Greer, South Carolina

Greer
City
Downtown Greer
Seal
Motto(s):  "A Great Place to Live, Work, and Play"
Interactive map of Greer
Greer Location within South Carolina Show map of South Carolina Greer Location within the United States Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 34°55′49″N82°13′30″W / 34.93028°N 82.22500°W / 34.93028; -82.22500
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
Counties	Greenville, Spartanburg
Founded	1876
Named for	James Manning Greer [1]
Government
• Type	Council (weak mayor)
• Mayor	Rick Danner
• City Administrator	Andy Merriman
• Number of City Council members	6
Area [2]
• Total	25.56 sq mi (66.20 km2)
• Land	23.44 sq mi (60.71 km2)
• Water	2.12 sq mi (5.49 km2)  8.29%
Elevation [3]	1,014 ft (309 m)
Population  (2020) [4]
• Total	35,308
• Estimate  (2023)	44,387
• Density	1,506.38/sq mi (581.62/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	29650-29652
Area code	864
FIPS code	45-30985 [5]
GNIS feature ID	1245847 [3]
Website	www.cityofgreer.org

Greer is a city in Greenville and Spartanburg counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 35,308 as of the 2020 census, making it the 14th-most populous city in South Carolina. ^[6] Greer is included in the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, SC Combined Statistical Area in Upstate South Carolina. ^[7]

History

Greer was named for James Manning Greer, whose ancestry traces from Scotland, through Ireland. Many of his descendants still reside in the region. James Manning Greer was a descendant of John Greer Sr., who surveyed his land in Laurens County in 1750. John and his family were already in Laurens County, prior to the Greer passengers who arrived aboard the ship The Falls in 1764. John Greer's family settled at Duncans Creek between that Creek and the Enoree River and close to Duncan's Creek Presbyterian Church. John, Sr.'s great grandson James Manning Greer settled his family near Greenville in an area that eventually became Greer's Station. ^{[8] [9]}

Greer Downtown Historic District

The area now known as Greer was once part of the "Domain of the Cherokees" prior to the American Revolutionary War. In 1777, the area was added to the state of South Carolina. Development toward the birth of the town occurred in 1873, when the Richmond and Danville Air Line Railway (now the Norfolk Southern Railway) established a line between Atlanta and Charlotte. A station was built on land that belonged to James Manning Greer, and was named Greer's Station. The first post office was located in the new depot, Greer's Depot. ^[8] That depot was a red brick, Victorian structure with a slate roof and a cupola. It was located immediately adjacent to the current Norfolk Southern rail line between Trade Street and Depot Street, facing toward Moore Street. It was demolished in 1976 by its then owner, the Southern Railway System, in order to avoid property taxes. When the town was incorporated in 1876, it was named Town of Greer's. One hundred years later, the name was officially changed to the City of Greer without an "s" on the end. ^{[10] [11] [12]}

Merchants, blacksmiths and physicians set up shop in what is now the downtown area of Greer. In 1900, Greer's first bank, the Bank of Greer's, opened. The Piedmont and Northern Railway laid a second railroad line through Greer in 1914. With two active train lines, Greer became an attractive site for commerce. The railway meant big business for local farmers, enabling them to ship their crops, mainly cotton and peaches, out of state. Greer also became a textile-manufacturing center, with flourishing mills that included Victor, Franklin, Apalache and Greer Mills. The communities that grew up around the mills were as close-knit as the outlying farming communities. ^{[8] [9]}

In 1939, artist Winfred Walkley painted a mural, Cotton and Peach Growing, for the town's old post office as one of thirteen works commissioned by the U.S. Treasury Department's Section of Fine Arts between 1938 and 1941 for post offices and federal buildings throughout South Carolina. ^[13] The building is now home to the Greer Heritage Museum. ^[14]

After World War II, the city began to grow and diversify its industrial base. A new hospital and high school were built. People came to downtown Greer from Spartanburg and Greenville to shop. In the early 1960s, Interstate 85 was opened, as well as the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport. Imports derailed the textile industry in the 1970s and threatened to turn Greer into a ghost town, but the citizens of Greer worked together to attract new industry. ^[15]

Geography

Greer is located 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Greenville and 17 miles (27 km) west of Spartanburg.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.56 square miles (66.2 km²), of which 23.44 square miles (60.7 km²) is land and 2.12 square miles (5.5 km²) (8.29%) is water. ^[2] Greer has three lakes: Apalache Lake, Lake Robinson, and Lake Cunningham. The South Tyger River runs through the northern part of Greer, part of the Broad River watershed.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	97		—
1890	320		229.9%
1900	648		102.5%
1910	1,673		158.2%
1920	2,292		37.0%
1930	2,419		5.5%
1940	2,940		21.5%
1950	5,050		71.8%
1960	8,967		77.6%
1970	10,642		18.7%
1980	10,525		−1.1%
1990	10,322		−1.9%
2000	16,843		63.2%
2010	25,515		51.5%
2020	35,308		38.4%
2023 (est.)	44,387	[6]	25.7%
U.S. Decennial Census [16] [4]

2020 census

Greer racial composition ^[17]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	20,627	58.42%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	5,524	15.65%
Native American	60	0.17%
Asian	1,868	5.29%
Pacific Islander	13	0.04%
Other/Mixed	1,586	4.49%
Hispanic or Latino	5,630	15.95%

As of the 2020 census, there were 35,308 people, 11,531 households, and 7,507 families residing in the city.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, ^[5] there were 16,843 people, 6,714 households, and 4,511 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,044.5 inhabitants per square mile (403.3/km²). There were 7,386 housing units at an average density of 458.0 per square mile (176.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 73.39% white, 19.49% African American, 1.16% Asian, 0.22% Native American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 4.42% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.18% of the population. 21.6% were of American, 9.5% Irish, 8.9% German and 8.4% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 90.6% spoke English and 8.5% Spanish as their first language. Since 2000, the city has seen an explosive increase in Hispanic immigration.

There were 6,714 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,140, and the median income for a family was $41,864. Males had a median income of $33,147 versus $23,566 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,546. About 12.2% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.5% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Greer is adjacent to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP), which serves Greenville, Spartanburg, and Upstate South Carolina. Greer is also the site of the largest BMW manufacturing facility in North America. According to a June 2005 article in The Greenville News , BMW's Greer plant employs about 9,000 people, and has attracted dozens of suppliers in South Carolina, providing jobs for more than 12,000 people. Greer is home to the South Carolina Inland Port, an intermodal facility that receives and sends containers by rail to the Port of Charleston. The city is also home to the National Weather Service office that serves Upstate South Carolina, Northeastern Georgia and Southwestern North Carolina including the Charlotte Metropolitan Area. ^[18]

Arts and culture

Greer has a public library, a branch of the Greenville County Library System. ^[19]

The Arthur Barnwell House, Davenport House, Gilreath's Mill, Greer Depot, Greer Downtown Historic District, Greer Post Office, Louie James House, R. Perry Turner House, Robert G. Turner House and Earle R. Taylor House and Peach Packing Shed are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. ^{[20] [21]}

Parks and recreation

The Greer City Stadium is a WPA project completed in 1938; it currently seats 3,000. The stadium has hosted little league, scholastic, The American Legion World Series, and semi-professional sports. ^[22]

In 2012, the Cannon Center, a former National Guard armory, became a basketball gym. ^[23] The facility was originally built in 1936. ^[24]

The City of Geer Municipal Complex was completed in 2008, and includes the 12-acre (4.9 ha) Greer City Park. ^{[25] [26]}

Infrastructure

Healthcare

Pelham Medical Center, part of Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, is a 48-bed hospital providing emergency services, general surgery, gynecology, orthopedics, cardiology (non-invasive), endocrinology, gastroenterology, general medicine, oncology, and intensive care services. This campus includes Pelham Medical Center Medical Office Building, the Surgery Center at Pelham, and the Gibbs Cancer Center and Research Institute at Pelham, ^[27] which provides radiation oncology, medical oncology, ^[28] and Cyberknife M6 surgery. ^[29]

Greer Memorial Hospital is an 82-bed facility with emergency, ICU and maternity care. ^[30]

Transportation

Airports

Greer is served by the Greenville–Spartanburg International Airport Roger Milliken Field, which in 2012 handled over 1.7 million passengers. ^[31] The airport is a commercial Class C airport, with cargo and passenger facilities. ^[32]

Railroads

Greer is served by Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, which operates to both Greenville and Spartanburg. Greer is the location of Inland Port Greer, one of two inland ports in South Carolina, built to handle containerized goods. Inland Port Greer is served by Norfolk Southern, and connects Greer to the Port of Charleston. ^{[33] [34]}

Highways

One two-digit Interstate highway runs through Greer. Interstate 85 passes 5 miles (8 km) south of the city center, with access from Exits 57 through 60. I-85 leads northeast 90 miles (140 km) to Charlotte, North Carolina, and southwest 154 miles (248 km) to Atlanta. U.S. Route 29 runs through Greer, connecting Greenville and Spartanburg. South Carolina Highway 14 and South Carolina Highway 290 both run through Greer. SC 14 leads north 18 miles (29 km) to Landrum, near the North Carolina border, and south 16 miles (26 km) to Simpsonville, while SC 290 leads east 5 miles (8 km) to Duncan and northwest 13 miles (21 km) to U.S. Route 25 north of Travelers Rest.

Notable people

• Kris Bruton, Harlem Globetrotters; 1994 NCAA college dunk champion and 1994 NBA draft pick of the Chicago Bulls
• Bill Haas, golfer; multiple winner on the PGA Tour and winner of the 2011 Fedex Cup
• Jay Haas, golfer; multiple winner on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour
• Kaleigh Kurtz, National Women's Soccer League player, North Carolina Courage, 2018-
• Daniel Palka, Major League Baseball Player, Chicago White Sox, 2018- ; 2018 White Sox Team Home Run Leader. Also 2010 McDonald’s All American game player in basketball.

See also

• List of municipalities in South Carolina

References

1. "History of Greer". www.cityofgreer.org. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
2. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
3. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Greer, South Carolina
4. "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
5. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
6. "QuickFacts: Greer city, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
7. "OMB Bulletin No. 23-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas" (PDF). United States Office of Management and Budget . July 21, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
8. "History of Greer". www.cityofgreer.org. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
9. "Greer". South Carolina Encyclopedia. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
10. Project, SC Picture (November 16, 2008). "Greer Station". SC Picture Project. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
11. "Greer Station". www.cityofgreer.org. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
12. "South Carolina Railroads - Piedmont & Northern Railway". www.carolana.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
13. "Greer Post Office" . Retrieved December 1, 2013.
14. "Home". Greer Heritage Museum. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
15. The Greer Community History Archived October 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
16. "QuickFacts Greer city, South Carolina; United States". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
17. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
18. US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "Greenville-Spartanburg, SC". www.weather.gov. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
19. "Locations & Hours". Greenville County Library System. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
20. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
21. National Register listing. National Park Service.^{[ dead link ]}
22. "Greer City Stadium". www.cityofgreer.org. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011.
23. Fair, Jim (May 9, 2012). "Cannon Centre keeps history and location intact". GreerToday.com. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
24. "Cannon Centre". www.visitgreenvillesc.com. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
25. "Mayor". www.cityofgreer.org. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
26. "Greer City Park". www.visitgreenvillesc.com. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
27. "Pelham Medical Center - Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System". www.spartanburgregional.com. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
28. "Gibbs Cancer Center & Research Institute – Pelham". www.spartanburgregional.com. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
29. "Radiation Oncology at Gibbs Cancer Center - Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System". www.spartanburgregional.com. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
30. "Greer Memorial Hospital". Prisma Health - Upstate. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
31. "Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport Information". Airport Hotel Guide.
32. "Passenger Airlines". GSP International Airport.
33. "Work Begins on New South Carolina Inland Port". Global Trade. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
34. "Greer, South Carolina". City-Data.

External links

• Geographic data related to Greer, South Carolina at OpenStreetMap
• Official website
• Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce