The history of South Carolina's thriving upstate Since the Cherokee Nation hunted the verdant hills in what is now known as Greenville County, South Carolina, the search for economic prosperity has defined the history of this thriving Upstate region and its expanding urban center. In a sweeping chronicle of the city and county, A. V. Huff traces Greenville's business tradition as well as its political, religious, and cultural evolution. Huff describes the area's Revolutionary War skirmishes, early settlement, and mix of diversified agriculture, small manufacturing operations, and summer resorts. Calling Greenville atypical of much of the antebellum South, the author tells of the strong Unionist sentiment, relative unimportance of slavery, and lack of staple agriculture in the region. He recounts Greenville's years of Reconstruction, textile leadership, depression, and postwar industrial diversification. In addition fo tracing Greenville's economic growth, Huff identifies the region's other hallmarks, including the fierce independence of its residents. He assesses Greenville's peaceful end to segregation, strong evangelical Protestant tradition, conservative arts programs, and influential role in South Carolina politics.

Mills and textiles are a important part of the history of the South, and Greenville, known as the "Textile Capital of the World" played a key role. Greenville's textile heritage is what made the community the economic force it is today. From its antebellum beginnings with only a handful of mills, Greenville continued to grow industrially as more and more Northern investors saw financial opportunity in the area. With its notable feats, such as having the largest textile mill under one roof to its many mills fighting off "flying squadrons" during the General Textile Strike of 1934, the county's textile past is as rich and colorful as the fabrics it produced. Greenville's ascension to the "Textile Capital of the World" was unfortunately followed by the flood of overseas goods, resulting in the closing of many Upstate institutions. Though these mills are now silent, their efforts are what attracted so many other industries to the area.

Enjoy the thriving, diverse and historic sites in three tours of Greenville's Main Street. Explore the city's architectural highlights, spanning from early nineteenth-century Charleston-style buildings to a mid-twentieth-century home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Discover the dramatically successful downtown revitalization that serves as a model for elected officials and private investors around the country. Experience some of the South's richest cultural resources by visiting Greenville's collection of museums and galleries. Greenville History Tours owner John Nolan leads the reader through downtown in a tourist-friendly guide to historic sites, with vintage photographs to illustrate how the city has changed and what original features remain. Carefully researched and exceptionally written, it is a wonderful companion, both for visitors and for Greenville residents who want to see their hometown in a new light. - Back cover.

Baseball, an important institution in every American town, takes centerfield in the histories of Greenville and Spartanburg, South Carolina. These two cities have hosted some of the most well-known players of all time, from Tommy Lasorda and Chipper Jones to "Shoeless Joe" Jackson, the man who will forever link Greenville and Spartanburg with America's game. Baseball in Greenville and Spartanburg chronicles the diamond game as it has been played in the Carolina Upstate. More than a century of games from the Minor League, Textile League, and Big League clubs, along with high school and collegiate teams, are showcased. An older Joe Jackson still plays ball, a patriotic Joe Anders impresses crowds in the 1940s, and the Greenville Spinners, Greenville Braves, and the Spartanburg Phillies bring the crowds to their feet. The greats teach the game to tomorrow's stars, while tomorrow's stars perfect their talent, all with the Blue Ridge Foothills rising in the distance.

Filled with local stories and dramatic scenes of fighting from across many decades, J. B. O. Landrum's chronicle of South Carolina is a treasure of the past. The author is enthusiastic in presenting accounts which encapsulate the local Carolina spirit; tales of hardship amid an unforgiving wilderness, of brutal combat between the Native Americans and the white settlers, and of everyday living in the villages and townships of the various counties. War stories and dramatic events are commonly taken from recollections of descendants and written anecdotes; such sources make for a lively and thoroughly engaging history of how South Carolina came to be. By the time he wrote this history in 1897, J. B. O. Landrum was already respected as a writer and chronicler of the past. Locals in and around the Carolinas would, from time to time, send him pertinent material. This edition includes the original publication's maps of the locality, so that readers can understand where settlements stood in the grand scheme of things, and how troops moved around during the conflicts. For its unique storytelling and knowledge, this history retains much value for modern day readers.

Traveling US 25 through the Carolinas today is a much more pleasant experience than it was in the 1700s. Then, the road from the Tennessee Cherokee Towns to Augusta, Georgia, was a Cherokee trading path that followed a bison trace to the navigable port on the Savannah River. Drovers came from as far as Kentucky herding hogs, turkeys and mules. Lowcountry South Carolinians traveled by stagecoach and wagon to the foothills and mountains, staying for months. The Augusta Road, Saluda Gap and Buncombe Turnpike became the Dixie Highway Carolina Division and then US Route 25 by 1931. Authors Anne Peden and Jim Scott travel the trading path and concrete highway to explore this fascinating history.

This book is well-illustrated with photographs of old and new Greenville. Many color photographs are included. The first 87 pages cover the history of Greenville from frontier times through the present. The remainder of the book has overviews of businesses and organizations that have contributed to the development of Greenville and Greenville County.