Pickens County Explore the green land rolling south from the mountains and you’ll understand quickly why a small patch of countryside at the juncture of Pickens, Greenville and Anderson counties is the fastest-growing area of the Upstate. Cut through by I-85, minutes from the cities of Greenville and Anderson, a half-hour from the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport, and a couple of hours from Charlotte and Atlanta, the Easley-Powdersville area is a hard-driving careerist’s haven of pastoral serenity. The area boasts modest tax rates, spacious homes on large lots, good schools producing SAT scores higher than the national average and abundant recreation – from golf courses and ball fields to acres of mountain wilderness, swift clear rivers and vast lake systems. The scenic beauty, moderate cost of living and a generally mild climate are also drawing cards, especially among retirees, while quality schools and public recreational facilities interest those younger. Recognized as a center for automotive excellence, the area is also home to Clemson University, one of the top research universities in the country. Easley is the seat of local commerce. Its two diverse, barely connected business districts surround a quiet maze of shaded residential lanes and neighborhoods. The old-town village on S.C. 93, cut through by the main line of the Norfolk Southern Railway, retains a variety of stores and shops. Here you’ll find a bookseller, movie house and an ice cream parlor flanking a town square. Antiques establishments have located here and the county’s main library nestles among giant oaks lining a side street. Nearby, the village’s ample parking often becomes the site for festivals and other public events. To the south, on Calhoun Highway, Easley’s U.S. 123 Bypass, a burgeoning commercial district stretches for miles. Major department and discount stores anchor numerous shopping plazas. Toward the Greenville County line, at the Saluda River, once-vacant land is rapidly filling as the cities of Greenville and Easley reach toward each other. More than 50 housing developments encircle the town, spreading in all directions from the lush green hills of Dacusville on the northeast, toward Wren, Powdersville and Liberty on the south and west. Choices run the gamut, from a wide range of older homes in the central residential area to outlying farmhouses, suburban tract homes, horse-lovers’ estates and country mansions. Prices vary, too. A retired couple or young family may find a perfect little nest on a big lot in the low $100s. An up-and-comer will find an impressive place in one of the developments with prices starting at around $200,000. A premier neighborhood is Westchester, booming with new construction of homes in the $250,000 to $400,000 range. The sky’s the limit in opportunities for the mogul who wants a palace at the top of 40 landscaped acres, with a view. As the market continues expanding, new housing opportunities spring forth. Recently opened developments south of town include Edenberry and Sitton Creek. In addition to a surge of housing off Brushy Creek Road, a number of commercial developments are also being planned. Some 30 apartment complexes, many newly built, offer everything from modest shelter to opulent living. Amenities include washer-dryer hookups, appliances, pools, tennis courts, fireplaces and health clubs. In western Pickens County, Lake Keowee is the site of several new waterfront communities developed by Crescent Resources, including RiverStone, Waterford, Waterford Pointe, Waterside Crossing, Waterford Farms and The Highlands on Lake Keowee. Homesites begin in the low $100s and waterfront homesites range from the high $100s to more than $500,000. In the southwest part of Pickens County, near Lake Hartwell, lies the small city of Clemson, which is home to highly ranked Clemson University. With about 17,000 students, Clemson University was recently named Time magazine’s “Public College of the Year.” The school’s football stadium, known as “Death Valley,” is one of the largest stadiums in the country. Another significant sporting arena is the J.B. “Red” Owens Recreation Complex in Easley. Covering 104 acres, the stadium hosts the Big League World Series every year. The complex offers football and soccer fields, an 18-hole disc golf course, basketball courts, picnic shelters, playgrounds and a nature trail. A new gymnasium and an additional 18-hole disc golf course are in the works. In Six Mile, Mile Creek Park offers opportunities for hiking, camping, boating and picnicking along 12,500-acre Lake Keowee. Established since 1980, the Easley Foothills Playhouse performs at the West End Hall Theatre, a renovated 1920s school building. The troupe produces family-oriented dramas and comedies in the 214-seat theater. The Pickens County Cultural Commission operates the Pickens County Museum of Art and History and the Hagood Mill. The museum recently underwent significant expansion, which added 34 new permanent displays, three focus galleries, a community room, teaching studio and interpretive trails. About three miles north of downtown Pickens, the Hagood Mill is one of the oldest surviving grist mills still producing grain products and dates back to 1825. On select Saturdays, you can catch music and demonstrations by local artisans. Covering 43,500 acres, the Jocassee Gorges Natural Area is part of the Blue Ridge Escarpment, where the mountains meet the piedmont and slopes drop 2,000 feet in just a couple miles. Here, gorges carved by streams and the natural wilderness are sights to behold. You can enter the area through surrounding gateways: Keowee-Toxaway, Devils Fork, Table Rock and Oconee state parks.