 |
More about Clemson
For a city its size, Clemson carries a lot of weight in the South Carolina Upstate. The university located here is, of course, a big reason for that. And yet, as many visitors quickly realize, there's far more to the tightly-knit Foothills community than orange overalls, Tiger Paws, Saturday tailgates, and late-night cram sessions.
In a poem entitled "Something in These Hills," Clemson Class of '34 graduate Joe Sherman captures the essence of how many students, alumni, and locals feel about this cozy little corner of Pickens County when he writes, "There is something in these hills that you and I can't define and others can't understand." The "something" he refers to is a deep-rooted love for the school, city, area, and people. It's what inspires so many to retire here and so many more to return en mass each year to attend sporting events, catch festivals and concerts, or visit their old stomping grounds.
Looking back, it seems folks have always been drawn to this area. After all, noted statesman John C. Calhoun had his home, Fort Hill, constructed on a hillside high above the Seneca River and held court there until his death in 1850. Years later, Calhoun's son-in-law, Thomas Green Clemson, provided the necessary resources for a "high seminary of learning" on land that was once part of the Fort Hill plantation.
Clemson Agriculture College welcomed just under 450 students its inaugural term in 1893, all of them sons of South Carolina. Today's student body, of course, is much more diversified, representing all 50 U.S. states and 89 countries and attracted, no doubt, by opportunities to pursue undergraduate and advanced degrees in Architecture, Business, Engineering, Forestry, and various other fields of study.
While the wide array of academic programs is the primary draw for a large majority of students, something else inspires decades of graduates to remain "true to their school." It may not be a tangible, measurable quantity - but Clemson folks, both town and gown, have it in abundance. You find it in "old school" places like Mac's and Judge Keller's, where, despite countless seasons of change, they continue to welcome all-comers with Southern smiles and homespun hospitality.
It's evident elsewhere, too, this unique sense of place. It's inspired developers to design new and better living accommodations all over the city. It's why merchants, restaurateurs, and bar owners gave old buildings, such as Calhoun Corners, the Esso Club, and Mellow Mushroom, new leases on life, peppering the juxtaposition of things then and now with a slight hint of what tomorrow may bring.
So it goes ... the new crop of graduates, caps in hand, pose for photos in front of their favorite landmarks, just as those before them did. The only differences, it seems, are the hairstyles and the skylines behind the smiling graduates. All the while their minds revisit the bustle of College Avenue the Friday before a big game, Bowman Field crowded with sunbathers and Frisbee tossers on a spring day, Lake Hartwell shrouded with morning mist, and the Blue Ridge Mountains as seen from that one Tillman Hall stairway. It's then their hearts echo the sentiments of their predecessors: "This place is home ... I'm not sure I want to leave."
Clemson Facts
Fact 1: One of the more common superstitions held by the student body at Clemson University involves Fort Hill, the historic home of John C. Calhoun. As the legend goes, students who venture into the home are doomed to delay graduation by a semester or more ... much to the chagrin of their parents! Needless to say, no scientific evidence exists linking the Calhoun mansion to graduation rates.
Fact 2: Tinsel Town has had its brushes with Tigertown, most notably in 1973, when a feature production called The Midnight Man used the Clemson campus and various locations in Pickens County as sets. Burt Lancaster starred as Jim Slade, recently hired as a nightwatchman on the Jordan College Campus. While making his rounds one night, he discovers the slain body of Natalie Clayborne (Catherine Bach, later famous as Daisy Duke) and his detective instincts kick into overdrive as he investigates the murder and, subsequently, puts his own life in danger.
Fact 3: When does a little become a lot? In this tiny college town, that'd be on a fall Saturdays when the football team has a homegame scheduled. It's then that the town of under 15,000 full-time residents blooms to over 80,000 people, as orange-clad folks from all over the Southeast converge on campus for an all-day celebration of eating, socializing and, of course, watching football.
Fact 4: Award winning Clemson Blue Cheese is made right on campus as it has been since 1958. This artisan cheese is made by hand using a time-tested process. After aging for 120 days, it's hand-packaged, and sold as wheels, wedges, krumbles, and dressing in stores and restaurants throughout the area.
