Greenville, South Carolina
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Greenville (; locally ) is a city in and the seat of
Greenville County, South Carolina Greenville County is located in the state of South Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 525,534, making it the most populous county in the state. Its county seat is Greenville. The county is also home to the ...
, United States. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 census, it is the sixth-largest city in the state. Greenville is located approximately halfway between
Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...
, and
Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
, along
Interstate 85 Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, ...
. Its metropolitan area also includes Interstates
185 Year 185 (Roman numerals, CLXXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Lascivius and Atilius (or, less frequently, year 938 ...
and 385. Greenville is the anchor city of
the Upstate The Upstate is the region in the westernmost part of South Carolina, United States, also known as the Upcountry, which is the historical term. Although loosely defined among locals, the general definition includes the 10 counties of the commerc ...
, a combined statistical area with a population of 1,487,610 at the 2020 census. Greenville was the fourth fastest-growing city in the United States between 2015 and 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Greenville is the center of the Upstate region of
South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
. Numerous large companies are located within the city, such as Michelin,
Prisma Health Prisma Health is a not-for-profit health organization in South Carolina, formed by the merging of Palmetto Health and the Greenville Health System in November 2017. Its headquarters are on the property of Greenville Memorial Hospital in Gree ...
, Bon Secours, and Duke Energy. Greenville County Schools is another large employer and is the largest school district in South Carolina. Having seen rapid development over the past two decades, Greenville has also received many accolades and awards. Some of these include "The South’s Most 'Tasteful' Small Towns" from ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' in 2020, "15 of the Most Underrated Travel Destinations of the Year, So Far" from Insider in 2019, "Best Places to Live" from Money in 2019, and "Best Place to Live in the USA #22" from '' U.S. News & World Report'' in 2019. The city continues to expand rapidly into the 2020s as is evident from rapid population, economic, and developmental growth.


History


From Cherokee Land to Greenville County

The land of present-day Greenville was once the hunting ground of the
Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...
, which was forbidden to colonists. A wealthy settler from
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
named Richard Pearis arrived in South Carolina around 1754 and established relations with the Cherokee. Pearis had a child with a Cherokee woman and received about from the Cherokee around 1770. Pearis established a plantation on the
Reedy River The Reedy River is a tributary of the Saluda River, about long, in northwestern South Carolina in the United States. Via the Saluda and Congaree rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean. The ...
called the Great Plains in present-day downtown Greenville. The
American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...
divided the South Carolina country between the Loyalists and
Patriot A patriot is a person with the quality of patriotism. Patriot may also refer to: Political and military groups United States * Patriot (American Revolution), those who supported the cause of independence in the American Revolution * Patriot m ...
s. Pearis supported the Loyalists and together with their allies, the Cherokee. After the Cherokee attacked the Patriots, the Patriots retaliated by burning down Pearis' plantation and jailing him in Charleston. Pearis never returned to his plantation but Paris Mountain is named after him. The Treaty of Dewitt's Corner in 1777 ceded almost all Cherokee land, including present-day Greenville, to
South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
.
Greenville County Greenville County is located in the state of South Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 525,534, making it the most populous county in the state. Its county seat is Greenville. The county is also home to the ...
was created in 1786. Some sources state it was named for its physical appearance, while others say the county is named after General Nathanael Greene in honor of his service in the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
, or after early settler Isaac Green.
Lemuel J. Alston Lemuel James Alston (1760–1836) was a slave owner and U.S. Representative from South Carolina. Born in the eastern part of Granville County (which is now Warren County) in the Province of North Carolina, Alston moved to South Carolina after t ...
came to Greenville County in 1788 and bought and a portion of Pearis' former plantation. In 1797 Alston used his land holdings to establish a village called Pleasantburg where he also built a stately mansion. In 1816, Alston's land was purchased by
Vardry McBee Vardry Echols McBee (June 19, 1775 – January 23, 1864) was an American saddlemaker, merchant, farmer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who has frequently been called, "the father of Greenville, South Carolina, Greenville, South Carolina". Yo ...
, who then leased the Alston mansion for a summer resort, before making the mansion his home from 1835 until his death in 1864. Pleasantburg was renamed as Greenville in 1821 and became a village in 1831. Considered to be the father of Greenville, McBee donated land for many structures such as churches, academies, and a cotton mill. Furman University was funded by McBee who helped bring the university to Greenville from
Winnsboro, South Carolina Winnsboro is a town in Fairfield County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,550 at the 2010 census. The population was 3,215 at the 2020 census. A population decrease of approximately 9.5% for the same 10 year period. It is the c ...
in 1851. In 1853 McBee and other Greenville County leaders funded a new railroad called the
Greenville and Columbia Railroad The Greenville and Columbia Railroad was a gauge railroad that served South Carolina in the 19th century. Beginnings The line traces its history back to 1845, when Greenville, South Carolina-area leaders Benjamin Perry, Waddy Thompson Jr., John ...
. Greenville boomed to around 1,000 in the 1850s due to the growth of McBee's donations and the attraction of the town as a summer resort for visitors.


