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 Several years ago, when BMW announced that it would build it’s world-class facility in Spartanburg County, the whole region was a buzz over the influx of new people and interrelated manufacturing business and services. Obviously, the partnership has been very successful, because BMW recently announced a 600 million expansion, with additional 1000 jobs, that will expand to 2.1 million square feet. (When those fast little Z3’s Roadsters pass you on the highway, recognize that each one was built here.) The newest addition is the X5 Sport’s Activity Vehicle – destined to be another winner!
More than 500 manufacturing firms call Spartanburg County home. They deal in textiles, food processing and packaging, metalworking and stamping , and of course , automotive and related industries, with names like Michelin, Siemens, Hoechst Celanese and others.
Money Magazine called Spartanburg one of “four booming locales where you can get a job and live easy.” That’s just another accolade for a small town with big accomplishments.
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Spartanburg Culture
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Spartanburg’s Renaissance Project is a public-private partnership aimed at sparking the revitalization of the central business district. It includes a 250room Marriot Hotel and Conference Center. The Zimmerli Amphitheater in Barnet Park and a soon to be 9 hole walking Golf Course and Golf Training Center is in the works.
The arts are well appreciated here, with performances and events ranging from art shows and the ballet to symphonies and theater. Restaurants, to microbreweries and a stunning new three-story library - with a children’s garden and fountains - bring people of all ages downtown at all hours.
Since 1966 Ballet Spartanburg, a nonprofit organization, has continued to fulfill its mission by bringing dance and dance education to Spartanburg, a city of 45,700, that mixes familiar southern hospitality with culture and traditions of its varied, international community. Neighboring counties in North and South Carolina attend its productions and are served by its school and outreach programs.
Since 1967 it has hosted over 22 national and international companies, including:
- North Carolina Dance Theatre
- Houston Ballet
- Hartford Ballet
- Pittsburgh BalletTheatre
- The Atlanta Ballet
- Nureyev
- The Warsaw Ballet
- Glasnost Ballet
- Ballet Chicago
- The Washington Ballet
- Miami City Ballet
Spring Fling in Spartanburg features entertainment, food, crafts, and artwork held in May of each year.
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Spartanburg Education
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For the academically inclined, Spartanburg has four Colleges: Wofford, Converse and Spartanburg Technical colleges, University of USC Upstate and Spartanburg Methodist College.
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Spartanburg History
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Welcome to Spartanburg, South Carolina, a community filled with “southern hospitality” accented by a vibrant cultural mix and international businesses. From it’s rustic beginnings as a frontier trading post filled with Scots-Irish, German and Indian traders of the mid 1700’s to the international business community of today, Spartanburg continues to welcome the world to it’s doors.
The area known as Spartanburg County was formed in 1730 when a treaty making the boundary between the Province of South Carolina and the Cherokee nation was signed. Today the boundary continues to separate Spartanburg and Greenville Counties.
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Spartanburg Housing
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Single-family new house construction building permits:
- 1996: 30 buildings, average cost: $60,500
- 1997: 25 buildings, average cost: $85,600
- 1998: 32 buildings, average cost: $100,800
- 1999: 24 buildings, average cost: $139,700
- 2000: 22 buildings, average cost: $146,500
- 2001: 6 buildings, average cost: $146,000
- 2002: 7 buildings, average cost: $146,000
- 2003: 7 buildings, average cost: $146,000
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Spartanburg Nature
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The South Carolina State Botanical Garden is home to some 2,200 varieties of ornamental plants. Of special interest are the azalea and camellia trails; the wildflower, fern, and bog gardens; nature trails; the pioneer garden labeled in Braille; and the flower and turf display garden of bedding plants and turf grasses. Another area garden, Hatcher Gardens in Spartanburg, is a haven for birds and wildlife with its ponds, trails, and 10,000 plants.Hatcher Garden
South Carolina’s geography is defined by the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean – from higher elevations ranging between 1,000 feet to 3,500 feet in the foothills, to sub-tropical conditions along 200 miles of Atlantic coast. With such a diverse topography and a temperate climate, South Carolina is perfect for year-round outdoor activities.
South Carolina’s water resources offer recreational activities from kayaking and rafting on whitewater rivers; to fishing and boating on lakes
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Spartanburg News
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Search for "Spartanburg SC" - Fruits & Passion Wins Ex*Tracts Best New Product Award - Gifts and Tablewares Online
| Best New Product Award in the Cosmetic and Fragrance Category. The company received the award for its Decorative Diffuser Set, a perfumed oil diffuser featuring a birchwood flower design with a ceramic base. |
- SC police officer charged with hitting girlfriend - The State
| A South Carolina police officer has been arrested and accused of hitting his girlfriend with a can of beer. |
- Crew of 700 restoring power, 6,391 in the dark - HendersonvilleNews.com
| Published: Sunday, February 7, 2010 at 4:30 a.m. Last Modified: Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 10:32 p.m. The first light of day glimmered off the trucks in the makeshift tent city in Jackson Park Saturday. |
- Saturday ends with 6,472 without power - HendersonvilleNews.com
| Crews leave the Duke Energy staging area at Jackson Park early Saturday morning to restore power after Friday's winter storm. |
- Allegiant launches non-stop flights from Greenville to Orlando International today - Examiner.com
| Allegiant Air launches non-stop flights today between Greenville, SC and Orlando International. |
- Wofford defeats UNC-Greensboro 77-59 - SignOnSanDiego.com
| Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 7:04 p.m. SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Kevin Giltner scored 14 points to lead Wofford in a 77-59 win over UNC-Greensboro on Saturday night. |
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Spartanburg Recreation
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Kayaking Spartanburg's Lawson's Fork is now accessible to paddlers who want to put in at Whitney and float to the Cottonwood Trail, a distance of 4.5 river miles. Work has been completed on the "put-in" just below the dam, along U.S. Highway 221.
Wall Passage of the Palmetto Trail
From either the Blue Wall Preserve or the Foothills Equestrian Nature Center (FENCE), you will find this scenic section of the Palmetto Trail offers a lot of diversity. You will pass from old forest to the city streets of downtown Landrum in Spartanburg County. As you wander over rolling hills, you will be treated to some beautiful views of mountains, clear ponds, and some of South Carolina's finest horse farms
Croft State Natural Area
Starting from the parking area, this somewhat challenging trail in Spartanburg County has something for just about everyone. There is enough climbing, fast down hills, and hard packed sections, which allow fairly high speeds to satisfy the intermediates and experts, but may be too much for beginners. Several connector trails provide variation and new challenges, especially the Idaho pass, which is more technical.
Freewheelers of Spartanburg Bicycle Club have their regular Club meetings on the first Monday of each month. Visit the website for more information on meetings and events.
The mission of the UMBA is to provide an organization to work with local land managers to build and maintain a network of trails to improve the mountain biking experience of its membership. Maps, trail status reports, and event calendars are available on the website.
Horses
If horses are your thing, you will be in good company around Tryon, where equestrian pursuits such as steeplechase, dressage, jumping and carriage driving have more than a 50 - year history. The Tryon Riding and Hunt Club, FENCE (Foothills Equestrian Center) and many other equestrian organizations host events from March through early October. 
Freedom Weekend Aloft is the largest hot-air balloon festival east of the Mississippi River. Every Memorial Day Weekend in Anderson, people come and enjoy 100 beautiful hot-air balloons, exciting concerts by the nations top entertainers, fireworks, food, arts and crafts, amusement rides, and a motorcycle show.
Each July, professional football comes to Spartanburg as the NFL’s Panther’s roar into town for their summer training camp. Practice sessions are free and open to the public, great for those who want to get an early indication of how the Carolina’s only NFL team will perform in the upcoming season. 
Professional football Carolina Panthers in Charlotte; with Training Facilities At Downtown Wofford College. Come see them practice in the month of August.
College sports such as football, baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, volleyball, and golf at several colleges and universities including Wofford, Converse, USC-Upstate
International SteepleChase in Camden (Carolina and Colonial Cup races);
Golf courses are plentiful in the area, offering some of the most scenic courses you’ll find anywhere in the Blue Ridge. Of course, the temperature is ideal for golfing, with the thermal belt that keeps the climate more comfortable then one would find either at higher elevations or lower in the valley.
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