2017-2018 Resource & Relocation Guide

Oconee CountyOconee CountySouth CarolinaSouth Carolina

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Table Of Contents

Skyline Publishing | Project Coordinator: Jason Short

Ad Designer: Jeremy Newell | Book Designer: Linda Swindler

6-7 Newcomer Information

8 Local Education

11 Things To Do

12 Health & Hospitals

14 State Insofmraiton

15 County History

16-17 Oconee County Map

18-19 Walhalla City Map

20 Home Buyer Information

23 Buyer Mistakes

25 How Much Can You Afford

27 Tips to Selling Your Home

30 Packing Tips

31 Moving Checklist

32 Homefinder Notepad

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InformationNewcomerPolice Fire

Post Offices

Courthouse

Utilities

Oconee County Sheriff - 300 S. Church St.Walhalla, SC - (864) 638-4111

Seneca Police205 N. Depot St. Seneca, SC(864) 885-2718

Walhalla Police101 E. Main St.Walhalla, SC(864) 638-5831

West Union Police1442 W. Main St.West Union, SC(864) 638-9978

Crossroads Fire8654 W. Oak Hwy.Seneca, SC(864) 972-1313

Keowee Ebenezer Fire7031 Keowee School Rd.Seneca, SC(864) 723-9084

Long Creek Fire12351 Long Creek Hwy.Long Creek, SC(864) 647-8151

Oconee County Fire415 S. Pine St.Walhalla, SC(864) 638-4220

Seneca Fire321 W. South 4th St.Seneca, SC(864) 885-2738

Walhalla Fire207 E. North Broad St.Walhalla, SC(864) 638-4345

US Post Office508 E. Main St.Seneca, SC(864) 882-8422

US Post Office283 Market St.Seneca, SC(864) 885-0872

US Post Office304 Richland Rd.Seneca, SC(864) 882-3999

US Post Office800 E. Main St.Westminster, SC(864) 647-2484

US Post Office190 S. Carolina 11West Union, SC(864) 638-2311

Oconee County Courthouse

205 W. Main St.Walhalla, SC

(864) 638-4266

Salem Water Department(864) 944-2819

Walhalla Water Department(864) 638-4343

Blue Ridge Electric(864) 647-2005

Duke Energy(864) 888-2107

Seneca Light & Water(864) 885-2723

BellSouth(864) 654-3786

Northland Communications(864) 882-0002

Verizon Wireless(864) 882-2345

Oconee CountySchool District 414 S. Pine St.Walhalla, SC

(864) 886-4400

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Local School Districts

Colleges & Universities

• Current Immunization Record & Birth Certificate • Name & Address Of Last School Attended• Last Report Card & Any Scores Obtained From Standardized Tests

When Registering Your Children For School, Please Remember To Bring:

Anderson University316 Blvd. Heights

Anderson, SC(864) 231-2000

Bob Jones University1700 Wade Hampton

Greenville, SC(864) 242-5100

Clemson University109 Daniel Dr.Clemson, SC

(864) 656-2231

Tri-County Technical College1 Vocational Dr.

Seneca, SC(864) 886-4555

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Arts Co.125 N. Townville St.

Seneca, SC(864) 675-3808

Blue Ridge Golf Center2499 Blue Ridge Blvd.

Walhalla, SC(864) 882-7949

Crooked Creek RV Park777 Arvee Ln.

West Union, SC(864) 882-5040

Cross Creek Plantation Golf130 Club Dr.Seneca, SC

(864) 882-8337

Devil’s Fork State Park& Laurel Fork Falls161 Holcombe Cir.

Salem, SC(864) 944-2639

Fairplay Wilderness Camp347 Wilderness Trl.

Westminster, SC(864) 647-4311

Falcon's Lair Golf Course1308 Falcons Dr.

Walhalla, SC(864) 638-9993

Fort Hill102 Fort Hill St.

Clemson, SC(864) 656-2475

Keep Sake Tours18 Port Tack Dr.

Salem, SC(864) 944-6444

Keowee Key1 Country Club Dr.

Salem, SC(864) 944-2222

Lunney Museum211 W. South 1st St.

Seneca, SC(864) 882-4811

Oconee Community Theater8001 Utica St.

Seneca, SC(864) 882-7700

Oconee Hertiage Center123 Browns Square Dr.

Walhalla, SC (864) 638-2224

Oconee Hertiage Center126 E. Main St.

Westminster, SC (864) 638-2224

Oconee State Park500 Oconee Station Rd.

Walhalla, SC(864) 638-5353

Oconee Station State Historic Site & Station Cove Falls500 Oconee Station Rd.

Walhalla, SC(864) 638-0079

Salem Library5-B Park Ave.

Salem, SC(864) 944-0912

Seneca Cinemas 8675 Highway 123 Bypass

Seneca, SC(864) 882-0000

Seneca Library300 E. S. Second St.

Seneca, SC(864) 882-4855

Walhalla Main Library501 W. South Broad St.

Walhalla, SC (864) 638-4133

Westminster Library112 W. North Ave.Westminster, SC (864) 647-3215

Wildwater Ltd. Chattooga Cottages

1251 Academy Rd.Long Creek, SC(864) 482-0164

World Of EnergyOconee Nuclear Station

7812 Rochester Hwy.Seneca, SC

(864) 885-4600

.....and so much more

Oconee County

Health & Hospitals

Dial 911for Emergencies

Oconee County Health Department609 N. Townville St.

