The Spartanburg Area SSome might say that Spartanburg is just hitting its stride. For years, in the minds of many, it was the lesser part of Greenville-Spartanburg. But today, Spartanburg is adding to its assets as a college town and international business center. This city is truly flexing its muscles. That was true even before German automaker BMW built its first North American manufacturing plant on a site in Spartanburg County just outside the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport. Spartanburg’s international community is large and growing, and the county has the highest per capita foreign investment in the United States. With an average of 226 sunny days, it’s no wonder more than 271,000 people call Spartanburg County home. Much of Spartanburg’s growth is on its west side. Much of Greenville’s growth is on its east side. At this rate, the two will eventually meet, forming one long urban area along the I-85 corridor. Spartanburg has a range of inestimable assets. Just a stone’s throw from City Hall are two respected four-year liberal arts colleges – Wofford, one of the few independent colleges in the Carolinas with a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and the smallest college in the United States fielding an NCAA Division I football team, and Converse, a renowned women’s college. Not far away is the University of South Carolina - Upstate, the largest satellite campus in the USC system. Spartanburg County also is known all over South Carolina for the quality of its public schools. A new main library is the centerpiece of an ambitious program to expand the county library system. The Spartanburg YMCA is one of the largest in the Southeast. And the arts are alive and living robustly in Spartanburg County. As is true of Greenville, from Spartanburg it doesn’t take long to get to Charlotte, Atlanta, the North Carolina mountains or South Carolina’s beautiful coast. Be sure to check out the Greater Spartanburg Home and Garden Show at the end of March. Held at the Spartanburg Expo Center, it features 97,000 square feet of products and services for home building, remodeling, interior design and gardening. Here’s a look at the county by district. DISTRICT 1 Here in the northwest corner of Spartanburg County, home buyers will find some of the most spectacular settings. The area is quiet, largely rural and quite beautiful. Just about any point in this district is convenient to Greenville via I-26, I-85 and S.C. 14, which passes through Landrum on its way down to Greer. U.S. 176, which passes through Landrum and Inman, provides an alternate route down to Spartanburg or up to Asheville, N.C. Pause in Landrum; if you’re intrigued by picturesque little towns with bookstores and eateries, this is a place to spend a few quiet hours. If lakefront living floats your boat, this area offers lots along the shoreline of Lake Bowen, the largest lake in the county and the primary reservoir of the Spartanburg Water System. Here you’ll find the upscale communities of Watercrest and Wilkins Pointe, with homesites and resale opportunities, among numerous other developments. From Landrum, it’s only a pleasant canter over to Tryon in North Carolina, where the horse is king. Tryon is the home of an annual steeplechase, which is not only a first-class equestrian event, but also a convenient excuse for partying in and around this wonderful little town. You’ll also find the Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, a 390-acre preserve with award-winning facilities and opportunities for nature study. This part of Spartanburg County is known informally as “Hunt Country” because of its many farms and riding clubs. Motlow Creek Equestrian Farms, one of the most unusual communities, is here. Situated on 23 acres in the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Motlow Creek offers a 24-stall barn, two training rings and a 24-hour groom service. Just a few miles outside of Landrum, S.C. 11, the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway, cuts a beautiful path across the county. The highway, which runs from Gaffney in Cherokee County to the Georgia state line in Oconee County, offers easy and very pleasant access to the state’s mountain parks and lakes Hartwell, Jocassee and Keowee. DISTRICT 2 As you drive up U.S. 221 out of Spartanburg toward Chesnee, you’ll cross Lake Blalock. With approximately 35 miles of shoreline, it is the newest of the Spartanburg Water System’s reservoirs. This area, much of it convenient to downtown Spartanburg, has seen the development of bedroom communities close to I-85. Boiling Springs’ location on S.C. 9 has helped it blossom into an area of affordable and midrange housing developments, and there are others in higher price ranges. Farm Lake is one of the largest developments in the area. By all means, take a look at the lakes; even if you don’t own lakefront property, the lakes provide opportunities for fishing, swimming and boating. And there are always opportunities to purchase new and resale houses here. After you cross Lake Blalock on U.S. 221, you’ll approach Chesnee, which is about as close to the N.C. state line as a town can be and still be in South Carolina. Chesnee grew up with the textile industry. The Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway cuts through the community, intersecting U.S. 221 in the middle of downtown. The ancient Greeks said ambrosia was the food of the gods. They were wrong – it was peaches from Spartanburg County. You’ll see many peach trees in the area, and