1963 Greer City Directory

Title

1963 Greer City Directory

Accession Number

2023.55.1

Accession Date

1 April 2023

Accession Creator

Samantha Mora

Description

Greer city directory from 1963, featuring photographs and information about businesses and areas, also includes a photocopy of booklet pages

Date

1963

Format

printed booklet

Storage Location

General Archive Box #1 Folder #8

Concerns

Pages no longer connected

Text

[page 2]
Jet Air Port
Corner Poinsett & Trade

[page 3]
The Little City With The Big Future
PAST . . . Less than two centuries ago, the area that now is Greer was not in the State of South Carolina, but was a part of a section set apart from the province, and designated as the "Domain of the Cherokees." The present site of Greer was a paradise for the Cherokee Indian who hunted through the hills and fished in the many streams. During this period, settlers who lived close to the old Indian Boundary Line encountered many pioneer hardships.
After the Revolutionary War, the area which is now Greer be- came a part of the State of South Carolina and has evolved through the years into the second largest city in Greenville County. In 1866 Mr. Manning Greer purchased an original tract of land consisting of 200 acres. Mr. Greer's name became the name of the City and is, indeed, unique since nowhere in the nation is there another city called Greer.
This tract of land was sold in 1868 to another southern gentle- man, Mr. W. T. Shumate, for the sum of $900. Mr. Shumate anticipated a town for this section because of the proposed route of the Southern Railway. The railway did reach Mr. Shumate's tract in 1872 and the following year the town was granted a charter. Mr. Shumate gave large tracts of land to the city for churches, schools and other civic buildings.
Greer retains much of the character of this early beginning. It is a city with a proud heritage of initiative, strength and courage and continues to grow physically and spiritually.
PRESENT . . . Greer has progressed from the crawling stage of a little town to the walking stage of a small city and now is poised at the threshold of becoming the center of a two county metropolitan complex.
Greer is able to retain the warmth and personality of its small beginning, but at the same time is cognizant of the nearby cultural and educational advantages. This has been brought about by the cordial intermingling of both its older and newer business and industry leaders.
FUTURE . . . Its potential has been seen not only by those who are here and by its neighbors, but also by its friends all over the country. As a result, the jet age airport, many new industries, and numerous trucking terminals have chosen to locate in or near Greer. With its strong foundation, Greer is confidently ready to take its rightful place as the center of the South Carolina Piedmont.
1963 GREER CITY DIRECTORY
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[page 4]
Homelite, Inc. – A Division of Textron
Southern Machinery

[page 5]
LOCATION - Greer is in Northwestern South Carolina at the foot- hills of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains, with an elevation of 1037 feet.
The City is situated astride the line dividing Greenville and Spartanburg Counties. It might be considered a crossroads community, because it is five miles north of Interstate Highway 85 and thirteen miles from the interchange of Interstate High- ways 26 and 85.
POPULATION - The rapid population increase within the city during the past twenty years is due to its strategic location, fertile soils, and to its citizens who are its greatest asset. The people are cordial and friendly to newcomers, who become an integral part of the civic, religious, and cultural life of the city. This community spirit of cooperation is reflected in the progress and growth of the past two decases.
Population 1940 - 2,940
1962 - 9,000
Within a three mile radius - 20,000
CLIMATE - Greer has a pleasantly mild climate with an annual - average termperature of 61 degrees. Its geographical location enables its residents to enjoy four distinct seasons.
Coldest Month - January 43.3 degrees average
Warmest Month - July 78.4 degrees average
AGRICULTURE - Peaches are a great cash crop for Greer orchardists. Elbertas and Golden Jubilees are among the many varieties of Greer peaches consumed nationwide. Farming and cattle raising are also important segments of the agricultural economy of the area. Only forty miles from Greer is Clemson College; rendering valuable service through the U. S. D. A. Extension Service.
INDUSTRY - Being in the heart of the Industrial South, Greer offers many advantages to new Industry. Native-born labor is quickly trained to reach high standards of production. Power, water, and proximity of raw materials and markets contribute to a strong and diversified industry.
Principal Industries
General Battery and Ceramics Corporation - Wet and dry charged batteries.
Greer Manufacturing Company - Cotton Sheeting.
Greer Shirt Corporation - Sport Shirts.
Homelite, A Div. of Textron Corporation - Generators, lawn
mowers, etc.
1963 GREER CITY DIRECTORY
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[page 6]
J. P. Stevens Company
C. E. Runion Manufacturing Company – Upholstered furniture.
Southern Machinery Company – Specialized textile machine parts.
J. P. Stevens and Company, Inc. (Three Plants) – cotton and synthetic textiles.
Smaller firms make a variety of items including concrete products, textile engravings, fertilizers, feeds, printed materials, canned goods, wood products, etc.
COMMERCE – Greer’s many stores offer the shopper a wide variety of reasonably priced merchandise to suit every taste and budget.
The Bank of Greer, with a branch office at the Wade Hampton Shopping Center, and the First National Bank contribute to Greer’s healthy financial climate. Also, importantly serving the community are two progressive savings and loan associations: The Greer Federal Savings and Loan Association and the Citizens Building and Loan Association.
CITY GOVERNMENT – The Municipal government of Greer consists of a mayor and six councilmen elected at large every two years. Greer has six wards and each councilman must be a
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[page 7]
Commission of Public Works
resident of the ward he represents.
The City has modern police, fire, and sanitation departments, and maintains them at a high level of efficiency. In adjunct to Civil Defense is the well trained and equipped rescue squad.
UTILITIES - The Commission of Public Works, locally owned and operated, provides electrical power, water, sewage, and natural gas services.
A branch office of the Duke Power Company is located here and supplies electrical power to those areas not served by the Commission of Public Works.
TRANSPORTATION - Greer is situated strategically in regard to trade, commerce, and industry. Just south of Greer is Interstate Highway 85 (Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia to Baltimore). A short distance away is Interstate Highway 26 (Charleston, South Carolina to Asheville, North Carolina where it links with other Interstate Highways). State Routes 14, 101, 415, and 357 cross in the city.
A five minute drive from downtown Greer is the new $10 million ultra-modern Piedmont-Area Airport, serving the Greenville-Spartanburg County area with transportation on Eastern Air Lines, and Southern Airways.
1963 GREER CITY DIRECTORY
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[page 8]
Allen Bennett Hospital
Greer High School
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[page 9]
Rail transportation is excellent, as Greer is on the main line of the Southern Railway, which extends from Washington, D. C. to New Orleans, Louisiana, and the Piedmont and Northern Railway, which runs between Spartanburg and Greenwood, South Carolina. Both of these railroads interconnect with other major lines to assure the best in transportation to all parts of the nation.
Five trucking terminals are located in Greer and numerous others have daily pick-up and delivery service in the area. Both Atlantic Greyhound Lines and Trailway serve Greer and offer direct express bus service with good connections.
MEDICAL – Allen Bennett Memorial Hospital exemplifies the community’s cooperative spirit. The people of Greer raised one-half of the necessary funds for building a general hospital here so that such facilities would be available locally. Since the original construction, an additional twenty-four bed wing has been completed to keep pace with community development.
The hospital is a now a 51 bed unit of the Greenville General Hospital, Greenville, South Carolina, and the medical specialties and services of the larger general hospital are available.

Adjacent to Allen Bennett Hospital is the new Roger Huntington Memorial Nursing Home. This new 60 bed facility will be for long-term chronically ill patients requiring around-the-clock care.

There are more than ten practicing physicians in the city of Greer. Some specialize in Internal Medicine, Surgery, Anesthesiology, Obstetrics and Gynocology. In addition, there are three optometrists, six dentists, and four chiropractors practicing in Greer.

EDUCATION - Basic to any community is the education of its young people. Greer has a twelve year educational system which is a part of the Greenville County School District. Physical facilities and quality of instruction are excellent.

There are eight elementary schools, two junior high schools, and three senior high schools in the Greer area. The high schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, and approximately 45% of all Greer Senior High School graduates go on to higher education. There are 13 colleges and universities, 4 junior colleges and 5 schools of nursing within a fifty mile radius.

Industrial Training Schools, under the South Carolina Technical Education Program, are underway in both Greenville and Spartanburg Counties. County residents may further their education in technical and vocational training classes at these two

