Greenwood, South Carolina facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids

Greenwood

City

Greenwood County Courthouse in Greenwood

Seal

Nickname(s):

The Emerald City

Location of Greenwood, South Carolina

Greenwood, South Carolina

Location in the United States

Country

United States

Area

• Total

16.74 sq mi (43.36 km²)

• Land

16.62 sq mi (43.05 km²)

• Water

0.12 sq mi (0.31 km²)

Elevation

663 ft (202 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

22,545

• Density

1,356.33/sq mi (523.69/km²)

Time zone

UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))

• Summer (DST)

UTC−4 (EDT)

ZIP codes

29646-29649

Area codes

864, 821

FIPS code

45-30895

GNIS feature ID

1245844

Greenwood is a city in South Carolina, United States. It's the main city and capital of Greenwood County. In 2020, about 22,545 people lived here. Greenwood is also home to Lander University, a well-known college.

History of Greenwood

Greenwood started as a summer home called "Green Wood" in 1823. John McGehee and his wife Charlotte built it for cleaner air. A nearby village, Woodville, formed in 1837. By 1850, Woodville changed its name to Greenwood.

The town grew bigger when the Greenville & Columbia Railroad was built in 1852. Greenwood officially became a town in 1857.

Brewer Normal Institute

In 1872, a school called the Brewer Normal Institute was founded. It was a private boarding school for African-American students. By 1925, it became a public school and closed in 1970. The same group also built Brewer Hospital in 1924 to help everyone in the community.

Early Economy

For many years, Greenwood was mainly a railroad and farming town. This changed in 1890 when William L. Durst opened the Greenwood Cotton Mill. After that, the town became known for making textiles (cloth).

Geography and Climate

Greenwood is located in the middle of Greenwood County. The city covers about 16.7 square miles (43.36 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Major Roads

Several main roads pass through Greenwood. These include U.S. Routes 25, 178, and 221. These roads help people travel to nearby cities like Greenville and Augusta, Georgia.

Lake Greenwood

Lake Greenwood, a large lake on the Saluda River, is about 8 miles (13 km) northeast of the city. It has 212 miles (341 km) of shoreline and covers 11,000 acres (45 km²). The lake is almost 20 miles (32 km) long.

Lake Greenwood State Park is on the lake's south shore. It was built in the 1930s and has boat ramps, camping spots, and picnic areas. The area around Greenwood is known as the "Lakelands" because of its many lakes. These lakes are great for fishing and hiking.

Climate data for Greenwood County Airport, South Carolina (1991-2020 normals)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	53.4 (11.9)	57.3 (14.1)	65.0 (18.3)	73.4 (23.0)	80.5 (26.9)	86.8 (30.4)	90.2 (32.3)	88.7 (31.5)	83.2 (28.4)	73.5 (23.1)	63.2 (17.3)	55.5 (13.1)	72.6 (22.6)
Daily mean °F (°C)	42.6 (5.9)	46.0 (7.8)	52.9 (11.6)	60.8 (16.0)	68.7 (20.4)	75.9 (24.4)	79.4 (26.3)	78.1 (25.6)	72.4 (22.4)	61.3 (16.3)	51.0 (10.6)	44.6 (7.0)	61.2 (16.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	31.8 (−0.1)	34.8 (1.6)	40.8 (4.9)	48.3 (9.1)	56.9 (13.8)	65.1 (18.4)	68.5 (20.3)	67.6 (19.8)	61.6 (16.4)	49.1 (9.5)	38.8 (3.8)	33.8 (1.0)	49.8 (9.9)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	3.91 (99)	3.61 (92)	4.17 (106)	2.79 (71)	2.99 (76)	3.72 (94)	3.83 (97)	3.25 (83)	3.35 (85)	3.03 (77)	3.32 (84)	4.04 (103)	42.01 (1,067)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	10.0	9.9	9.7	9.1	9.7	10.8	11.6	10.8	8.7	8.3	9.2	10.5	118.3
Source: NOAA

Population and People

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	941	—
1870	700	—
1880	745	6.4%
1890	1,326	78.0%
1900	4,824	263.8%
1910	6,614	37.1%
1920	8,703	31.6%
1930	11,020	26.6%
1940	13,020	18.1%
1950	13,806	6.0%
1960	16,644	20.6%
1970	21,069	26.6%
1980	21,613	2.6%
1990	20,807	−3.7%
2000	22,071	6.1%
2010	23,222	5.2%
2020	22,545	−2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 Census Information

In 2020, Greenwood had 22,545 people living in the city. There were 8,772 households and 4,878 families.

Greenwood racial composition
Race	Number	Percent
White (not Hispanic)	9,001	39.92%
Black or African American (not Hispanic)	9,787	43.41%
Native American	48	0.21%
Asian	240	1.06%
Pacific Islander	17	0.08%
Other/Mixed	625	2.77%
Hispanic or Latino	2,827	12.54%

Economy

Many people in Greenwood work in manufacturing, retail, and healthcare. In 2015, Lander University had the most graduates, with 494 students finishing their studies. The average value of homes in Greenwood grew slightly from 2014 to 2015. About 67.4% of people over 16 in the city have jobs. In September 2017, the unemployment rate in Greenwood County was 4.0%.

Arts and Culture

Greenwood is known for its fun festivals and events.

South Carolina Festival of Flowers

The first South Carolina Festival of Flowers happened in 1968. It celebrated the 100th birthday of the George W. Park Seed Company. The idea was to show visitors more of Greenwood. Early festivals had free events like garden tours, art shows, and concerts.

Over the years, the festival has grown a lot. Frank Cuda helped add many new activities from 1992 to 2006. In 2008, the festival got a new logo. It features the yellow jessamine (South Carolina's state flower) and Carolina wrens (the state bird).

Topiary Project

Also in 2008, the Topiary Project began. This is now a main part of the festival. Topiaries are living sculptures made from plants. Today, there are 42 topiaries in Greenwood's town square.

Awards and Growth

The festival has won many awards. In 2009, it won "Best Merchandise" and "Best Website" at a big convention. It was also named "Overall Event of the Year" for both South and North Carolina. The festival director, Kay Self, was named "South Carolina Director of the Year."

Ellesor G. Holder took over in 2011. She updated the festival's look with a new logo. Under her leadership, the festival won the "Event of the Year" award in 2013. It also won awards for its TV ad and mobile app. The South Carolina Festival of Flowers is often named one of the "Top Twenty Events" in the Southeast. More than 80,000 people visit the festival each year. In 2016, it brought in $3.3 million for the local economy.

Festival of Discovery

The South Carolina Festival of Discovery started in 2000. It celebrates the history, culture, food, and music of South Carolina and Greenwood County.

The festival has a "Blues Cruise" where many musicians play blues music. You can hear them at restaurants and venues in Uptown Greenwood. There's also a BBQ and Hash Cook-Off. This event celebrates the tasty tradition of Carolina barbecue.

Registered Historic Sites

Vance-Maxwell House

Many old buildings and places in Greenwood are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include 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. These places are important parts of Greenwood's history.

Education

Lander University

Greenwood is part of Greenwood County School District 50. This district offers public education from elementary school through high school. They also have programs for career and technology training.

Public Schools

Greenwood District 50 includes these schools:

High Schools:
- Greenwood High School (about 1,700 students)
- Emerald High School (about 950 students)

Middle Schools:
- Westview Middle School
- Brewer Middle School
- Northside Middle School

Elementary Schools:
- Greenwood Early Childhood Center
- Hodges Elementary
- Lakeview Elementary
- Mathews Elementary
- Merrywood Elementary
- Eleanor S. Rice Elementary
- Pinecrest Elementary
- Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Elementary School
- Woodfields Elementary

Private Schools

Greenwood also has several private schools:

Greenwood Christian School
Eastside Christian School
Palmetto Christian Academy
Cambridge Academy

Colleges and Universities

For education after high school, Greenwood has:

Lander University
Piedmont Technical College

Greenwood also has a public library, which is part of the Greenwood County Library System.

Transportation

The city is served by the Greenwood County Airport. This airport helps people travel in and out of Greenwood by air.

Notable People

Many interesting people have come from Greenwood:

Gaines Adams – A former professional football player for the Chicago Bears.
Pinky Babb – A famous high school football coach.
Robert Brooks – A former NFL wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers.
Tomiko Brown-Nagin – A legal historian and professor at Harvard University.
Ben Coates – A great tight end for the New England Patriots in the 1990s.
Johnny Corley – A soul singer known for his hit song Boogaloo Down Broadway.
William Jennings Bryan Dorn – A former U.S. and state representative.
Armanti Edwards – A talented quarterback who played for the Carolina Panthers.
John Gilliam – A former NFL wide receiver and four-time Pro Bowler.
Allisha Gray – The 2017 WNBA Rookie of the Year.
Keith Harling – A country music artist.
Grainger Hines – An actor from Greenwood.
William "Hootie" Johnson – Former chairman of the Augusta National golf course.
Gregg Marshall – A successful college basketball coach.
Benjamin Mays – A minister, educator, and mentor to Martin Luther King Jr.
John McKissick – A national leader in high school football coaching victories.
Sam Montgomery – A football player drafted by the Houston Texans.
Josh Norman – A professional football cornerback for the Carolina Panthers.
Marrio Norman – A football player.
George Singleton – An author.
Jerome Singleton – A Paralympic athlete.
Chino Smith – A former Negro leagues baseball player.
D. J. Swearinger – A football safety drafted by the Houston Texans.
The Swingin' Medallions – A 1960s beach music group known for their hit Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love).
Bill Voiselle – A professional baseball player.