Seneca, SC(864) 882-2245

Oconee County Human Resources

415 S. Pine St.Walhalla, SC

(864)638-4252

Blue Ridge Surgery Center

10630 Clemson Blvd.

Suite 200

Seneca, SC

(864) 324-0466

Greenville Health Systems

Oconee Memorial Hospital

298 Memorial Dr.

Seneca, SC

(864) 482-3100

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Oconee County, located in the northwest corner of South Carolina on the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, takes its name from a Cherokee word meaning "land beside the water." The county was formed in 1868 from Pickens District, and Walhalla became the county seat. Originally, this area was home to the Cherokees, but their land was

ceded through treaties signed in 1777 and 1816. Following the American Revolution, several war heroes moved to present day Oconee County including Andrew Pickens (1739-1817), Robert Anderson (1741-1813), and Benjamin Cleveland (1738-1806). After the American Revolution, settlers from other parts of the state began moving in, including German settlers from Charleston who founded the town of Walhalla in 1850. In 1856, work began on a tunnel for the Blue Ridge Railroad that would have linked Charleston with Knoxville, Tennessee. The project proved to be more expensive and difficult than anticipated and all work ceased with the onset of the Civil War. The unfinished Stumphouse Tunnel can still be seen today just northwest of Walhalla. During the period of Reconstruction after the Civil War, Oconee continued to rely heavily upon agriculture as a means of subsistence and income. The rich soil of the county’s many river valleys and its moderate climate enabled the production of many crops, including corn, cotton, tobacco, and apples. Railroad access to the area increased after Reconstruction and the towns of Seneca and Westminster were founded in 1874 and 1875 along new railroad lines. Railroads connected Oconee to the wider world and enabled the growth of the textile industry in the area. Oconee’s first textile mill, the Courtenay Manufacturing Company, and the mill village of Newry were built in 1894. Numerous textile mills in Seneca, Walhalla, and Westminster provided jobs for thousands of Oconee residents throughout the 20th century. Following World War 2, Oconee County witnessed many changes. The construction of I-85 along the southern portion of the county boosted industry by allowing quick access to nearby hubs like Atlanta and Charlotte. In 1962 the Hartwell Dam and Lake project was completed and Oconee began to flourish as a recreational destination. Just 10 years later the construction of the Oconee Nuclear Station by Duke Power created lakes Jocassee and Keowee, along with more jobs and recreational opportunities. Today, Oconee visitors and residents enjoy the rich cultural and geographic diversity of the Mountain Lakes Region.

A Bit of Oconee County History1846

1812

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The 8th state to be admitted into the Union, South Carolina is named after Britain’s King Charles I (Carolus is Latin for Charles), and the state motto is "Dum Spiro Spero" - While I breathe, I hope.

Population: 4,321,249

Capital: Columbia

State Flower:Yellow Jessamine

State Tree: Sabal Palmetto

State Bird: Carolina Wren

- S t a t e F a c t s -

Highest Point: Sassafras Mountain - 3,560 ft.

Area: 32,020 sq mi

Largest City: Columbia

Entered the Union: May 23, 1788 (8th)

Top Industries: Farming, Textiles, ManufacturingState Song: “Carolina”

State Insect: Carolina Mantid

The Palmetto State

S o u t hC a r o l i n a

The colony of Carolina was settled by English settlers, mostly from Barbados, sent by

the Lords Proprietors in 1670, whom were followed by French Huguenots. The formal

colony of "The Carolinas" split into two in 1712.

On February 5, 1778, South Carolina became the first state to ratify the Articles of

Confederation - which was the first constitution of the United States.

South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union on December 20, 1860.

On April 12, 1861, Confederate batteries began attacking Fort Sumter, marking the

beginning of the Civil War.

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Oconee County

1918

Walhalla

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Can You Afford?House How much you can afford is determined by a relatively simple formula. Lenders generally figure that no more

than 28 percent of your income should be for total housing costs. In addition, they require that your total monthly

debt be less than 36 percent of your income. (Note: These are general numbers. Other loan programs may allow

higher percentages.)

For example, if you make $48,000 a year, divided by 12 months, your monthly income is $4,000. (Remember,

that’s $48,000 in gross pay, before federal and state taxes are removed.) Twenty-eight percent of $4,000 is $1,120.

That is the most you can make in a monthly mortgage, taxes, and insurance payments.

Generally, to qualify, the self-employed buyer must have been self-employed in the same line of work for at least

24 months before applying for a loan. Lenders use your net income, the figure at the bottom of schedule C of your

federal income tax form, to decide how large a mortgage you can carry. But they don’t look at what you earn now

or what you made last year. Rather lenders figure the monthly average of your income over the past 24 months.

Also, overtime pay & bonuses sometimes may not be figured into your average income.

Don’t forget that points, closing costs & other out-of-the-pocket expenses probably will come out to about

one percent of the mortgage amount.

How much

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

The average person generatesover 4 pounds of trash every day

and about 1.5 tons of solid waste per year.

Over 75% of waste is recyclable,but we only recycle about 30% of it.

Recycling one aluminum can saves enoughenergy to listen to a full album on your iPod.

Recycling 100 cans could light yourbedroom for two whole weeks.

Americans throw away 25,000,000plastic bottles every hour

The average person generatesover 4 pounds of trash every day

and about 1.5 tons of solid waste per year.

Over 75% of waste is recyclable,but we only recycle about 30% of it.

Recycling one aluminum can saves enoughenergy to listen to a full album on your iPod.

Recycling 100 cans could light yourbedroom for two whole weeks.

Americans throw away 25,000,000plastic bottles every hour

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Packing StrategiesSupplies:

Packing for efficiency:

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Preparing to move:A strategy for packing:

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2017-2018 Resource & Relocation Guide

Oconee CountyOconee CountySouth CarolinaSouth Carolina