Fact 5: Thomas Green Clemson came to the Upstate soon after marrying statesman John C. Calhoun's daughter, Anna Maria, in 1838. A champion of scientific and agriculture education, Clemson was saddened by the widespread devastation and population displacement that occured in the South a results of the Civil War. When he passed in 1888, he left most of his estate, including the original Fort Hill plantation, to the state of South Carolina for the establishment of "a high seminary of learning in which the graduate of the common schools can commence, pursue and finish the course of studies terminating in thorough theoretic and practical instruction." Clemson Agricultural College welcomed its first class in 1893.
Fact 6: Central to what? Northeast of Clemson is a tiny town with a "funny name": Central. Newcomers to the area (and even a few longtime residents) often wonder how the town, which is home to Southern Wesleyan College and US Senator Lindsey Graham, earned its memorable name. Well, it goes back to the heyday of the railroad. The 266-mile line connecting Atlanta to Charlotte runs right through the Upstate, and at mile marker 133, way back in the 1870s, the Atlanta and Richmond Air Line Company set up a little village and named it Central.
Fact 7: Lake Hartwell figures prominently into the Clemson landscape, affording beautiful settings for neighborhoods, golf courses, and walking paths as well as photogenic images of the campus skyline. The 56,000-acre manmade lake, which was formed as an Army Corps of Engineers project back in the 1960s, straddles South Carolina and Georgia and incorporates water from three primary rivers: the Savannah, Tugaloo, and Seneca.
Fact 8: In 1963, a young man from Charleston, SC became the first African-American admitted to Clemson College. In light of the political posturing that occurred when several other Southern schools were forced to integrate, Clemson's president Robert Cook Edwards and board of trustees were bound and determined to make sure Clemson integrated "with dignity" and without press-worthy subplots, and that is just what happened. Gantt, incidentally, went on to graduate with a degree in architecture, receive a Masters from MIT, and even serve as the mayor of Charlotte, NC, from 1983-987.
Fact 9: In the 1850s, the Blue Ridge Railroad attempted to construct a line that would connect Knoxville and Charleston. Doing so required tunneling through Stumphouse Mountain in Oconee County; however, before the tunnel could be completed, the Civil War broke out, halting all work. For the next 80 years, little happened at Stumphouse aside from the occasional picnic – that is, until a clever college professor decided conditions in the tunnel were perfect for manufacturing blue cheese. The college's dairy staff used the tunnel for just that purpose until 1958. In the years since, the tunnel and nearby Issaqueena Falls have served as popular recreational spots for the Upstate.
Fact 10: Issaqueena Falls and the Issaqueena Trail aren't the only local landmarks owing their names to the legendary Cherokee maiden. As the story goes, when Issaqueena discovered her tribe planned to attack the settlement where her beloved Allan Francis lived, she jumped on her horse to warn him. As she rode, she tracked her route by naming landmarks – Mile Creek, Six Mile Mountain (now a town in Pickens County), Twelve Mile River – until she reached the settlement where Francis lived, which she named Ninety Six (it's still called that). Incidentally, the distance from Issaqueena's village to Ninety Six is actually 92 miles ... but we'll give her the benefit of the doubt!
7-Day Forecast displaying in FAHRENHEIT
Friday 07.25.08
 HI: 89°
LO: 69°
High level clouds. Pleasantly warm. Chance of Precipitation: 14% UV Index: 0
Minimal
Wind Speed: 7.41
from the South Humidity: 35% Dewpoint: 13.51 Comfort Index: 31.17
Saturday 07.26.08
 HI: 87°
LO: 69°
More clouds than sun. Warm. Chance of Precipitation: 57% UV Index: 5
Moderate
Wind Speed: 5.56
from the South Humidity: 59% Dewpoint: 20.18 Comfort Index: 34.06
Sunday 07.27.08
 HI: 90°
LO: 68°
Isolated tstorms late. Increasing cloudiness. Hot. Rainfall: 0.13 Chance of Precipitation: 49% UV Index: 5
Moderate
Wind Speed: 7.41
from the West Humidity: 65% Dewpoint: 21.77 Comfort Index: 39.84
Monday 07.28.08
HI: 90°
LO: 71°
Isolated tstorms late. Decreasing cloudiness. Hot. Rainfall: 0.13 Chance of Precipitation: 54% UV Index: 5
Moderate
Wind Speed: 10.19
from the Northwest Humidity: 74% Dewpoint: 22.95 Comfort Index: 43.34
Tuesday 07.29.08
HI: 90°
LO: 72°
Tstorms early. Partly cloudy. Hot. Rainfall: 0.13 Chance of Precipitation: 46% UV Index: 5
Moderate
Wind Speed: 10.19
from the North Humidity: 77% Dewpoint: 24.07 Comfort Index: 44.46
Wednesday 07.30.08
 HI: 93°
LO: 72°
Scattered clouds. Hot. Chance of Precipitation: 33% UV Index: 7
High
Wind Speed: 8.33
from the South Humidity: 61% Dewpoint: 21.91 Comfort Index: 43.00
Thursday 07.31.08
HI: 92°
LO: 73°
Scattered clouds. Hot. Chance of Precipitation: 34% UV Index: 7
High
Wind Speed: 7.41
from the Southwest Humidity: 67% Dewpoint: 23.02 Comfort Index: 44.17
Clemson Featured Articles
 |
Travel Pulse: What's New
10Best.com Newsletter, June 2008 (June 2008)
Refreshed Cities:
Come see new businesses, new lists, and expanded content in:
Orange County
San Diego
San Antonio
Minneapolis
Berlin
Charlotte
Atlanta
Clemson, SC
Asheville, NC
Hilton Head,... [read more]
|
 |
Get More Out of Las Vegas & Others
Venturing beyond the big-name attractions (March 2008)
On the Iowa side of the Mississippi, just a few miles north of the Quad Cities in Le Claire, is a rustic little eating spot called Sneaky Pete's. This place always springs to mind when people ask me what I like most about travelling. The gritty charm, the view of the river, the... [read more]
|
Keys to the City
Facts & Fundamentals : Clemson
The number of full-time residents in the city of Clemson is roughly 15,000. If you factor in full-time students (the vast majority of whom are non-residents), that number increases by just over 17,500.
The largest employer in the area is, not surprisingly, Clemson University. The Duke Energy Corporation also employs a large local workforce. Inside the city limits, the City of Clemson is the top employer, and many people are employed by area retailers, restaurants, and bars.
The SC state sales tax is 6% for non-grocery goods and 3% for grocery goods. In addition to that, the city of Clemson charges a 1% hospitality tax and a 1% fee on the purchase of prepared food and drinks intended for immediate consumption. There is also a 1% accommodations tax.
Weather : Clemson
Clemson enjoys four distinct seasons. Winters are generally mild, with average lows in the 30s and highs in the 50s. In the spring, lows are in the 40s and 50s and highs reach the 70s. Thanks to proximity of Lake Hartwell, summers are humid, with temperatures usually ranging from the 60s to the high 80s. In autumn, highs range from 60 to 80, and lows 60 to 40. Average monthly precipitation is between 3.5 and 5.3 inches, usually in the form of rain. In the winter, the area receives occasional snow and ice.
Holidays & Business Hours : Clemson
On federal and state holidays, many offices and businesses close or have truncated hours. Naturally, policies vary, but in general, the following holidays are broadly observed:
| January 1 |
New Year's Day |
| Third Monday in January |
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday |
| Third Monday in February |
Presidents Day |
| Date Changes |
Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday |
| Last Monday in May |
Memorial Day |
| July 4 |
Independence Day |
| First Monday in September |
Labor Day |
| Second Monday in October |
Columbus Day |
| November 11 |
Veterans Day |
| Fourth Thursday in November |
Thanksgiving |
| December 25 |
Christmas |
|
In addition, it's important to remember that Clemson is a college town; as such, most businesses have shorter hours during inter-session periods (like Christmas break, fall break, and spring break) or even close up entirely until the student body returns.
Coming & Going : Clemson
The nearest major airport, Greenville-Spartanburg International, is about an hour's drive away. GSP sees in the neighborhood of 80 commercial flights per day and is serviced by major carriers like Delta, US Air, and American.
Amtrak services Clemson via the Crescent Line, which connects the area to such major East Coast cities as New Orleans, Atlanta, Greensboro, Washington D.C., and New York.
Highway 76 provides Clemson's most direct link to Interstate 85, a major artery through the Piedmont of the Carolinas and Georgia. By car, both Atlanta and Charlotte are approximately 2.5 hours from Clemson; Greenville is less than an hour away.
