What was the economy like in Charleston, South Carolina, in the 1960s?
In the early 20th century, agriculture was the key to the economy of Charleston’s estate; however, in the 1960s, the value of manufactured goods exceeded the number of agricultural products. Despite that agriculture has continued to play an essential role in the economy, it was then playing a diminishing role since employment in the service and manufacturing industry was increasing. The manufacturing industry was now involved in the production of non-durable products and fabric production. However, the trend changed in the late 1960s, and early 1970s were transportation equipment, and other durable goods were now playing a pivotal role (John & Donald 2019). Also, the service sector was propelling the economy, with tourism playing the most significant part.
Since the 1960s, South Carolina farms have declined in number. However, cotton and cottonseed have remained a top crop. It was once in every estate, but now it’s limited to a few farms. Tobacco farms for many years it was a leading crop in the estate, and it remained central in the sector in both the 1960s and 1970s despite the drop in production. Also, people grew products in greenhouses, floriculture, and nurseries. The state was known for growing peaches.
With forests covering almost two-thirds of the state, forestry turned to a significant industry in South Carolina. People could harvest softwoods like pine for paper production and hardwoods like oak used for lumber.
South Carolina was also involved in mining activities that focused primarily on construction materials. The materials focused on include sand, clay, gravel, and crushed stone as the main products. In the 1970s, nuclear power kicked off as a leading source of energy in South Carolina (Lesesne, 2001). Several nuclear reactors could be used together in the generation of more than half of the state’s electricity. The remainder of South Carolina’s power was drawn from petroleum, hydroelectric power, natural gas, and other renewable energy sources. Also, coal-powered plants played a significant role.
References
John J. W. & Donald O. B (2019). South Carolina, 2019. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/place/South-Carolina
Lesesne, H. H. (2001). A history of the University of South Carolina, 1940-2000. Univ of South Carolina Press.