GREENVILLE COUNTY
County Offices
301 University Ridge
Greenville 864-467-7100
www.greenvillecounty.org
Chamber of Commerce
24 Cleveland Street
Greenville 864-242-1050
www.greenvillechamber.org
Greenville County is South Carolina’s most populous county with more than 400,000 residents. Greenville is a mid-sized metro area with a low cost of living, mild climate, exceptional healthcare, award-winning school system, and an overall quality of life that is unmatched. Located along I-85 midway between Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina, Greenville offers the appeal of a big city with small-town hospitality that is hard to find elsewhere.
Lifestyle
Greenville has established itself as a cultural sensation with a wide variety of museums, theatres, symphonies, and performing arts centers making their home in the area. Greenville has a thriving arts community, with a number of venues to support performances. Greenville has been named one of the “Top 100 Arts Small Towns in the United States.” The BI-LO Center brings national tours of many popular bands to downtown, and the Peace Center for the Performing Arts provides a venue for orchestras and plays. The area is home to a number of orchestras, including the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, Greenville County Youth Orchestra, Carolina Youth Symphony, and the Carolina Pops Orchestra. The Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Greenville native Keith Lockhart, regularly performs at the Bi-Lo Center. The Greenville Light Opera Works holds full-scale and cabaret style performances of operetta and musical theater throughout the year, it offers musical theater and education to local schools through the GlowWorms program. The Carolina Ballet Theatre is a professional dance company which regularly presents programs at the Peace Center and elsewhere. Centre Stage, Greenville Little Theater, South Carolina Children’s Theater and the Warehouse Theatre are the major playhouses in the area. During the Spring and Summer, the local Shakespearean company performs Shakespeare in the Park at the Falls Park Amphitheater.
In addition to the performing arts, a number of local artists operate studios and galleries in the city, especially the Pendleton Street Arts District near downtown. The Metropolitan Arts Council and Upstate Visual Arts provide a number of public events that focus on the visual arts, including the First Fridays Art Walk, Greenville Open Studios, and the West Greenville Arts Festival.
With its location in the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville has plenty of outdoors to explore. Bike Magazine has rated Greenville as one of the “Top 5 Best Places to Live and Ride.” In addition, Greenville has both professional and college sports teams. Greenville will satisfy everyone’s outdoor and recreational tastes. There are at least 4 stadiums for football and baseball located within the county with total capacities of 100,000. There are also a number of soccer fields and at least three municipal and many private community swimming pools. The Recreation District of Greenville County owns and operates 41 facilities that range in size from 3-400 acres. In addition, parks cover a 240 square mile service area from the mountains to the Greenwood County line. Lake Jocassee, Lake Keowee, and Lake Hartwell within 50 miles of Greenville accommodate boating and other water sports.
Services
Greenville’s economy was formerly based largely on textile manufacturing, and the city was long known as “The Textile Capital of the World.” Today the area is a center for industry with many large corporations headquartered in the area. The city is the North American headquarters for Hubbell Lighting, Michelin and BMW. In 2003, the International Center for Automotive Research was created, establishing CUICAR as the new model for automotive research. The Center for Emerging Technologies in mobility and energy was opened in 2011, hosting a number of companies in leading edge research and the headquarters for Sage Automotive. When the former Donaldson Air Force Base closed, the land became the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center, and became home to a Lockheed Martin Aircraft and Logistics Center, as well as 3M and Honeywell. Caterpillar Inc. has a diesel engine manufacturing plant and engineering operations here. Also, General Electric Company has a gas turbine and wind energy manufacturing operation here. O’Neal, Inc. a project planning, design, and construction firm, has its headquarters in Greenville
Healthcare resources in the area are vast and varied, offering residents the absolute best in care. Greenville has two main health systems. Bon Secours St. Francis Health System, which includes St. Francis Downtown; St. Francis Eastside; and St. Francis Outpatient Center and Upstate Surgery Center, is ranked among the best hospitals in the nation by HealthGrades for heart surgery and overall orthopedic services. The extensive Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center is a non-profit academic medical center which, with five campuses, including Greenville Memorial Medical Center, North Greenville Long Term Acute Care Hospital and ER, Hillcrest Hospital, Greenville Memorial Hospital Patewood Campus, and the newest Greer Memorial Hospital. It is one of the largest employers in the region. It was recognized for 2010-2011 as a top provider of Cardiac and Gastroenterology Care by U.S. News & World Report. GHSUMC also boasts the only Children’s Hospital in the Upstate region of South Carolina, with the majority of Pediatric Specialties represented for inpatient and outpatient care. Additionally, Greenville’s Shiners’ Hospital for Children exclusively treats pediatric orthopedic patients free of charge.
The County affords outstanding educational opportunities at all levels. Public and private schools offer strong college preparatory, vocational and technical programs. Greenville County Schools offer a variety of enrichment programs which take students beyond the normal curriculum. Academic enrichment in music, drama and art broaden the cultural awareness of local students and community. Accredited private schools that offer classes in kindergarten through grade twelve are also available. Greenville’s public elementary and secondary schools are part of the Greenville County School District, which is the largest district in South Carolina. Greenville is also served by a number of private and religious schools. One important landmark of education, the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities, is located in Greenville overlooking the Falls Park on the Reedy. Greenville County has a total of 21 official public high schools.