1963 GREER CITY DIRECTORY

[page 10]
Centers. Additional courses of instruction are added from time to time.
LIBRARY – Davenport Memorial Library, a branch of Greenville County Public Library, is a well stocked library with easy access to any books catalogued in the larger library.
CHURCHES – Since 1841 when the first church was organized in Greer, religion has played an important role in the life of the people. Church membership is high in the thirty-one churches representing the Baptist, Episcopalian, Methodist, Presbyterian, and other denominations. Three of these churches operate kindergartens. Many of the churches wither have recently completed an expansion and building program or are making such plans for the future.
ORGANIZATIONS – Civic participation is perhaps most responsible for the rapid and continuous growth of the city. The civic clubs and other organizations actively sponsor many worthy projects for the good of the whole community.
Civic Clubs include the Civitan, Exchange, Jaycees, Kiwanis, Lions, Optimist, and Rotary Clubs.
Many women of the community participate in six active and
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[page 11]
Constructive garden clubs and the Greer Garden Club Council with beautification as their prime objective.
Other women are active in the Business and Professional Women’s Club, the Insurance Women’s Club, and a newly organized Greer Woman’s Club.
The Music Club of Greer, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and Daughters of the American Revolution are among the older organizations which contribute to the cultural atmosphere of the city.
RECREATION – Greer is fortunate to have a fine recreation program for its citizens. Modern recreation centers, with a skating rink, bowling lanes, and supervised activities are available to the young people. Greer City Parks provide areas, swings, slides, and tennis courts.
Little League and Pony League football and baseball are greatly enjoyed and are supervised by the Greer Commission of Parks and Recreation. Greer’s American Legion Junior Baseball team fields a fine team each year and draws good crowds to its games.
Fishing, swimming, and other water sports, picnicking, camping, and sightseeing in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains are favorite pastimes. Three State Parks are within an hour’s drive from Greer.
1963 GREER CITY DIRECTORY
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[page 12]
Pleasant Grove Residence
Burgiss Hill Residence
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[page 13]
The Greer Golf and Country Club has an excellent course for golf enthusiasts and a fine swimming pool for young and old alike.
An exciting program of spectator sports is available. Enthusiasm over high school football runs high as boosters cheer the team in the local stadium or follow to nearby communities. High school and industrial basketball are also important as spectator sports. Nearby colleges and universities provide a variety of recreational, entertainment, and cultural opportunities and advantages.
There are two up-town motion picture theatres and a number of drive-ins on the fringe of the city. A commercial bowling alley is fast becoming an attraction for all ages in Greer.
PEACH FESTIVAL - Greer has received national recognition as the site of the South Carolina Peach Festival which takes place each June to promote the Peach Industry, Greer, and South Carolina.
Area residents and business firms join forces to produce the several day Festival, which includes such events as a golf tournament for professionals and amateurs, parade, square dance, and two-day beauty pageant.
The lovely young lady chosen as South Carolina Peach Queen each year travels extensively to tell the story of Greer and South Carolina peaches.
HOMES - The homes in Greer show pride of ownership and reflect the home-like, wholesome atmosphere of the area. There are some beautiful older residences as well as new developments, apartments, and rental property.
In the past, Greer has experienced difficulty in keeping up with the demand for housing, due to the rapid increase in population. However, increased home building recently has resulted in new developments in a wide variety of price ranges; all carefully planned to meet the needs of the growing population. Even those developments farthest from the down- town section require only three to five minutes to drive to work, school, or church,
Building costs per square foot are generally below those of other sections of the country.
NEWS MEDIA - The Greer Citizen is published weekly with a circulation of 4,000. Two nearby daily newspapers, each with morning and afternoon editions, are delivered in the area by carrier.
1963 GREER CITY DIRECTORY
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[page 14]
Peach Orchard
Lake Cunningham
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[page 15]
Greer is served locally by radio stations WCKI and WEAB. Reception of other stations in both Greenville and Spartanburg Counties is good. Three television channels are received without the need of an outside antenna. They include the ABC, CBS, and NBC networks.
EATING AND LODGING – Several Grade A Restaurants are located in the downtown shopping district and modern motal and eating facilities on highway 29 are available for the traveler.
Bowers Battery and Spark Plug Company
1963 GREER CITY DIRECTORY
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[back advertisement]
BRIGHTEN UP
From time to time, most of us experience the flowing sensation that comes when we discover something unexpected.
Ever wrestle long and hard with a problem and then, when it seems there is nothing in sight in the way of a solution, get the type of inspiration which makes you wonder why things appeared difficult in the first place? It happens to all of us.
All this leads up to the fact that we would like to throw a little light on an important subject. While it won’t be “new” to some folks who will be surprised if they will always take the time to shop local stores first, whatever their needs.
It’s true. Some of our local citizens do trade “out of town,” all the time. To these we say, try local stores FIRST. Telephone or visit the local merchant, explain your needs, and let him tell you what he has to offer.
We think you will be deLIGHTfully surprised.
Trade at Home for Your own sake! and community progress
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