Latter 19th century

In December 1860 Greenville supported a convention to debate the issue of secession for
South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
. The Greenville District sent James Furman, William K. Easley, Perry E. Duncan, William H. Campbell, and James P. Harrison as delegates for the convention. On December 20, 1860, the South Carolina state convention, along with the Greenville delegation, voted to secede from the
Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...
. Greenville County provided over 2,000 soldiers to the
Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...
. The town supplied food, clothing, and firearms to the Confederacy. Greenville saw no action from the war until 1865 when Union troops came through the town looking for President Jefferson Davis of the Confederacy who had fled south from Richmond, Virginia. In June 1865 Andrew Johnson appointed Greenville County native Benjamin Franklin Perry as Governor of South Carolina. In February 1869, Greenville's
town charter A city charter or town charter (generically, municipal charter) is a legal document (''charter'') establishing a municipality such as a city or town. The concept developed in Europe during the Middle Ages. Traditionally the granting of a charter ...
was amended by the S. C. General Assembly establishing Greenville, the town, as a city. Construction boomed in the 1870s such as the establishment of a bridge over the
Reedy River The Reedy River is a tributary of the Saluda River, about long, in northwestern South Carolina in the United States. Via the Saluda and Congaree rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean. The ...
, new mills on the river and new railroads.
The Greenville News ''The Greenville News'' is a daily morning newspaper published in Greenville, South Carolina. After '' The State'' in Columbia and Charleston's ''The Post and Courier'', it is the third largest paper in South Carolina. History ''The Greenville ...
was established in 1874 as Greenville's first daily newspaper.
Southern Bell Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company was once the regional Bell Operating Company serving the states of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina prior to the breakup of AT&T. It also covered the states of Alabama, Kentuc ...
installed the first telephone lines in the city. The most important infrastructure that came to the city were cotton mills. Prominent cotton mill businesses operated near Greenville making it a cotton mill town. By 1915 Greenville became known as the "Textile Center of the South." From 1915 to 2004, the city hosted an important textile manufacturing trade fair, the Southern Textile Exposition.


20th century

During World War I, Greenville served as a training camp center for Army recruits. After World War I commercial activity expanded with new movie theaters and department stores. The Mansion House was demolished and replaced with the
Poinsett Hotel The Poinsett Hotel, or Westin Poinsett Hotel, is a twelve-story, landmark hotel in downtown Greenville, South Carolina, one of the first skyscrapers in Greenville. Named for Joel R. Poinsett, Secretary of War under President Millard Fillmore, th ...
in 1925. The Great Depression hurt the economy of Greenville forcing mills to lay off workers. Furman University and the Greenville Women's College also struggled in the crippling economy forcing them to merge in 1933. The Textile Workers Strike of 1934 caused such an uproar in the city and surrounding mill towns that the
National Guard National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. Nat ...
had to subdue the chaos. The New Deal established
Sirrine Stadium Sirrine Stadium is a stadium in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. It was used by Furman University's American football team from 1936 to 1980. The stadium opened on October 31, 1936 with a Furman victory over Davidson. It has a seat ...
and a new Greenville High School. The Greenville Army Air Base was established in 1942 during World War II contributing to the further growth of Greenville. Following the war, a November 19, 1946, propane explosion left 6 dead and over 150 injured. The explosion involved a tank containing about of propane and could be heard from Gaffney, away. On February 16, 1947, Willie Earle, a black man accused of stabbing a cab driver, was taken from his jail cell by a mob of mostly taxi drivers and murdered. Thirty-one white men were jointly tried for the crime; most of the accused signed confessions, many of them naming Roosevelt Carlos Hurd as the lynch mob leader and the person who ultimately killed Earle with the shotgun. On May 21, 1947, a jury of 12 white men returned verdicts of not guilty for every defendant. After World War II, Greenville's economy surged with the establishment of new downtown stores and the expansion of the city limits. Furman University doubled its student population and moved to a new location. Higher education facilities such as
Bob Jones University , motto_lang = Latin , mottoeng = We seek, we trust , top_free_label = , top_free = , type = Private university , established = , closed = , f ...
in 1947 and
Greenville Technical College Greenville Technical College is a public community college in Greenville, South Carolina. Founded in 1960, it began operation in September 1962. Campuses Greenville Tech currently has six locations in Greenville County: *Barton Campus (main loca ...
in 1962 were established in Greenville. The Greenville–Spartanburg International Airport was established in nearby Greer in 1962. The economy of Greenville finally waned in the 1970s leaving a void in downtown Greenville due to the flight of many retailers. Mayor Max Heller then revitalized downtown Greenville with the
Greenville County Museum of Art The Greenville County Museum of Art (GCMA) is an art museum located in Greenville, South Carolina. Its collections focus mainly on American art, and its holdings include works by Andrew Wyeth, Josef Albers, Jasper Johns (raised in South Carolina), ...
and the Hughes Main Library. Main Street was then converted into a two-lane road lined with trees and sidewalks. With a 1978 federal grant, a convention center and hotel were built, bringing business back to the area.


Geography

Greenville is located at (34.844313, −82.385428), roughly equidistant between
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
( southwest), and
Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
( northeast). Columbia, the state capital, is to the southeast. Greenville is in the foothills of the
Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a Physiographic regions of the world, physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States, and extends 550 miles southwest from southern Pennsy ...
, a
physiographic province physiographic province is a geographic region with a characteristic geomorphology, and often specific subsurface rock type or structural elements. The continents are subdivided into various physiographic provinces, each having a specific characte ...
of the larger
Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...
range, and includes many small hills.
Sassafras Mountain Sassafras Mountain is the highest point in the state of South Carolina, United States. It is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountains. An observation tower opened on top of Sassafras Mountain in 2019. Location It is located ...
, the highest point in South Carolina, is in northern Pickens County, less than northwest of Greenville. Many area television and radio station towers are on Paris Mountain, the second most prominent peak in the area, north of downtown Greenville. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
, Greenville has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.51%, are water. The
Reedy River The Reedy River is a tributary of the Saluda River, about long, in northwestern South Carolina in the United States. Via the Saluda and Congaree rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean. The ...
, a tributary of the
Saluda River The Saluda River is a principal tributary of the Congaree River, about 200 mi (320 km) long, in northern and western South Carolina in the United States. Via the Congaree River, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which fl ...
, runs through the center of the city. Greenville is located in the Brevard Fault Zone and has had occasional minor
earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, fr ...
s.


Climate

Greenville, like much of the
Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...
region of the southeastern United States, has a humid subtropical climate (
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''Cfa''), with four distinct seasons; the city is part of USDA Hardiness zone 7b/8a. Winters are short and generally cool, with a January daily average of . On average, there are 59 nights per year that drop to or below freezing, and only 1.3 days that fail to rise above freezing. April is the driest month, with an average of of precipitation. Summers are hot and humid, with a daily temperature average in July of . There are an average 43 days per year with highs at or above . Official record temperatures range from on July 1, 2012, down to on January 30, 1966; the record cold daily maximum is on December 31, 1917, while, conversely, the record warm daily minimum is on July 12, 1937, the last of three occasions. The average window for freezing temperatures is November 4 thru April 1, allowing a growing season of 217 days. Precipitation is generally less frequent in autumn than spring and, on average, Greenville receives of precipitation annually, which is somewhat evenly distributed throughout the year, although summer is slightly wetter; annual precipitation has historically ranged from in 2007 to in 1908. In addition, there is an average of of snow, occurring mainly from January thru March, with rare snow occurring in November or April. More frequent ice storms and sleet mixed in with rain occur in the Greenville area; seasonal snowfall has historically ranged from trace amounts as recently as 2011–12 to in 1935–36. These storms can have a major impact on the area, as they often pull tree limbs down on power lines and make driving hazardous.


Law and government

The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976. The Greenville City Council consists of the mayor and six council members. The mayor and two council members are elected at-large while the remaining council members are chosen from single-member districts. Greenville Municipal Court handles criminal misdemeanor violations, traffic violations, and city ordinance violations. As of 2021, the city's mayor is Knox H. White, who has been in that position since December 1995. The Greenville Police Department was established in 1845 as the Greenville Police Force. By 1876 the Greenville Police Force became the Greenville Police Department. In 1976 the Greenville Police Department moved into the Greenville County Law Enforcement Center with the Greenville County Sheriff's Department. The Greenville Police Department serves Greenville with around 241 employees with 199 sworn officers. Districts 22–25 of the
South Carolina House of Representatives The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly. It consists of 124 representatives elected to two-year terms at the same time as U.S. congressional elections. Unlike many legislatures, seati ...
cover portions of Greenville, as do
state senate A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 27 states, the legislature is simply called the ''Legislature'' or the ''State Legislature'', whil ...
districts 6–8. The city is within
South Carolina's 4th congressional district The 4th congressional district of South Carolina is a congressional district in upstate South Carolina bordering North Carolina. It includes parts of Greenville and Spartanburg counties. The district includes the two major cities of Green ...
, represented by
William Timmons William Richardson Timmons IV (born April 30, 1984) is an American attorney, entrepreneur and politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2019. His district is in the heart of the Upstate and includes Greenville, Spartanburg, an ...
since 2019.


Attractions

As the largest city in the Upstate, Greenville offers many activities and attractions. Greenville's theaters and event venues regularly host major concerts and touring theater companies. Four independent theaters present several plays a year.


Event venues

*
Bon Secours Wellness Arena Bon Secours Wellness Arena (formerly the BI-LO Center; The Well) is a multi-purpose arena in Greenville, South Carolina. The arena serves as the home of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits of the ECHL. History The Bon Secours Wellness Arena was built ...
, the home of the
Greenville Swamp Rabbits The Greenville Swamp Rabbits are a professional ice hockey team located in Greenville, South Carolina. They play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference and play their home games at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in downtown Gr ...
of the
ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The ...
, is a 16,000-seat arena in downtown Greenville that opened in 1998 as the Bi-Lo Center. *
Peace Center The Peace Center is a performing arts center located in Greenville, South Carolina. It is composed of a concert hall, theater, and amphitheatre. Located adjacent to Falls Park, the center hosts over 300 events each year, including classical mus ...
, a performing arts center that includes a concert hall with 2,100 seats and a theater seating 400, and a 1,200-seat amphitheater. *
Fluor Field at the West End Fluor Field at the West End is a 6,700-seat baseball-only stadium in Greenville, South Carolina, that opened on April 6, 2006. Designed by architectural firm DLR Group, it was built as a new home of the Greenville Drive baseball team, the High-A ...
, home of the
Greenville Drive The Greenville Drive are a Minor League Baseball team based in Greenville, South Carolina. They are the High-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and are a member of the South Atlantic League. They play their home games at Fluor Field at the West E ...
baseball team, the Class-A affiliate of the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...
. The stadium was designed to echo many of the features of
Fenway Park Fenway Park is a baseball stadium located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, near Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home of the Boston Red Sox, the city's American League baseball team, and since 1953, its only Major League Bas ...
, home of the parent club, including a representation of Fenway's
Green Monster The Green Monster is a popular nickname for the left field wall at Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. The wall is from home plate and is a popular target for right-handed hitters. Overview The wall was part ...
standing high in left field. * Greenville Convention Center, a convention and meeting facility that was established in 1964 as the newest of a series of Textile Halls, the original dating back to 1915 as the Southern Textile Exposition.