Making Your Way : Clemson
Despite being home to a major university, the city of Clemson itself is quite small. In fact, those visiting campus and wanting to venture downtown (or visa versa) usually find it easiest to leave their cars parked and walk. In addition to being relatively compact, the campus and adjoining downtown areas are well landscaped, affording pleasant lunchtime walks and evening strolls.
If you decide to park on campus, make sure you secure a permit from the visitors center (864-656-4789) and park in designated spots only.
As far as public transportation goes, Clemson Area Transit operates several routes connecting the university to various points in Clemson, Central, Pendelton, Seneca, and even Anderson. Best of all, rides on CAT Buses are free to any and all riders – call 888-440-2287 for route info.
News & Views : Clemson
In the Upstate, the Greenville News is the primary source for daily regional, national, and international news. More locally, The Daily Journal/Daily Messenger spotlights news pertinent to South Carolina's Mountain Lakes Region (which includes Clemson, Seneca, Central, and Pendleton); the Anderson Independent-Mail also covers Clemson-area news quite well. On campus, a student-run publication called The Tiger comes out weekly during the Fall and Spring semesters, offering student perspectives on current events, politics, entertainment, sports, and other areas of interest. Upstate Link, a free publication, focuses on arts, entertainment and lifestyle trends in the Upstate, and though its focus is mainly Greenville, it does some provide some insight into Tigertown's goings on.
Quirks & Curiosities : Clemson
One of the Clemson's most popular traditions, a football tailgate party, in the purest sense of the term, is a picnic held in the parking lot before and after the game. The practice is called "tailgating" because, in the good old days, people did it out of their car trunks). These days, the spreads at many tailgates resemble professionally-catered block parties complete with "fully-stocked" coolers, tents, grills, deep-fryers, flat-panel TVs, portable heaters, and plenty of lawn chairs. Some folks even bring in rugs, karaoke machines, and living room furniture. All of this, of course, adds to the excitement of the game day culture and makes a fall Saturday spent in Tigertown quite the experience.
Getting Your Bearings : Clemson
When you're not familiar with a city, you feel completely adrift. That's exactly what the Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce hopes to ward off. They've compiled a vast collection of resources to help you better understand Clemson and the entire Mountain Lakes Region, and they're more than eager to share their time, hints, and literature with anybody who stops by their visitor center at 1105 Tiger Boulevard (the old train station). On campus, the Clemson University Visitors Center at 109 Daniel Drive (864-656-4789) is the place to arrange a campus tour, pick up a parking permit, and get literature about what to see and do in the area.
Necessities - Post Offices : Clemson
It's usually not too difficult to spot a drop box when you're out and about, but if you need to conduct more serious postal business, it's not always that easy. In the Clemson area, several locations are convenient to travelers and residents. They include:
Student Post Office
University Union, Ground Level
2275 University Station
Clemson, SC 29632
864-656-2351
Mon-Fri 8:30am-4pm
Clemson
519 College Ave
Clemson, SC 29631
864-654-2531
Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm, Sat 9:30am-11:30am
Central
1205 W Main St
Central, SC 29630
864-639-2814
Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm, Sat 8:30am-11am
Pendleton
891 S Mechanic St
Pendleton, SC 29670
864-646-3756
Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm, Sat 8:30am-noon
Common Courtesies : Clemson
Although tipping is generally a personal matter, there are some guidelines that prove helpful to travelers. At restaurants, servers typically get 15% of the bill, although 10% acknowledges basic assistance, and 20% awards exceptional service. It is also common now for some restaurants to charge an automatic gratuity of 18% for groups. You should be aware of this possibility before providing an additional tip. Taxi drivers usually fit into similar guidelines by receiving a tip equivalent to 15% of the tab.
Often, a dollar tip covers many situations. Bartenders are customarily given $1 per cocktail, hotel maids are provided $1 for each day of a stay, bellhops get about $1 per bag, and a coat-check clerk typically receives $1 as well. The exception is a concierge, who generally receives $5-$10 for standard service (additional assistance suggests more).
The anticipation, the planning, the adventure... Travel can be intoxicating. Early on, you're not concerned about contingencies or minutiae – you just want to get there and have an unforgettable time. To help your trip go smoothly, 10Best has all the essential information that makes navigating a city that much easier: local publications, holidays, public transport, and basics on everything from tipping to sightseeing passes. In short, we present you with the keys to the city.
|
|
|
Get great deals on local restaurants!
|
|
