Greenwood, South Carolina

{{Expand section|date=June 2023}}

In 1823 John McGehee and his wife Charlotte built a summerhouse called "Green Wood" midway between the cities of Abbeville and Cambridge in order to have cleaner air.{{Cite web |last=Cann |first=Marvin L. |date=May 17, 2016 |title=Greenwood |url=https://www.scencyclopedia.org/sce/entries/greenwood/ |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=South Carolina Encyclopedia |language=en-US}} Nearby, a village named Woodville was formed in 1837 with a post office. By 1850, the village designation was changed to the name Greenwood. The town grew with the first railroad, the Greenville & Columbia Railroad built in 1852. Greenwood was incorporated in 1857.

Starting in 1872, the American Missionary Association (AMA) founded the Brewer Normal Institute in Greenwood; a segregated school for African-American students.{{cite book |last1=Woody |first1=Howard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F-QMl7-6XmMC&pg=PA93 |title=South Carolina Postcards |last2=Johnson |first2=Thomas L. |date=2000 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=0-7385-0293-6 |volume=3 |page=93}} The Brewer Normal Institute was initially a private boarding school, and by 1925 it became a public school which closed in 1970.{{cite news |date=June 8, 1925 |title=Greenwood takes over Brewer Normal School |page=9 |work=The State |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122088048/greenwood-takes-over-brewer-normal-schoo/}}{{cite news |date=April 20, 1930 |title=Trend of Negro Education Gradually Upward |page=19 |work=The Greenville News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29312952/}} The AMA also built the Brewer Hospital in Greenwood in order to help fostering community racial integration. It was dedicated on May 24, 1924.{{cite book |last1=Richardson |first1=Joe M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Gr4CDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA105 |title=Education for Liberation |last2=Jones |first2=Maxine D. |date=2009 |publisher=The University of Alabama Press |isbn=978-0-8173-5848-8 |page=105}}

Greenwood primarily served as a railroad and agricultural town until 1890 when William L. Durst opened the Greenwood Cotton Mill, and after which moved into local textile manufacturing.

Greenwood is located slightly northwest of the center of Greenwood County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|42.3|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|42.0|km2|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|0.3|sqkm|order=flip|1}}, or 0.72%, are water.

U.S. Routes 25, 178 and 221 pass through the eastern side of the city, bypassing the downtown area. US 25 leads north {{convert|51|mi}} to Greenville and south {{convert|63|mi}} to Augusta, Georgia, US 178 leads northwest {{convert|42|mi}} to Anderson and southeast {{convert|29|mi}} to Saluda, and US 221 leads northeast {{convert|26|mi}} to Laurens and southwest {{convert|23|mi}} to McCormick.

Lake Greenwood, a reservoir on the Saluda River, is {{convert|8|mi|0}} northeast of the city at its nearest point. The lake has {{convert|212|mi}} of shoreline, covers {{convert|11000|acre}}, and is almost {{convert|20|mi}} long. Lake Greenwood State Park, built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, is {{convert|14|mi}} east of the city on the south shore of Lake Greenwood and includes two boat ramps, a campground, trail and playgrounds, and many picnic areas.{{cite web|url=http://www.greenwoodscchamber.org/recreations/lake|title=Recreations/Lake - Greenwood Area Chamber of Commerce, SC|website=Greenwoodscchamber.org|access-date=2 January 2018|archive-date=September 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927195441/http://www.greenwoodscchamber.org/recreations/lake|url-status=dead}} The area around Greenwood is locally billed as the "Lakelands", due to several lakes for recreational fishing and diverse terrain for hiking trails.{{cite web|title=THINGS TO DO AND SEE|url=http://www.visitgreenwoodsc.com/things-to-do-see|website=Visitgreenwoodsc.com|access-date=2 January 2018}}

{{Weather box

|location = Greenwood County Airport, South Carolina (1991-2020 normals)

|single line = Y

| Jan high F = 53.4

| Feb high F = 57.3

| Mar high F = 65.0

| Apr high F = 73.4

| May high F = 80.5

| Jun high F = 86.8

| Jul high F = 90.2

| Aug high F = 88.7

| Sep high F = 83.2

| Oct high F = 73.5

| Nov high F = 63.2

| Dec high F = 55.5

|year high F = 72.6

|Jan mean F = 42.6

|Feb mean F = 46.0

|Mar mean F = 52.9

|Apr mean F = 60.8

|May mean F = 68.7

|Jun mean F = 75.9

|Jul mean F = 79.4

|Aug mean F = 78.1

|Sep mean F = 72.4

|Oct mean F = 61.3

|Nov mean F = 51.0

|Dec mean F = 44.6

|year mean F = 61.2

| Jan low F = 31.8

| Feb low F = 34.8

| Mar low F = 40.8

| Apr low F = 48.3

| May low F = 56.9

| Jun low F = 65.1

| Jul low F = 68.5

| Aug low F = 67.6

| Sep low F = 61.6

| Oct low F = 49.1

| Nov low F = 38.8

| Dec low F = 33.8

|year low F = 49.8

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|precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 3.91

| Feb precipitation inch = 3.61

| Mar precipitation inch = 4.17

| Apr precipitation inch = 2.79

| May precipitation inch = 2.99

| Jun precipitation inch = 3.72

| Jul precipitation inch = 3.83

| Aug precipitation inch = 3.25

| Sep precipitation inch = 3.35

| Oct precipitation inch = 3.03

| Nov precipitation inch = 3.32

| Dec precipitation inch = 4.04

|year precipitation inch = 42.01

| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

| Jan precipitation days = 10.0

| Feb precipitation days = 9.9

| Mar precipitation days = 9.7

| Apr precipitation days = 9.1

| May precipitation days = 9.7

| Jun precipitation days = 10.8

| Jul precipitation days = 11.6

| Aug precipitation days = 10.8

| Sep precipitation days = 8.7

| Oct precipitation days = 8.3

| Nov precipitation days = 9.2

| Dec precipitation days = 10.5

| year precipitation days = 118.3

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|source 1 = NOAA{{cite web

| url =

| title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

}}{{cite web

| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/normals-monthly/1991-2020/access/USW00053874.csv

| title = Monthly Normals 1991-2020

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| accessdate = May 8, 2022

}} }}

{{US Census population

|1850= 941

|1870= 700

|1880= 745

|1890= 1326

|1900= 4824

|1910= 6614

|1920= 8703

|1930= 11020

|1940= 13020

|1950= 13806

|1960= 16644

|1970= 21069

|1980= 21613

|1990= 20807

|2000= 22071

|2010= 23222

|2020= 22545

|align-fn=center

|footnote=[https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html U.S. Decennial Census]{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:45&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=Oct 15, 2022}}

}}

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 22,545 people, 8,772 households, and 4,878 families residing in the city.

As of the census 2000, there were 22,071 people, 8,496 households, and 5,174 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,612.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 9,373 housing units at an average density of {{convert|684.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 50.10% White, 45.51% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.41% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.52% of the population.

There were 8,496 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.5% were married couples living together, 21.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 15.2% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,284, and the median income for a family was $32,573. Males had a median income of $26,477 versus $21,476 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,347. About 22.2% of families and 40.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.4% of those under age 18 and 18.0% of those age 65 or over.

The most common employment sectors for residents of Greenwood are manufacturing, retail trade, and healthcare and social assistance.

In 2015, the Greenwood educational institution with the largest number of graduating students was Lander University, with 494 graduates.

The median property value in Greenwood grew from $86,800 in 2014 to $87,800 in 2015.{{Cite news|url=https://datausa.io/profile/geo/greenwood-sc/#economy|title=Greenwood, SC|work=Data USA|access-date=2017-11-30}}

67.4% of the city population over the age of sixteen is in the civilian labor force.{{Cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/greenwoodcityarkansas,greenwoodcountysouthcarolina/PST045216|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Greenwood city, Arkansas; Greenwood County, South Carolina|website=Census.gov|language=en|access-date=2017-11-30}}

As of September 2017, the unemployment rate in Greenwood County was 4.0%.{{Cite journal|date=2017-11-01|title=Unemployment Rate in Greenwood County, SC|url=https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/SCGREE0URN|language=en}}

Greenwood's first South Carolina Festival of Flowers was held in the summer of 1968 to coincide with the 100th anniversary celebration of George W. Park Seed Company. The festival was the brainchild of what was known then as the Tourist and Conventions Committee of the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce. Chamber Director Al Parker and committee members recognized that Park Seed Company hosted "grower days" each year and that hundreds of professional flower growers would come to Greenwood to meander through Park Seed's famous trial gardens (the gardens closed in 2013). The committee thought it would be a good idea to capitalize on having those visitors see other venues in Greenwood.

Dick Stowe, chair of the Tourist and Conventions Committee, served as the first Festival Chairman, and Judy Funderburk of Bennettsville was crowned Princess of Flowers. During the festival's early years, admission was free to most events, including the Park Seed gardens and open house, arts and craft show, photo exhibit, military band concerts and other popular attractions.

Since then, the festival has grown to include a wide array of activities, many added under the leadership of Frank Cuda, who was Festival Director from 1992 to 2006. In 2007, the festival celebrated its 40th anniversary and welcomed Kay Self as the new executive director.

In 2008, the South Carolina Festival of Flowers introduced a new logo celebrating its Carolina roots. The logo features yellow jessamine (the state flower) encircling the words "Festival of Flowers" with two Carolina wrens (the state bird) perched below.

Also in 2008, the Topiary Project was launched, which has become the signature event. Presently, there are 42 topiaries on the square in Greenwood.

Then in 2009, the festival gained regional recognition by winning four Excellence Awards at the Carolina Showfest Convention. The awards were for "Best Merchandise", "Best Website", and "Overall Event of the Year" for South and North Carolina, and Executive Director Kay Self was recognized as "South Carolina Director of the Year".

Ellesor G. Holder took the helm in 2011 for the 44th Festival of Flowers. She rebranded the festival with a more distinctive and contemporary logo which symbolized the diversity and floral history of the festival. Under Holder's leadership, the festival received the SC Festival & Event Association's Excellence Award, 2013 Event of the Year. She also garnered two Silver Awards for the festival's 2013 TV ad and mobile application/website at the International Festival and Events Association Conference.

The South Carolina Festival of Flowers continues to be named one of the Southeast Tourism Society's "Top Twenty Events".

Attendance at the festival has steadily grown, reaching a record of over 80,000 visitors in the past few years. In 2016, the economic impact of the Festival of Flowers was $3,300,000.{{Cite web|url=http://scfestivalofflowers.org/history/|title=Our History|website=South Carolina Festival of Flowers}}

The South Carolina Festival of Flowers is a division of the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce and shares the same board of directors.{{Cite web| url=http://scfestivalofflowers.org/about-us-1/| title=History| website=South Carolina Festival of Flowers| language=en-US| access-date=2017-02-13}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

The South Carolina Festival of Discovery is sponsored by the Uptown Greenwood Development Corporation. The event started in 2000, celebrating the history, culture, food, arts, crafts, music and people of South Carolina and Greenwood County.

The Festival of Discovery's "Blues Cruise" celebrates the sound of the blues, with numerous musical artists performing at Uptown Greenwood restaurants and venues, while the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) BBQ and Hash Cook-Off focuses on the rich tradition of Carolina barbecue.

File:Vance Maxwell House.jpg]]

The Barratt House, J. Wesley Brooks House, Lander College Old Main Building, Magnolia Cemetery, Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church, Old Greenwood Cemetery, Old Greenwood High School, James C. Self House, Stony Point, Sunnyside, Tabernacle Cemetery, and the Vance-Maxwell House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.{{NRISref|version=2010a}}

{{More citations needed section|date=August 2010}}

Greenwood is governed via a council-manager system. The mayor is elected at-large. The city council consists of six nonpartisan members who are each elected from one of six single-member district wards.[https://www.cityofgreenwoodsc.com/government/city_council.php City of Greenwood: City Council] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917112300/http://cityofgreenwoodsc.com/Government.aspx |date=2010-09-17 }} Retrieved 2010–09–08. The current mayor of Greenwood is Brandon Smith. Mr. Smith was sworn in on Monday, November 19, 2018. He won election for the office vacated by Mayor Welborn Adams who decided not to seek re-election.[http://www.cityofgreenwoodsc.com/Government_ElectedOfficials.aspx City of Greenwood: Elected officials] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917154246/http://cityofgreenwoodsc.com/Government_ElectedOfficials.aspx |date=2010-09-17 }} Retrieved 2010–09–08.

Leath Correctional Institution, a South Carolina Department of Corrections prison for women, is located in unincorporated Greenwood County {{convert|5|mi|0}} north of the center of Greenwood."[http://www.doc.sc.gov/institutions/leath.jsp Leath Correctional Institution] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819220547/http://www.doc.sc.gov/institutions/leath.jsp |date=2010-08-19 }}." South Carolina Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 17, 2010.

File:Lander College Old Main Building.jpg]]

The city of Greenwood is a part of Greenwood County School District 50,{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st45_sc/schooldistrict_maps/c45047_greenwood/DC20SD_C45047.pdf|title=2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Greenwood County, SC|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2025-03-08}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st45_sc/schooldistrict_maps/c45047_greenwood/DC20SD_C45047_SD2MS.txt Text list] and offers public schooling up to the secondary level, including career and technology education.

Greenwood District 50 consists of the following schools:

:High (with enrollment):

:* Greenwood High School (1,700)

:* Emerald High School (950)

:Middle:

:* Westview Middle School

:* Brewer Middle School

:* Northside Middle School

:The three middle schools take portions of the city,{{cite web|url=http://www.greenwoodsc.gov/greenwoodnj/?MapTheme=Schools%20-%20Middle|title=Middle School Zoning|publisher=Greenwood County|access-date=2025-03-08}} and Emerald and Greenwood highs have attendance boundaries with portions of the city.{{cite web|url=http://www.greenwoodsc.gov/greenwoodnj/?MapTheme=Schools%20-%20High|title=High School Zoning|publisher=Greenwood County|access-date=2025-03-08}}

:Elementary:

:The following elementary schools take portions of the city limits:{{cite web|url=http://www.greenwoodsc.gov/greenwoodnj/?MapTheme=Schools%20-%20Elementary|title=Elementary School Zoning|publisher=Greenwood County|access-date=2025-03-08}}

:* Lakeview Elementary

:* Mathews Elementary

:* Merrywood Elementary

:* Eleanor S. Rice Elementary (formerly Oakland Elementary)

:* Pinecrest Elementary

:* Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Elementary School (formerly Springfield Elementary){{cite news |title=D50 school board votes to rename Springfield after Benjamin Mays |url=https://www.indexjournal.com/news/d-school-board-votes-to-rename-springfield-after-benjamin-mays/article_c7dd9662-7be0-53e0-abea-78952512d58c.html |access-date=February 25, 2020 |work=Index-Journal |date=February 17, 2020}}

:* Woodfields Elementary

:(Hodges Elementary School does not have an attendance boundary including sections of the Greenwood city limits)

Private schools:

• Greenwood Christian School
• Eastside Christian School
• Palmetto Christian Academy
• Cambridge Academy

Post-secondary:

• Lander University
• Piedmont Technical College

Greenwood has a public library, a branch of the Greenwood County Library System.{{cite web | url=https://www.greenvillelibrary.org/locations-and-hours | title=Locations & Hours | publisher=Greenville County Library System | access-date=8 June 2019}}

The city is served by Greenwood County Airport.

{{div col}}

• Gaines Adams, former defensive end for NFL's Chicago Bears
• Pinky Babb, coached Greenwood High School for 39 years, is among top 20 nationally in high school football victories
• Robert Brooks, former NFL wide receiver for Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos.
• Tomiko Brown-Nagin, legal historian and professor at Harvard Law School of Harvard University{{cite web|url=http://greenwoodtimes.com/content/tomiko-brown-nagin|publisher=greenwoodtimes.com|title=Dr. Tomiko Brown-Nagin: Social Reform and the Law | Greenwood Times|access-date=2016-11-12|archive-date=November 27, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127015120/http://greenwoodtimes.com/content/tomiko-brown-nagin|url-status=dead}}
• Ben Coates, starting tight end for New England Patriots 1991–99, ranked fourth in receptions at that position in NFL all-time
• Johnny Corley, soul singer best known for his 1967 hit Boogaloo Down Broadway
• Leroy Jenkins, Televangelist
• William Jennings Bryan Dorn, former U.S. and state representative
• John W. Drummond, South Carolina businessman and legislator
• Armanti Edwards, starting quarterback for Appalachian State Mountaineers football team, winner of 2008 & 2009 Walter Payton Award given to top Football Championship Subdivision offensive player; drafted by Carolina Panthers with 3rd round, 25th pick in 2010 NFL draft
• John Gilliam, former NFL wide receiver, four-time Pro Bowler
• Allisha Gray, 2017 WNBA Rookie of the Year
• Keith Harling, country music artist
• Grainger Hines, Greenwood native and actor, once married to Michelle Phillips of The Mamas and The Papas
• William "Hootie" Johnson, former chairman of Augusta National golf course
• Gregg Marshall, head coach of Wichita State University's men's basketball program
• Benjamin Mays, minister, educator, scholar, social activist, mentor to Martin Luther King Jr, and president of Morehouse College
• John McKissick, national high school football leader in coaching victories, (Summerville, S.C., High School)
• Sam Montgomery, drafted by Houston Texans in third round of 2013 NFL draft out of LSU
• Josh Norman, drafted by Carolina Panthers in 2012 as cornerback out of Coastal Carolina
• Marrio Norman, football player
• George Singleton, author
• Jerome Singleton, Paralympic athlete
• Chino Smith, former Negro leagues player, named one of S.C.'s top 100 athletes by Sports Illustrated
• D. J. Swearinger, all-SEC conference safety for South Carolina Gamecocks, drafted by Houston Texans
• The Swingin' Medallions, 1960s beach music group best known for their hit Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love)
• Willie James Tolbert, executed for rape in 1949
• Bill Voiselle, professional baseball player.

{{div col end}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.cityofgreenwoodsc.com/}}
• [http://www.greenwoodscchamber.org Greenwood Chamber of Commerce]

{{Greenwood County, South Carolina}}

{{South Carolina}}

{{South Carolina county seats}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Cities in South Carolina

Category:Cities in Greenwood County, South Carolina

Category:Populated places established in 1897

Category:County seats in South Carolina

Category:1897 establishments in South Carolina