Landmarks

*
Falls Park on the Reedy Falls Park on the Reedy is a park adjacent to downtown Greenville, South Carolina in the historic West End district. Considered the birthplace of Greenville, the park was founded in 1967 when the Carolina Foothills Garden Club reclaimed of lan ...
, a large regional park in the West End with gardens and several waterfalls, with access to the
Swamp Rabbit Trail The Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail is a multi-use rail trail in Greenville County, South Carolina, that largely follows the bed of a former railroad that had been nicknamed after the indigenous swamp rabbit. South-to-north the current trail b ...
. Dedicated in 2004, the $15.0 million park is home to the Liberty Bridge, a pedestrian suspension bridge overlooking the
Reedy River The Reedy River is a tributary of the Saluda River, about long, in northwestern South Carolina in the United States. Via the Saluda and Congaree rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean. The ...
. The park's development sparked a $75 million public-private development, Riverplace, directly across Main Street. Falls Park has been called the birthplace of Greenville, but in the mid-20th century the area was in severe decline, and the Camperdown Bridge had been built across the Falls, obstructing view. In the mid-1980s, the City adopted a master plan for the park, leading to the removal of the Camperdown Bridge and making way for extensive renovations, to include of gardens and the Liberty Bridge. While bridges with similar structural concepts have been built in Europe, the Liberty Bridge is unique in its geometry. *
Greenville County Museum of Art The Greenville County Museum of Art (GCMA) is an art museum located in Greenville, South Carolina. Its collections focus mainly on American art, and its holdings include works by Andrew Wyeth, Josef Albers, Jasper Johns (raised in South Carolina), ...
specializing in American art, frequently with a Southern perspective that dates back to the 18th century. It is noted for its collections of work by
Andrew Wyeth Andrew Newell Wyeth ( ; July 12, 1917 – January 16, 2009) was an American visual artist, primarily a realist painter, working predominantly in a regionalist style. He was one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century. In his ...
and
Jasper Johns Jasper Johns (born May 15, 1930) is an American painter, sculptor, and printmaker whose work is associated with abstract expressionism, Neo-Dada, and pop art. He is well known for his depictions of the American flag and other US-related top ...
, as well as a contemporary collection that features such notables as
Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the Art movement, visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore th ...
,
Georgia O'Keeffe Georgia Totto O'Keeffe (November 15, 1887 – March 6, 1986) was an American modernist artist. She was known for her paintings of enlarged flowers, New York skyscrapers, and New Mexico landscapes. O'Keeffe has been called the "Mother of Ame ...
, and others. *
Roper Mountain Science Center Roper Mountain Science Center is located in Greenville, South Carolina. It encompasses a campus containing facilities for studying life and natural sciences, space and physical sciences. Among its facilities are the Living History Farm, the Darre ...
is home to a historic 23" refractor telescope, eighth largest of its kind in the United States. *
Greenville Zoo The Greenville Zoo is a zoo in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. The zoo opened in 1960, and is located at 150 Cleveland Park Drive, near Interstate 385, on a site within Cleveland Park. The zoo's official website states: "A typical ...
was established in 1960 and is located in
Cleveland Park Cleveland Park is a residential neighborhood in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. It is located at and bounded approximately by Rock Creek Park to the east, Wisconsin and Idaho Avenues to the west, Klingle and Woodley Roads to the ...
. * McPherson Park is the city's oldest park and has a free public miniature golf course * Upcountry History, walk through three centuries of Upcountry South Carolina history and experience the stories of people who shaped this region through state-of-the art interactive multi-media exhibits and dynamic programming for all ages. * The Children's Museum of the Upstate is one of the nation's largest children's museums and one of the first to become Smithsonian affiliated, TCMU provides an experience like no other for play-based learning and hands-on engagement for all families. * Linky Stone Park: The Children's Garden is a 1.7-acre horticultural attraction featuring a unique garden that allows visitors to experience flowers using all five senses, a geology wall made of rocks and minerals from around the Upstate, a textile garden, a Hansel and Gretel cottage, and a secret garden. * Runway Park at GMU, watch aircraft take off and land while enjoying this free park with an educational amphitheater, exercise "Perimeter Taxiway", walking "Runways", aviation themed playground, a swing set, a Bi-plane "Climber", a picnic hangar and a Cessna 310 display. A 15-foot cross section of a Boeing 737 fuselage will be a handicapped accessible park entrance. * Swamp Rabbit Trail, 22 mile greenway connecting downtown greenville to the City of Travelers Rest * Cancer Survivors Park, A space for celebration, learning, healing, and hope, this new-to-Greenville park is a place of reflection to honor those who have battled or continue to battle cancer. * Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum & Baseball Library, located in the historic home of baseball legend
Shoeless Joe Jackson Joseph Jefferson Jackson (July 16, 1887 – December 5, 1951), nicknamed "Shoeless Joe", was an American outfielder who played Major League Baseball (MLB) in the early 1900s. Although his .356 career batting average is the fourth highest ...
adjacent to
Fluor Field at the West End Fluor Field at the West End is a 6,700-seat baseball-only stadium in Greenville, South Carolina, that opened on April 6, 2006. Designed by architectural firm DLR Group, it was built as a new home of the Greenville Drive baseball team, the High-A ...