they are a strong reminder that while Spartanburg is booming industrially and commercially, the agricultural tradition in the county runs deep. Hover around the peach sheds in late spring and early summer and you can see how succulent and delicious that tradition is. DISTRICT 3 If it’s world-altering history you’re after, you’ve come to the right place. British Col. Banastre “Bloody” Tarleton earned a well-deserved reputation as a hard and ruthless fighter for king and country. In January 1781 he led his forces to Hannah’s Cowpens. Waiting for him there was Daniel Morgan, a swashbuckling, not altogether savory frontiersman who was in command of a mixed force of backwoods militia and Continental soldiers. By the end of the day, the Americans had won what most historians believe was one of the pivotal battles of the Revolutionary War. The Battle of Cowpens began a string of British disasters that led inexorably to the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. The battle was fought right here, in Spartanburg County, in District 3. Spartanburg, in fact, took its name from the Spartan Rifles, a Revolutionary War militia force. The Cowpens battlefield is preserved as part of the national park system and can be reached by taking S.C. 11 from Chesnee to S.C. 110 or from I-85. The battle is not the only history in the area. The earliest attempts to settle Spartanburg County were made along the Pacolet River, and the area around Pacolet became known for cotton production. Opportunities for new housing are few, although there are a few new upscale developments. Buying an existing home is a good bet. You’ll find the most opportunities around Cowpens and Pacolet. You might also want to check out Battleground Estates, just outside Cowpens. DISTRICT 4 This district is generally considered to be the most sparsely populated in Spartanburg County. However, in the Upstate these days, few areas are escaping the tide of growth. Especially since U.S. 221 between Woodruff and Spartanburg has been widened, this district should follow neighboring patterns. In addition to U.S. 221, S.C. 101 and S.C. 146 give Woodruff access to the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport and the industrial and commercial centers along I-85 between Greenville and Spartanburg. Woodruff is widely known for the historical success of Woodruff High School’s football team. Woodruff’s niche is in resales of affordable housing. Residential growth is centered in Woodruff proper, the community of Moore and Three Pines Country Club just north of town. Otherwise, the area is still primarily rural and covered in woodlands. Game preserves with deer and wild turkey follow the Enoree River, which forms the boundary between Spartanburg and Laurens counties. Be sure to visit the Price House on Hobbysville Road. The brick house was built around 1795 by Thomas Price as part of his 2,000-acre estate. DISTRICT 5 If you hear explosions in District 5, don’t be alarmed. It’s only the sound of the area’s growth, which has been booming for years. There is no better symbol of that growth than BMW’s huge auto manufacturing plant at I-85 and S.C. 101. The growth was there before BMW was, but the plant has been the catalyst for highway improvements and residential and business development. The district includes four municipalities: Greer, which is split by the Greenville-Spartanburg county line, Lyman, Duncan and Wellford. The last three, which grew as textile communities, aren’t merely neighbors; they are contiguous. That has led to some discussion of the eventual merger of the three into a single city, or at least of the consolidation of some services. A few years ago, Greer began an aggressive campaign to annex surrounding areas to beef up its tax base and to get a handle on the growth in the surrounding areas. As a consequence, the city has nearly doubled its geographic size. One of the annexed areas on the Spartanburg side of the county line boasts an attractive development, Riverdale. Accessed from U.S. 29, Riverdale lies along the South Tyger River. Attractive resales can be found in Country Club Estates, near Greer Country Club, and in developments around Lyman Lake and Apalache Lake. Resales also are available in all four towns and in the Startex and Jackson Mill communities. Aside from the BMW plant, the most prominent feature in the district is the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport. This airport opened with much fanfare, including a show by the Navy’s Blue Angels, in 1962 as the airline industry was making the switch from piston-engine aircraft to jets. The airport even went by “jetport” in those days, and a few people still call it that. The airport was a joint venture between the two counties. Not far from the BMW plant and the airport, you’ll find Reidville Road, which has seen much residential development. Over at River Falls Plantation, you’ll find a Gary Player-designed golf course community, featuring a restaurant and an 18-hole public golf course with the service and quality of a private club. DISTRICT 6 This district – Spartanburg’s west side – is Spartanburg County’s equivalent of the Eastside in Greenville County. The schools, with such jewels as Dorman High School and Westview Elementary, are excellent, which is one reason the area accounts for much of the county’s growth in recent years. Traversed by I-85 and I-26, the area has good access to just about everything. Entertainment, dining and shopping opportunities abound here. WestGate Mall is the county’s retail