# Woodruff, South Carolina

Woodruff is a city in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 4,333 at the 2020 census. The city is part of the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Combined Statistical Area.

## Geography

Woodruff is located at 34°44′26″N 82°1′57″W﻿ / ﻿34.74056°N 82.03250°W﻿ / 34.74056; -82.03250 (34.740530, -82.032580).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.7 square miles (9.6 km$^2$), of which 0.04 square miles (0.10 km$^2$), or 0.54%, is water.

## History

In 1787, Joseph Woodruff, his brothers, and other family were listed as members and deacons in the earliest minutes of the Church of Christ at Jamey’s Creek, which would later become Woodruff Baptist Church. As early as 1789, Woodruff purchased two hundred acres of land on Jamey’s Creek, including the present site of Woodruff. By 1825, Woodruff post office (which took its name from the postmaster Thomas Woodruff, Joseph’s son) and Woodruff’s Tavern dominated the crossroads.
Situated in the midst of an expanding cotton region, Woodruff developed as a trade center for the rural farming communities. By the 1850s the town was hosting substantial fairs for the exchange of livestock and domestic manufactures. Woodruff was incorporated in 1874 with a population estimated at 150, but with the coming of the railroad in 1885 the population had grown to an estimated 1,600 by 1886. As a terminus on the rail line, the station at Woodruff included a turntable that would return trains to Augusta, Georgia.
A fair that began in the 1870s grew into a major annual event by the 1890s, drawing visitors from as far away as North Carolina. During the 1880s and 1890s construction steadily progressed along Main Street, with the popular Leatherwood Hotel as the focal point. Industry came to town in 1898 with the arrival of Woodruff Cotton Oil Company, and within three years the newly chartered Woodruff Cotton Mill began operation. By 1907 the W.S. Gray Cotton Mill was established, further expanding Woodruff’s residential base with additional mill houses. Until World War II the major diversion from textiles in the area was peaches, with more than 200,000 trees within a ten-mile radius. During the 1950s, with industries settling near large cities, Woodruff saw a four percent drop in population. But with the 1962 opening of the Jeffery Manufacturing Company plant costing US$2,500,000 (equivalent to US$28,684,211 in 2023), the town’s industrial base grew and diversified. New jobs attracted residents, and Woodruff’s population reached 4,576 by 1970.

## Government and city departments

Kenneth Gist is the current mayor, the city manager is Lee Bailey. City Council members include Mattie Norman, Toni Sloan, William "Buddy" Arnold, James Smith, Scott Dickard and Sharon Kelly.
The town is also noted for being situated near an international aeromodelling center, Triple Tree Aerodrome, where the world's largest model airplane event happens annually, Joe Nall Week.
Other city departments include the fire department (The Woodruff Fire Department became a part of The Trinity Fire Department in July 2019, parks and recreation, building codes and zoning, police department, streets department, and sewer department.

## Education

Spartanburg County School District 4 serves Woodruff and nearby areas, encompassing approximately 2,800 students. The district superintendent is Dr. W. Rallie Liston. The district currently operates four schools:
* Woodruff Primary School
* Woodruff Elementary School
* Woodruff Middle School
* Woodruff High School
Throughout its history, Woodruff High School has achieved significant success in athletics, especially in football. Under the leadership of Coach W. L. Varner, the school's athletics programs have secured numerous state titles.
Woodruff also hosts the Project Fun Homeschool Co-op, which serves students from Spartanburg, Greenville, Laurens, and Union counties. The city has a lending library, a branch of the Spartanburg County Public Library.

## Media

Woodruff has a radio station that is Woodruff specific; WQUL is a radio station located in Woodruff that plays oldies, carries local sports games, and keeps the community abreast of local events. It can be found at 101.7 F.M.

## Demographics
### 2020 census

Woodruff racial composition :
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 2,553 | 60.61% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 939 | 22.29% |
| Native American | 11 | 0.26% |
| Asian | 28 | 0.66% |
| Other/Mixed | 233 | 5.53% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 448 | 10.64% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,212 people, 1,577 households, and 891 families residing in the city.

### 2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,229 people, 1,678 households, and 1,130 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,154.8 inhabitants per square mile (445.9/km$^2$). There were 1,869 housing units at an average density of 510.4 per square mile (197.1/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the city was 68.53% White, 27.71% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.63% from other races, and 1.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.74% of the population. With a population 4,229 there are three Authur state banks within a mile of each 3 homeless shelters yet statistically no Woodruff residents are homeless. There are 4 mortuaries in the city of 4,229. There were 1,678 households, out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples living together, 19.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,824, and the median income for a family was $32,966. Males had a median income of $26,204 versus $21,467 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,535. About 15.5% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 19.3% of those age 65 or over.

## Notable people

* Todd Kohlhepp, a serial killer who killed two of his victims and held two of them captive on his Woodruff estate.
* Ken "The Hawk" Harrelson, former Major League Baseball player, current TV broadcaster for the Chicago White Sox.
* Sammy Taylor, major league baseball player from 1958 to 1963 with the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds.
* Tony Rice (American football), quarterback for University of Notre Dame (1986-1988, 1988 NCAA Football National Champions), Canadian Football League and World League of American Football.
* Wilson Casey, Trivia Guinness World Record holder, professional entertainer/speaker, nationally syndicated newspaper columnist in 500+ newspapers, most-read writer from the Carolinas with 50 versions of published books, works, and calendars.
* Willie Varner (1926-2009), in the National High School Sports Hall of Fame.
* Tory Dandy, sports agent