825 words
1911-10-27The Marlboro Democrat665 words
1885-02-25The Marlboro Democrat3,197 words
1905-07-07The Marlboro Democrat8,479 words
1905-07-21The Marlboro Democrat8,319 words
1905-07-28The Marlboro Democrat8,465 words
1908-08-21The Marlboro Democrat3,780 words

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Grace Heights1.0 miles8
Ayers (historical)1.0 miles8
Country Club Heights1.1 miles8
Sunnybrook Heights1.1 miles8
Lake Terrace1.3 miles8
Dundee Acres1.6 miles8
Lakeside1.7 miles8
Century Acres1.7 miles8

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on BennettsvilleAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q2007316The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1246743. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.