center and is located at the intersection of I-26 and U.S. 29. Some of the first residences in the district were constructed in Woodland Heights. Camelot and Sheffield came later, and all three offer good possibilities if you’re in the market for an existing house. You’ll also find roughly half of the county’s apartment residences in this district. For upscale living, look at Carolina Country Club. It’s one of two exclusive membership clubs in the county, offering recreation, dining and meeting facilities in addition to fine homes. New homes and resales in most price ranges abound in this area. Townhouses and patio homes, available in a number of developments, offer interesting alternatives to traditional suburban neighborhoods. Upscale neighborhoods are found along Reidville Road, U.S. 29 and Anderson Mill Road. There are more opportunities down East Blackstock toward Roebuck. Kings Grant is near the Walnut Grove Plantation, which itself is worth a visit for the history-minded. Built around 1765, the manor house has been restored and furnished authentically. The plantation grounds also include a school building, other outbuildings and a family cemetery. Like to look out over a calm lake on a pleasant, warm morning? Visit Lake Cooley in the upper reaches of the area. The lake is a reservoir owned by the Startex-Jackson-Welford-Duncan Water District, and the shoreline sports such developments as Waterford, off S.C. 292 on Hickory Hollow Road. Some of the lakefront lots have boat docks. Convenient to I-26 off John Dodd Road is Chestnut Lake, an established community with a lake and tennis courts. While you’re in the area, drive down S.C. 56 to Croft State Park. During World War II, Camp Croft was a training base for soldiers bound for the fighting in Europe. After the war, the Army turned the camp over to the state. Lakes Craig and Johnson are the centerpieces of the 7,054-acre park, which has campgrounds, picnic and other facilities. DISTRICT 7 The BB&T tower in downtown Spartanburg dominates the surrounding area. It is flanked by a peaceful, shady plaza where you can sit for a while reading, talking with friends or just relaxing. But don’t mistake the tower for the central business district’s focal point. For that, you have to walk a few blocks down Main Street to Morgan Square in the heart of downtown, where a $2.5 million renovation project has transformed the area into a more pedestrian-friendly gathering spot. The statue of the victor at Cowpens, Revolutionary War Hero Gen. Daniel Morgan, was relocated to its original location, within feet of Spartanburg’s geographic center. Visitors will note what residents enjoy on a regular basis – an interesting and visually appealing downtown that’s the cultural and government center of Spartanburg County. Extended Stay America recently moved its corporate headquarters to downtown Spartanburg, and the new 250-room Spartanburg Marriott at Renaissance Park brings thousands of visitors into downtown, making Spartanburg a destination. Restaurants, cafés and retail establishments are quickly following. Nearby, Barnet Park’s sculptures, walkways and water fountains set the stage for special events like the Red, White and Boom Fourth of July celebration and the International Festival. Spartanburg County’s only neighborhood on the National Register of Historic Places is found here. For Spartanburg’s early monied classes, Hampton Heights was the place to live. Today the historic district includes 120 homes built between 1890 and 1930. Stately Victorian homes peek from behind the trees. Many of these houses might be classified as fixer-uppers, but others have been restored and feature porches, woodwork, stained glass and gazebos. If you want to undertake a restoration, Hampton Heights definitely is worth a look. Converse Heights is a popular neighborhood whose houses date to 1905. It’s convenient to shopping and other amenities, and if you want to live in a quiet neighborhood where you can enjoy leisurely evening walks, you should check this neighborhood out. Adjacent to Spartanburg Country Club are two exclusive communities: Club Point and the Commons. There is less new construction in this area than in other parts of the county, but new homes can be found in neighborhoods near both the Carolina and Spartanburg country clubs. There are numerous developments to check along Country Club Road, including Oak Creek. Along Fernwood-Glendale Road Deerfield, Brookfield and Summerplace are some of the newest developments. Make sure to take the time to explore downtown Spartanburg and its environs. The heavy retail trade moved to suburban areas, but the city government has made great efforts to keep the central business district viable and attractive. Today you’ll find specialty retailers along Main Street and Daniel Morgan Square, along with some pleasant places to dine. Make the new main branch of the Spartanburg County Library one of four stops. The Jammie Seay House, believed to be the oldest house in Spartanburg, is in District 7. After a long day of house hunting, reward yourself with a leisurely stroll around the shaded campuses of Wofford and Converse colleges. Catch a concert at Twichell Auditorium at Converse or a play staged in the Wofford Theater. In the fall, you’ll find intercollegiate football, perhaps a game between Wofford and Southern Conference rival Furman University in Greenville. You’ll also find a full range of entertainment at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium. photo courtesy of the greenville cvb