Greer Heritage Museum collection

1898-1911: Open space

• This triangular city block was the Marchant estate. The area that is now 111 Trade would have been in the lawn above the north wall of the house.
• By February 1911, this spot remained in the lawn of the Marchant home, but the corner to the north had been divided off and businesses were in development.

c. 1915: Dr. Marchant constructs a building

• Dr. Marchant erected a two-story brick building around 1915 with the intent to lease it for business. The building was divided to contain two stores, at 109 and 111. At the time, the street address for the building was 232 Trade Street.

1922: Furniture store

• By October of 1922, the building houses a furniture store owned by Samuel Hutchings.
• The Marchant home is still standing just south of the building, where the stable has been replaced with a garage for automobiles.

1930: W. M. Thompson Hardware

• By January 1930 the Marchant home is gone and that is now an empty lot, perhaps for display of vehicles. Thompson was an active Ford dealership. Behind the location of the Marchant home stands an auto repair shop and filling station.

1931: Greer CPW and the "House of Charm"

• We are still trying to work out the impact of the Great Depression on downtown Greer, and it's likely that it played a role in what happened here. In 1931, the Greer Commission of Public Works purchased this building, using the first floor as their place of business.
• On the second floor they set up the "House of Charm" to showcase the latest appliances. A home economist also provided cooking and sewing classes.
• By March 1951, the building has been renumbered as 111 Trade. It now has a large connected addition, dropping down as a "T" perpendicular from the middle of the building; it is marked as a filling station.

c. 1960-1968: Greer City Hall

• Greer CPW left in 1960. The building became Greer City Hall, and served in that capacity for eight years. During that time it held the Chamber of Commerce, City Clerk and Treasurer, Mayor, Health Officer, Mechanical Inspector, Street & Sanitation Department, and the City Cemetery Department. 

1969 - current: Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce

• The 1969 city directory shows that the Chamber of Commerce is now installed, and it remains in that location through today (June 2020).

2018: Greer Education Foundation

• A 2018 document lists Greer Education Foundation as the occupant; however, the building still housed the Chamber of Commerce. Perhaps the Chamber operated the GEF, or perhaps it was located on the 2nd floor.