It comes as a surprise to some folks to realize the degree to which South Carolina played a pivotal role in the U.S. Revolution. The escapades of the Swamp Fox, Francis Marion, took place largely in South Carolina. And Anderson, S.C., plus Anderson County, which the city serves as the seat of government, was named for a Revolutionary War hero, General Robert Anderson.


Virginia-born, Anderson was the son of Irish immigrants. After the war, Anderson settled on the side of the Seneca River that became part of Anderson County when a previous district was divided to create it. The City of Anderson dates from 1826, when the South Carolina legislature commissioned five men to choose a site for the location of Anderson Courthouse. The task was finished by 1827, which is considered the city's founding date. For long many years, because of its organization around the courthouse site, the town was known as Anderson Courthouse.


Anderson tallies many "firsts" in its long history: The first town in the South to have unlimited hydroelectric power for continuous use in the late 19th century; the first cotton gin operated electrically; the first transmission of electricity to operate a grist mill. This industrial hook-up became important as the textile industry boom hit the South later in the 20th century. This early experience with electricity has garnered the town its nickname: The Electric City.


Textiles remain important in Anderson's industrial component. But agriculture has never lost its significance either. As a result, Anderson has achieved state "firsts" in wheat production and beef cattle. And while it holds on to second in dairy production. Anderson County also is ranked number one in cotton production for the Piedmont, as this part of the state is known.


. With a population of just over 25,500, in a county total of 165,700, the City of Anderson is rich in cultural values. Some 260 houses of worship serve the spiritual needs of area citizens. One, Good Hope Presbyterian Church, was organized in 1789, and is the oldest continuously operating Presbyterian Church in the county.


With local college and university talent providing much of the performance core, Anderson boasts a symphony orchestra, a chamber orchestra, and a 100-voice chorale. The Anderson County Arts Center, located in a refurbished Carnegie Library, nurtures the visual arts. On the campus of liberal arts Anderson College, the Callie Stringer Rainey Fine Arts Center is home to an art gallery, a theater, and other performance spaces.


A vigorous economy has enabled Anderson, both city and county, to generate new job, many of them in the manufacturing sector. AnMed Health, a large medical complex with multiple sites, provides state-of-the-art medical services, and is the county's largest employer, with 3500 on staff.


A well-educated population anchors this business growth. Founded in 1912 by the citizens of Anderson, Anderson College is a classic campus offering four-year degrees to both traditional and nontraditional students. In addition, Clemson University, founded in 1889, lies only a few miles northwest of Anderson. With strong academic and athletic programs, Clemson fields more than 70 majors in five colleges. Initially a military college with fewer than 500 students, today it is a public university that ranks well among its peers nationally, an achievement that draws 16,000 students to its classrooms.


For recreation, Anderson's residents can look to manmade Lake Hartwell, on the South Carolina-Georgia line, with more than 1,000 miles of shoreline. Not too far northwest of Anderson, the more adventurous may spend a wild summer afternoon whitewater rafting on the Chattooga River, also part of the border between the two states.


Flea market fans won't want to miss Anderson Jockey Lot & Farmer's Market, a huge gaggle of 1,500 dealers covering 65 acres and attracting droves of antique hunters on the weekends. For gardening devotees, the South Carolina Botanical Garden at Clemson University offers 295 acres of nature trails, ponds, plants and pathways. History buffs will enjoy the treasures of the city's past, including historic homes and museums throughout the county that focus on its history.


Anderson, the Electric City, is justifiably proud of having been named an All-America City in 2000. It has a lot to offer.