Festivals

* Euphoria Greenville is an annual four-day culinary mid-September event held in the
Wyche Pavilion The Wyche Pavilion is the two-story, open-air shell of a historic building in downtown Greenville, South Carolina, used in the 21st century as an event venue. As part of the Reedy River Industrial District, the building was listed in the Nation ...
at Larkin's on the River, Art in the Park, and the Peace Center for the Performing Arts; the food, wine, and music festival in 2019 included an educational component and dinners by
Michelin-starred The Michelin Guides ( ) are a series of guide books that have been published by the French tyre company Michelin since 1900. The Guide awards up to three Michelin stars for excellence to a select few establishments. The acquisition or loss of a ...
chefs. * Fall for Greenville is a three-day music and food street festival held each fall. The 2019 festival was the 37th, with hundreds of food items and tens of musical artists across six stages. * Artisphere is a three-day art festival held each spring. The 2019 festival featured musicians
The New Respects The New Respects is an American band from Nashville, Tennessee. The band consists of singer/guitarist Jasmine Mullen (daughter of Nicole C. Mullen), bass player Lexi Hill (née Fitzgerald), guitarist Zandy Mowry (née Fitzgerald), and drummer Darius ...
and Jill Andrews and over a hundred visual artists and street performers. * iMAGINE Upstate is a weekend celebration and showcase of STEM, entrepreneurial, creative, and innovative activity in the Upstate held each spring. The festival promotes learning as fun, through various hands-on activities, interactive shows, and experiences. * SC Comicon is a two-day comic book convention held annually. The event draws thousands of attendees, many of whom dress in cosplay. * Indie Craft Parade is a festival of handmade art held each September. 2019 hosted the 10th annual event, which has over 100 artists, local food, and a free photo booth. * The Upstate Shakespeare Festival performs
Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
and other classic plays each summer in Falls Park. The 25th festival was held in 2019 and featured '' The Tempest'', performed by The Warehouse Theatre. * The Greek Festival is a three-day festival sponsored by the Greek Orthodox Church in downtown Greenville to celebrate Greek culture. 2019's 33rd annual festival of dance, music, and food included tours of St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral. * New South Comedy Festival is a ten-day comedy festival featuring improvisational, stand-up, sketch, and musical comedy from around the country. 2018's 5th annual festival featured over 300 comedians. * Greenville Open Studios, established in 2002, is an annual three-day local arts celebration in which 158 local artists open their studios to the public. The 2019 festival was the 18th, with record-setting attendance. * First Fridays Gallery Crawl features more than 30 art galleries and venues opening to the public with free admission. Hosted by the Metropolitan Arts Council, it occurs the first Friday of every month from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.


Education


Public schools

The Greenville County School District is the largest school district in the state of South Carolina and ranked the 44th largest district in the United States, with 19 high schools, 24 middle schools, and 52 elementary schools in the district. The district's 2018–2023 strategic plan noted it had 10,000 employees, including 6,000 teachers with an average of 12.8 years of experience. In addition to traditional public schools, Greenville's downtown area is home to the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts & Humanities, a boarding school for young artists.


Private schools

In addition to public schools, Greenville County has a number of private and religious schools, including St Mary's Catholic School (founded in 1900), Camperdown Academy (for students with learning disabilities), Hidden Treasure Christian School (a school for students with physical and/or mental disabilities),
Christ Church Episcopal School Christ Church Episcopal School (CCES) is a K–12 private, Episcopal, college-preparatory school in Greenville, South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" ...
(a college-preparatory Episcopalian school with an American school outside of Germany certified by the Bavarian Ministry of Education), Shannon Forest Christian School (an evangelical Christian school), Saint Joseph's Catholic School, Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School, St. Anthony's Catholic School, Southside Christian School (established in 1967 by Southside Baptist Church), Hampton Park Christian School, Bob Jones Academy and Elementary School,
Carolina Film Institute The Carolina Film Institute (CFI) is a film school, founded in Greenville, South Carolina in 2008. It is affiliated with Seattle Film Institute founded in Seattle in 1994. CFI offers both part-time classes and certificate programs in film and digi ...
(a film school founded in 2008), Green Charter (originally one of the Gülen movement schools), and Greenville Classical Academy (a classical Christian school established in 2004).


Charter schools

Greenville has numerous public charter schools that are free to state residents.


Colleges and universities

Greenville has several colleges and universities located within the city limits,
Bob Jones University , motto_lang = Latin , mottoeng = We seek, we trust , top_free_label = , top_free = , type = Private university , established = , closed = , f ...
, and
Greenville Technical College Greenville Technical College is a public community college in Greenville, South Carolina. Founded in 1960, it began operation in September 1962. Campuses Greenville Tech currently has six locations in Greenville County: *Barton Campus (main loca ...
. Additionally Furman University and
North Greenville University North Greenville University is a private Baptist university in Tigerville, South Carolina. It is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention). It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and ...
are located in the greater Greenville area. Furman began as Furman Academy and Theological Institution in 1825 named after Richard Furman. The theological school of Furman broke away in 1858 and became Southern Baptist Theological Seminary now in
Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
.
North Greenville University North Greenville University is a private Baptist university in Tigerville, South Carolina. It is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention). It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and ...
was established in 1893 and is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention.
Bob Jones University , motto_lang = Latin , mottoeng = We seek, we trust , top_free_label = , top_free = , type = Private university , established = , closed = , f ...
was established in 1927 by
Bob Jones Sr. Robert Reynolds Jones Sr. (October 30, 1883 – January 16, 1968) was an American evangelist, pioneer religious broadcaster, and the founder and first president of Bob Jones University. Early years Bob Jones was the eleventh of twelve child ...
as a private non-denominational
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
university.
Greenville Technical College Greenville Technical College is a public community college in Greenville, South Carolina. Founded in 1960, it began operation in September 1962. Campuses Greenville Tech currently has six locations in Greenville County: *Barton Campus (main loca ...
was established in 1962 as a
technical college An institute of technology (also referred to as: technological university, technical university, university of technology, technological educational institute, technical college, polytechnic university or just polytechnic) is an institution of te ...
. The Evangelical Institute was founded in 1967 just north of the city at Paris Mountain. Clemson University's Main campus is located 30 miles away, however, the university has several programs physically located in Downtown Greenville, as well as a specialty campus in Greenville called Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research that focuses on automotive research. The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville is a four-year medical school operating on a
Prisma Health Prisma Health is a not-for-profit health organization in South Carolina, formed by the merging of Palmetto Health and the Greenville Health System in November 2017. Its headquarters are on the property of Greenville Memorial Hospital in Gree ...
campus.


Supplementary schools

The Greenville Saturday School (GSS; グリーンビル日本語補習授業校 ''Gurīnbiru Nihongo Hoshū Jugyō Kō'') is a hoshuko, weekend program for Japanese national students, with classes held at the French Bilingual School of South Carolina (EFB) in Wade Hampton, South Carolina, Wade Hampton. The Greenville school was scheduled to open in 1989, with
Greenville Technical College Greenville Technical College is a public community college in Greenville, South Carolina. Founded in 1960, it began operation in September 1962. Campuses Greenville Tech currently has six locations in Greenville County: *Barton Campus (main loca ...
the proposed classroom location. The school received $2,500 from the city council of Greenville.


Economy

Greenville's economy was formerly based largely on textile manufacturing, and the city was long known as "The Textile Capital of the World". In the last few decades, favorable wages and tax benefits have lured foreign companies to invest heavily in the area. The city is the North American headquarters for Michelin, Synnex, United Community Bank, AVX Corporation, NCEES, Ameco, Southern Tide, Confluence Outdoor, Concentrix, JTEKT, Cleva North America, Hubbell Lighting subsidiary of Hubbell Incorporated, Greenville News, Greenville Health System, and Scansource. 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 R&D 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 facilities operated by 3M and Honeywell. Donaldson Center Airport now occupies the former air base as a public airport. General Electric has a gas turbine, aviation and wind energy manufacturing operations located in Greenville.


Infrastructure


Health systems

Greenville has two main health systems, the Bon Secours (Virginia & South Carolina), Bon Secours Health and
Prisma Health Prisma Health is a not-for-profit health organization in South Carolina, formed by the merging of Palmetto Health and the Greenville Health System in November 2017. Its headquarters are on the property of Greenville Memorial Hospital in Gree ...
. 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. Prisma Health is a not-for-profit health organization that includes seven campuses in the Upstate area: Greenville Memorial Hospital, Greenville Memorial Medical Center, North Greenville Long Term Acute Care Hospital and ER, Hillcrest Hospital, Patewood Memorial Hospital, Greer Memorial Hospital, Laurens County Memorial Hospital, and Oconee 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''. Prisma has the only children's hospital in the Upstate region of South Carolina. It hosts the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, a full four-year branch of the medical school in Columbia, South Carolina. The Greenville Memorial Hospital was formerly operated by the municipal government, with Greenville Health System being the operating authority. In 2016,
Prisma Health Prisma Health is a not-for-profit health organization in South Carolina, formed by the merging of Palmetto Health and the Greenville Health System in November 2017. Its headquarters are on the property of Greenville Memorial Hospital in Gree ...
began leasing the hospital and directly operating it. The GHA is the portion of the Greenville Health System that still existed after the hospital transitioned into being operated by Prisma. The Greenville Health Authority (GHA) is the owner of the hospital facilities operated by Prisma. Members of the South Carolina Legislature select a majority of the seats of the board of directors of the GHA. Greenville's Shriners Hospital for Children treats pediatric orthopedic patients exclusively, free of charge.


Transportation

Greenville is located on the Interstate 85 in South Carolina, Interstate 85 (I-85) corridor, approximately halfway between Atlanta and Charlotte. I-85 runs along the city's southeast edge and is connected to downtown Greenville by two spur routes: Interstate 185 (South Carolina), I-185, which also forms a southern beltway; and Interstate 385, I-385, which continues southeast to a junction with Interstate 26 in South Carolina, I-26. Other major highways include U.S. Highway 123 (US 123), U.S. Route 25 in South Carolina, US 25, U.S. Highway 29, US 29 and US Highway 276, US 276. There are several airports servicing the Greenville area. The largest in the region, Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP), is the second busiest in the state and is served by most major airlines. SCTAC (formerly Donaldson Air Base) has undergone significant modernization and is the site of the new South Carolina Army National Guard Aviation Support Facility (AASF) and proposed Super General Aviation Center. Greenville serves as a freight hub for FedEx Express. The Greenville Downtown Airport, is the busiest general aviation airport in South Carolina with nearly 80,000 take-offs and landings annually and more than 198 based aircraft in 2022. Public transit in Greenville is handled by the Greenville Transit Authority (GTA), which contracted out operations to the City Of Greenville in 2008 under a tri-party agreement with Greenville County. The city rebranded the service with the name Greenlink. Greenlink runs a bus system that serves the Greenville area, much of Greenville County including Mauldin and Simpsonville, and a portion of Pickens County via a connector to Clemson. In the 2010s, the city conducted studies for a personal rapid transit service that would serve downtown, University Ridge, and Clemson ICAR via an abandoned railroad right of way. Greenville has an Greenville (Amtrak station), Amtrak station, which is part of Amtrak's Crescent (Amtrak), ''Crescent'', connecting Greenville with the cities of New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Washington, Raleigh, Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte,
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, Birmingham, Alabama, Birmingham and New Orleans. Additionally, Greenville is included in the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor, which is proposed to run from Washington, D.C. to Jacksonville, Florida. Freight railroad service is provided by CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, and the Carolina Piedmont Railroad. The former Greenville and Northern Railway line to Travelers Rest, South Carolina, Travelers Rest has been abandoned and converted into a hiking and biking trail called the
Swamp Rabbit Trail The Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail is a multi-use rail trail in Greenville County, South Carolina, that largely follows the bed of a former railroad that had been nicknamed after the indigenous swamp rabbit. South-to-north the current trail b ...
.


Sports teams

The National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) sports conference is headquartered in Greenville, as are various minor league and university sports teams. Minor League sports teams: *
Greenville Drive The Greenville Drive are a Minor League Baseball team based in Greenville, South Carolina. They are the High-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and are a member of the South Atlantic League. They play their home games at Fluor Field at the West E ...
, a High-A affiliate of the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...
in the High-A East. The Drive played their first season at Greenville Municipal Stadium, former home of the Atlanta Braves AA affiliate. The Drive started their second season in their new downtown ballpark on April 6, 2006, which, prior to the start of the 2008 season, was renamed
Fluor Field at the West End Fluor Field at the West End is a 6,700-seat baseball-only stadium in Greenville, South Carolina, that opened on April 6, 2006. Designed by architectural firm DLR Group, it was built as a new home of the Greenville Drive baseball team, the High-A ...
. For the first year after their founding, they were called the Greenville Bombers, having moved from Columbia, South Carolina. Before that, Greenville hosted various other minor league baseball teams, beginning with the Greenville Spinners in 1907. *
Greenville Swamp Rabbits The Greenville Swamp Rabbits are a professional ice hockey team located in Greenville, South Carolina. They play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference and play their home games at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in downtown Gr ...
, a minor league hockey team in the
ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The ...
, began play in the 2010–11 hockey season as the Greenville Road Warriors and were renamed in 2015. * Greenville Gaels, a hurling team in the Southeast Division of the US Gaelic Athletic Association. * Greenville Triumph SC is a soccer team in USL League One that began playing in 2019. The team plays at Legacy Early College Field. In June 2021, the USL announced an associated women's team will begin play in 2022 as part of a new W league. * Greenville FC is a soccer team in the National Premier Soccer League, NPSL that began in 2018; they play at
Sirrine Stadium Sirrine Stadium is a stadium in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. It was used by Furman University's American football team from 1936 to 1980. The stadium opened on October 31, 1936 with a Furman victory over Davidson. It has a seat ...
though went on hiatus for the 2020 season. * Carolina Upstate Thunder of the Women's American Basketball Association plays home games at Legacy Early College beginning in July 2021. Furman University * The Furman Paladins compete at the NCAA Division I level. (Note: Furman Paladins football, Furman football is a member of the Division I FCS, NCAA Football Championship Subdivision.) Furman athletic teams compete on-campus in various venues, including Paladin Stadium, Timmons Arena, and the Eugene Stone Soccer Stadium. Furman is a member of the Southern Conference.
Bob Jones University , motto_lang = Latin , mottoeng = We seek, we trust , top_free_label = , top_free = , type = Private university , established = , closed = , f ...
* Bob Jones University competes at the NCCAA Division II level. The BJU Bruins began intercollegiate athletics in the 2012–2013 school year. The school began with men and women's soccer and basketball, with hopes of eventually adding other sports. Cross country and golf were added for the 2013–2014 school year. Men's and women's shooting sports were added in 2016.
North Greenville University North Greenville University is a private Baptist university in Tigerville, South Carolina. It is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention). It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and ...
* North Greenville University competes at the NCAA Division II level.


Culture

Greenville has been named one of the "Top 100 Arts Small Towns in the United States." The
Bon Secours Wellness Arena Bon Secours Wellness Arena (formerly the BI-LO Center; The Well) is a multi-purpose arena in Greenville, South Carolina. The arena serves as the home of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits of the ECHL. History The Bon Secours Wellness Arena was built ...
brings national tours of many popular bands to downtown, and the Peace Center, Peace Center for the Performing Arts provides a venue for orchestras and plays. A planned multimillion-dollar renovation to the center's main concert hall lobby and riverside amphitheatre began in the spring of 2011.


Visual art

A number of local artists operate studios and galleries in the city, especially the Village of West Greenville near downtown. The Metropolitan Arts Council provides a number of public events that focus on the visual arts, including the First Fridays Gallery Crawl and Greenville Open Studios. Greenville also provides some notable fine arts museums: *The
Greenville County Museum of Art The Greenville County Museum of Art (GCMA) is an art museum located in Greenville, South Carolina. Its collections focus mainly on American art, and its holdings include works by Andrew Wyeth, Josef Albers, Jasper Johns (raised in South Carolina), ...
, home of the Andrew Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth Collection, was founded with a significant contribution from local industrialist, Arthur Magill. It contains pieces by Jackson Pollock, Jonathan Greene,
Georgia O'Keeffe Georgia Totto O'Keeffe (November 15, 1887 – March 6, 1986) was an American modernist artist. She was known for her paintings of enlarged flowers, New York skyscrapers, and New Mexico landscapes. O'Keeffe has been called the "Mother of Ame ...
,
Jasper Johns Jasper Johns (born May 15, 1930) is an American painter, sculptor, and printmaker whose work is associated with abstract expressionism, Neo-Dada, and pop art. He is well known for his depictions of the American flag and other US-related top ...
and William Johnson (artist), William H. Johnson. *The Bob Jones University Museum and Gallery contains a diverse collection of European masterworks


Music

Greenville's music scene is home to local, regional, and national bands performing music in the various genres. The city is home to the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, Greenville County Youth Orchestra, Carolina Youth Symphony, the Carolina Pops Orchestra, and the Greenville Concert Band. The Boston Symphony Orchestra regularly performs at the
Bon Secours Wellness Arena Bon Secours Wellness Arena (formerly the BI-LO Center; The Well) is a multi-purpose arena in Greenville, South Carolina. The arena serves as the home of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits of the ECHL. History The Bon Secours Wellness Arena was built ...
. Greenville Light Opera Works, Greenville Light Opera Works (GLOW Lyric Theatre) is a professional lyric theatre in Greenville that produces Musical Theatre, Operetta and Opera. Local a cappella singing groups include the women's Vocal Matrix Chorus (formerly Greenville in Harmony) and the men's Palmetto Statesmen chorus. Additional choral groups include the Greenville Chorale and the Greenville Gay Men's Chorus. Many notable active national touring acts have Greenville roots, including: * Nile (band), Nile * The Marcus King Band * Edwin McCain * Islander (band), Islander * Nikki Lane * Austin Webb * Peabo Bryson Historically, Greenville has been the home of various nationally renown musicians, including: * Ann Sexton * Cat Anderson * Josh White * Mac Arnold Lynyrd Skynyrd played their last concert with all original members in Greenville, on October 19, 1977; a portion of the band, and band staff, were 1977 Mississippi CV-240 crash, killed in a plane crash upon leaving Greenville Downtown Airport, Greenville's Downtown Airport.


Comedy

There are eight comedy venues in Greenville featuring stand-up comedy, sketch comedy, ventriloquists, as well as experimental and non-traditional comedy.


Dance and theater

The Carolina Ballet Theatre is a professional dance company that regularly presents programs at the Peace Center and elsewhere. CBT presents four performances annually as the resident professional dance company of the Peace Center with their largest as the holiday classic, "The Nutcracker, Once Upon A Time in Greenville." This production is modelled after the major companies that have set their holiday class in their hometown. Centre Stage, Greenville Theatre, South Carolina Children's Theater and the Warehouse Theatre are the major playhouses in the area. These theaters offer a variety of performances including well-known works, such as Death of a Salesman and Grease, and plays written by local playwrights. During the Spring and Summer, the local Shakespearean company performs Shakespeare in the Park at the Falls Park Amphitheater.


Literary arts

Two literary non-profit groups are located in Greenville: The Emrys Foundation, founded in 1983, and Wits End Poetry, founded in 2002.


Media

* ''
The Greenville News ''The Greenville News'' is a daily morning newspaper published in Greenville, South Carolina. After '' The State'' in Columbia and Charleston's ''The Post and Courier'', it is the third largest paper in South Carolina. History ''The Greenville ...
'' is the city's daily newspaper and also the Upstate's largest daily newspaper in circulation and readership. * ''Greenville Journal'': Weekly newspaper dealing with business, economic development, local events, and current issues relevant to Greenville. It was originally the ''Greenville Civic and Commercial Journal'' * ''Upstate Business Journal'': Weekly business newspaper reaching 100,000 business leaders in Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson counties. * ''GSA Business'': Published every two weeks, it covers business news from across the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson metro area. * ''Greenville Business Magazine'': Monthly magazine that contains business information for and about the Greenville area. * ''Upstate Link magazine'': The weekly publication began in January 2004 as part of Greenville News and remained in print until 2008. It is now defunct. * ''ShareGVL'' (Share Greenville): similar to ''Humans of New York'', it is a nonprofit digital community that Humanism, humanizes residents of Greenville.


Radio

Greenville is part of the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Arbitron Metro which is the nation's 59th largest radio market with a person 12+ population of 813,700. See the box below for the local radio stations:


Television

Greenville is part of the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson-Asheville Designated Market Area, DMA, which is the nation's 36th largest television market. See the box below for the local television stations:


Demographics

Greenville is the largest principal city of the Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC MSA, Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin Metropolitan Statistical Area, a United States metropolitan area, metropolitan area that covers Greenville, Laurens County, South Carolina, Laurens, Anderson County, South Carolina, Anderson and Pickens County, South Carolina, Pickens counties and had a combined population of 874,869 as of 2015. Since South Carolina law makes annexing the suburban areas around cities difficult, Greenville's city proper population is small as a proportion of the total population of the urbanized area.


2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 70,720 people, 32,250 households, and 15,431 families residing in the city.


2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 58,409 people, 24,382 households, and 12,581 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 27,295 housing units at an average density of . The racial composition of the city was 62.12% White (U.S. Census), White, 31.54% Black (U.S. Census), Black or African American, 3.44% Hispanic (U.S. Census), Hispanic or Hispanic and Latino Americans, Latino (of any race), 1.27% Asian (U.S. Census), Asian, 0.14% Native American (U.S. Census), Native American, 0.06% Pacific Islander (U.S. Census), Pacific Islander, 1.37% of Race (United States Census), other races, and 1.11% of Multiracial American, Two or more races. There were 29,418 households, out of which 22.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.7% were married couples living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.4% were non-families. 40.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.90. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 20.0% under the age of 18, 13.8% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $33,144, and the median income for a family was $44,125. Males had a median income of $35,111 versus $25,339 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,242. About 12.2% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.7% of those under age 18 and 17.5% of those age 65 or over.


Notable people


Sister cities

Greenville is Sister city, twinned with: * Bergamo, Italy since 1984 * Kortrijk, Belgium since 1991 * Tianjin Free-Trade Zone, China since 2002 * Vadodara, India


See also

* List of municipalities in South Carolina


Notes


References


External links

*
Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce

Greenville Area Development Corporation
* {{Authority control Greenville, South Carolina, Cities in South Carolina Cities in Greenville County, South Carolina Populated places established in 1797 County seats in South Carolina Upstate South Carolina 1797 establishments in the United States