Higher education is widely represented in the county. Nearby Clemson University was honored as the nation’s #1 public college in 2001 (Time Magazine). Clemson is was also ranked 23rd on the list of top public universities by U.S. News & World Report .Furman University is one of the nation’s leading liberal arts and sciences colleges, located on the edge of the City of Greenville. Greenville Technical College is ranked among the national top 10 technical colleges. Bob Jones University, a nondenominational Christian liberal arts institution, offers over 120 undergraduate degrees and 65 graduate degrees. Bob Jones is the largest private liberal arts university in South Carolina. The University Center is a nonprofit consortium of seven different college and universities dedicated to increasing access to educational opportunities for citizens of the metropolitan Greenville area. The Center caters particularly to working professionals.
Greenville
City Offices
206 South Main Street
Greenville 864-467-4431
www.greenvillesc.gov
Chamber of Commerce
24 Cleveland Street
Greenville 864-242-1050
www.greenvillechamber.org
Greenville is the sixth largest city in the state of South Carolina but has the third largest urban area in the state. It is only said to be the sixth largest city because South Carolina law makes it difficult for cities to annex surrounding urban areas. One of the principal cities of the Greenville-Mauldin-Easley Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), it had a municipal population of 58,409 and an urban population of 400,492 as of the 2010 census. As the largest city in the Upstate, Greenville offers many activities and attractions for its residents and visitors alike. Greenville’s theatres and event venues regularly host major concerts and touring theater companies. Four independent theaters present several plays a year.
Greenville is one of the main shopping and dining destinations of The Upstate region. Different shopping and dining areas in Greenville include Downtown Greenville, which is home to over 60 restaurants with a handful of different galleries and shops. Dining in Downtown Greenville offers a host of options including traditional southern cuisine, cafés, Mexican, and American. The West End Market/Historic District is a small area of Greenville that features a number of unique restaurants and shops. Falls Park on the Reedy River is nearby to offer a break from shopping and dining. The Haywood Road Area features a mix of residential, restaurants, retail, and office developments. Haywood Mall is the heart of the area featuring over 150 specialty stores and major department stores. Augusta Street, which is often, referred to by locals as “Augusta Road,” offers a variety of high-end specialty shops. Health food markets and fine clothing stores can be found nestled in between restaurants ranging from cozy to cuisine.
For those looking for more active adventures, there are plenty of outdoor activities waiting for them in the lakes, rivers and mountains that make up the county. Greenville offers fishing, biking, hiking, boating and more. For the family golfer Greenville has the only golf course in the world that has each hole conceived by a different designer. CrossWinds Golf Club is a public Par 3 course that can be played in one hour for 9 holes or in 2 hours for 18 holes.
Greer
City Offices
301 East Poinsett Street
Greer 864-848-2150
www.cityofgreer.org
Chamber of Commerce
111 Trade Street
Greer 864-877-3131
www.greerchamber.com
Greer is a city in located Greenville and Spartanburg counties, between the cities of Greenville and Spartanburg. The city is home to more than 25,000 residents. However, every day more than three times that number of people passes through the city on the two highways which run through the city. Greer is adjacent to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP), which serves Greenville, Spartanburg, and the Upstate. Greer is also the site of the only BMW manufacturing facility in North America. Downtown Greer is the heart of the community. It remains home to the civic functions of Greer and many of its oldest religious institutions. Downtown Greer is the birth place for the City of Greer. Greer began as Greers Station, little more that a flag stop on the Richmond and Danville Air Line Railway. In 1875 the town incorporated and over the following decades, Greer emerged as a textile and agricultural center and the village grew from a rail depot to a town of three thousand residents. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and only hours from the beach, Greer is the center of the Upstate. Newcomers find that Greer is a great place to live and work. Low cost-of-living, affordable housing, new and renovated recreational parks, expanding health care service providers, a new library, growing cultural and civic organizations, and an ample variety of recreational events and amenities have made Greer the location of choice for a variety of new and existing residents. Downtown Greer offers a variety of shops including antiques, art galleries, furniture stores, clothing stores, and restaurants.
The city of Greer has a thriving recreation sports program. Greer Recreation has many sports opportunities. In Greer, you will find the amenities of a larger city within a short drive. Strolling through Greer’s downtown or any of its neighborhoods shows that the City has retained all of its small town charm.
Mauldin
City Offices
5 East Butler Road
Mauldin 864-288-4910
http://cityofmauldin.org
Chamber of Commerce
101 East Butler Road
Mauldin 864-297-1323
www.mauldinchamber.org
Located in the beautiful upstate of South Carolina, Mauldin is a progressive community of approximately 23,000 people. Mauldin is centrally positioned, in Greenville County, between Atlanta and Charlotte. Mauldin bustles with small town charm and a spirit of community which can be seen in its annual festivals, various religious institutions and volunteer organizations. The City also offers numerous recreational opportunities for all ages with any interests. As a Tree City USA participant, Mauldin residents enjoy several parks and recreational facilities. The area’s continued growth allows for commerce to thrive, while economic development efforts and commitment to high level of services keep the City an excellent place to call home. New projects in the area such as Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) and a new branch of Bon Secours St. Francis Health System continue to bring new economic development to the city. Mauldin’s schools are nationally accredited and receive numerous awards annually including recognition as one of America’s Best High Schools from 2005 to 2010.
Simpsonville
City Offices
118 NE Main Street
Simpsonville 864-967-9526
www.simpsonville.com
Chamber of Commerce
100 West Trade Street
Simpsonville 864-963-3781
www.simpsonvillechamber.com
Simpsonville is home to a little more than 17,000 residents. Big city sensibility, small town charm and striking natural beauty combine to make the Simpsonville area a favourite destination for recreational and business travellers alike. Simpsonville has a unique mix of small town community, growing industry, historical significance, and modern convenience. Simpsonville boasts nine city parks. Heritage Park is one of the city parks. It features 6 baseball and softball fields, batting cages, many practice fields, concessions, and playgrounds. Charter Amphitheatre at Heritage Park is a 16,000 seat amphitheatre that draws thousands of people to events in the city each year. Just ten miles south of Greenville, Simpsonville is in the rolling hills of north-western South Carolina. The weather is just one of many reasons people relocate to Simpsonville. Family Circle magazine ranked Simpsonville as one of the top ten places in America to raise a family. Established neighborhoods, new communities, upscale apartments and high end condominiums offer residents a variety of housing options.
Fountain Inn
Town Offices
200 North Main Street
Fountain Inn 864-862-4421
www.fountaininn.org
Chamber of Commerce
102 Depot Street
Fountain Inn 864-862-2586
http://fountaininnchamber.org
The town is located in both Greenville and Laurens counties and is home to a little more than 6,200 residents. The southern part of the city is in Laurens County, while the bulk of the city is in Greenville County. The city’s nickname is “The diamond tip of the Golden Strip”. The city got its name from an Inn and fountain that were along the old stage coach route. The stage coach drivers called the stop Fountain Inn and it stuck. A small garden fountain is installed at City Hall and there is a marker on the north side of town showing the former location of the old inn. One of the city’s signature events is Aunt Het Day, held the first Saturday in October. The 2012 festival marked the 29th anniversary of the event held in honor of Robert Quillen’s homespun cartoon character, Aunt Het. Fountain Inn has five public parks and an indoor activities center that invite people of all ages to get active and have fun. The largest parks, Fountain Inn City Park and Woodside Park, feature baseball and softball fields, football fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, picnic shelters, and a quarter-mile walking trail. Fairview Street Park, Georgia Street Park, Sanctified Hill Neighborhood Park and the new Country Gardens Greenway have children’s play areas, basketball courts and walking trail. A paved, handicapped-accessible bicycle trail is included at Georgia Street. The Fountain Inn Activities Center boasts a full gymnasium, fitness room with weights and exercise equipment, meeting space for groups and a newly renovated kitchen. Children and senior citizens are active in an array of programs at the center. And there are plenty of recreational opportunities outside of city-run leagues and programs. Hunting and fishing are popular pastimes for local residents. Lake Rabon to the southwest and the Enoree River to the east offer boating, paddling and fishing, and a host of reservoirs and ponds in the area entice sportsmen with bass, catfish, crappie, bream and more. Nearby Wildlife Management Areas offer public hunting opportunities for deer, turkey, dove and other game. Nestled in the foothills of Upstate South Carolina, Fountain Inn is a charming that offers its residents a wonderful place to call home.
Travelers Rest
City Offices
6711 State Park Road
Travelers Rest 864-834-8740
http://travelersrestsc.com
Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 329
Travelers Rest 864-708-0888
www.greatertrchamber.com
Travelers Rest is a small city with a population of more than 4,500 at the 2000 census. “TR”, as the city is known around the area, is just north of Greenville. The name “Travelers Rest” came from the fact that it is situated almost directly against the border with the North Carolina Mountains. Travelers would stop for a moment in the town, before they began the difficult journey up into the mountains. Often, travelers would have to spend the winter there, waiting for the snow to clear in the mountains, before continuing northward. Travelers Rest is a rapidly growing, scenic community in one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the Southeast. The area is traversed by two U.S. highways that are major routes for travelers from the Upstate of South Carolina to the mountain communities of North Carolina. Travelers Rest sits at the feet of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The area in and around Travelers Rest offers a unique variety of antique and specialty shops, restaurants, national and regional chain stores, churches, and leisure activities. The downtown area of this small town has gone through a major revitalization that has brought new development and new business to the town. Residents are enjoying the addition of new shops and restaurants. The community has a very traditional small town feel that is becoming more and more popular with those moving from crowded urban areas.
