Introduction to Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville was incorporated as a city in 1907. The combined metropolitan area includes Spartanburg. Greenville is located in northwestern South Carolina, 100 miles northwest of Columbia, the state capital. It is about 200 miles northwest of Charleston and approximately 150 miles northeast of Atlanta, GA. Greenville is the 4th largest city in the state.
Cherokee Indians were the earliest inhabitants of northwestern South Carolina. In the 1760s, Richard Pearis was the first European-American to settle where the city now stands. His grist mill and trading post were located at what is now known as Reedy River Falls. The town grew rapidly in the mid 1800s and again in the late 1800s. By 1900 it boasted several educational institutions, cotton mills, and two railroads.
The Greenville downtown is an outstanding example of downtown revitalization. In 2003 the community received the Great American Main Street Award from the Main Street Center program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Greenville's July average daily high and low temperatures are 90.8 and 67.1 degrees Fahrenheit. January average daily highs and lows are 52.1 and 29.9 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fortune 1000 companies headquartered in Greenville include Bowater and ScanSource.
Arts and Leisure
Greenville cultural, historical and leisure attractions include:
- The Greenville County Museum of Art
- The Bob Jones University Museum
- The Museum of Confederate History
- The Warehouse Theater
- The Greenville Little Theatre
- The Centre Stage
- The Roper Mountain Science Center
- The Paris Mountain State Park
- The Greenville Zoo
Sports Teams supported by fans in Greenville include:
- The Greenville Grrrowl, a Double A team of the ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) affiliated with the Edmonton Oilers and the Chicago Blackhawks
- The college teams in and around Greenville such as Clemson, Anderson, USC Spartanburg, and Furman
- The professional teams in Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina