Area Info & History

Welcome to Greenwood!

Area Overview

Beautiful Greenwood is located in the Lakelands area of the Lower Piedmont region of Upstate South Carolina. We have a friendly, small-town atmosphere, with the activities and amenities of a larger city. Lake Greenwood, a variety of parks, sporting events, historic sites, highly regarded festivals, and arts and cultural activities make it a great place to visit—and to live.

Greenwood’s climate is mild and seasonable, with four distinct seasons. Hot summers, beautiful spring and fall weather and mild winters make outdoor activities possible all year. Golf is a popular attraction 12 months of the year, with challenging and affordable courses, just an hour from Augusta, GA.

Community assets include Lander University, Piedmont Technical College, Self Regional Healthcare, Uptown Greenwood, a system of local parks and gardens, and more.  For additional information, visit the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce. 

The City of Greenwood, the county seat, is located near the center of the county. The area is accessible to three major interstates and only hours away from both the mountains and the coast.

Local History

Greenwood was an important way station in colonial times, and the site of an important Revolutionary War battle. Ninety Six National Historic Site is a great place to spend the day exploring history, nature and local culture.

Area historians have credited several “pillars” with shaping the Greenwood of today, and those were in place from the outset. One was an early dedication to education, with several schools and colleges as foundational elements of local communities. By the time the county was chartered in 1857, Greenwood had schools that were already 25 years old.

A second foundation for Greenwood’s continued prosperity was the initiative and hard work of its founders and early settlers in providing transportation; first railroads, which brought considerable prosperity to the area, then highways and an airport. Our railroad history is on full display at the Railroad Historical Center, a fun and educational trip for all ages. 

A third key part of Greenwood’s development was the area’s textile industry, which remains a vital economic block supporting the Greenwood Community.

The combination of railroads and textiles contributed greatly to the county’s growth. It also lead to one of our favorite pastimes—baseball. Along with the creation of textile mill villages, mill baseball teams grew in popularity, and launched the careers of several baseball greats.

The Greenwood community has become well known throughout the state as “an example of what can be accomplished by unremitting energy and boundless self-reliance.” There’s no greater example of that energy and determination than the life of Dr. Benjamin Mays. You can visit the historic site commemorating the life and accomplishments of Dr. Mays, an renowned educator and writer, who was known as the father of the American Civil Rights Movement.

Hospitable and and forward thinking, Greenwood is always looking for ways to improve the quality of life here.