March 2, 2018

Spend a Day in Greenwood, South Carolina; things to do + hotel review

Spend a Day in GREENWOOD, SOUTH CAROLINA


Featuring the widest Main Street east of the Mississippi, this well-maintained town is especially fun to visit in June  when they host the annual South Carolina Festival of Flowers.  Forty-plus topiaries are on display for the month, and a walking tour with a master gardener is available.  My favorite was the seahorse and the butterfly.  It is also home to the Railroad Historical Center, which has exhibits that include seven vintage train cars.

seahorse topiary at South Carolina Festival of Flowers in Greenwood, South Carolina
seahorse topiary at South Carolina Festival of Flowers
in Greenwood, South Carolina


butterfly topiary at South Carolina Festival of Flowers in Greenwood, South Carolina
butterfly topiary at South Carolina Festival of Flowers
in Greenwood, South Carolina


While here, you’ll also want to visit:

Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site  

This peaceful spot--think lilac bushes and twittering birds--honors the former president of Morehouse College in Atlanta.  Dr. Mays was an accomplished scholar and an advisor to Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Carter, and a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (he is known for the eulogy he gave at Dr. King’s funeral).  He met with Mahatma Gandhi and learned about non-violence and became the impetus for the civil rights movement.  This site holds the modest, rustic wood cottage he was born within in 1894 and a 1900s one-room schoolhouse built for African-American children--both were moved here from the nearby Epworth area and are furnished era artifacts--as well as a museum within a newly-built faux barn that showcases a collection of photos and memorabilia.  The only original Mays items in the house are two framed bird pictures.  In addition to learning about Dr. Mays, visitors learn plenty about African American life here in the South back in time.  Tours of the complex are available.

sign at Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site in Greenwood, South Carolina
sign at Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site
in Greenwood, South Carolina


Director Christopher B. Thomas leads tour of birth house at Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site in Greenwood, South Carolina
Director Christopher B. Thomas leads tour of birth house at Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site in Greenwood, South Carolina


interior of birth house at Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site in Greenwood, South Carolina
interior of birth house at Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site
in Greenwood, South Carolina


bird drawings inside birth house at Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site in Greenwood, South Carolina
bird drawings inside birth house at Dr. Benjamin E. Mays
Historical Preservation Site in Greenwood, South Carolina


backyard view from birth house at Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site in Greenwood, South Carolina
backyard view from birth house at Dr. Benjamin E. Mays
Historical Preservation Site in Greenwood, South Carolina


interior of schoolhouse at Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site in Greenwood, South Carolina
interior of schoolhouse at Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site
in Greenwood, South Carolina


museum at Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site in Greenwood, South Carolina
museum at Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site
in Greenwood, South Carolina


And should you want to spend the night:
E. 104 Court Ave., (864) 330-1010.  Full breakfast included.  Pets ok.  

The town’s only full-service boutique hotel, the Inn on the Square is known for exceptional hospitality.  The first floor is a gathering area, with a large and comfortable lobby and two restaurants.  The Carriage House offers an extensive menu that includes selected nightly specials--steak on Thursday, fish on Friday--and the more pub-like Fox & Hound Lounge offers simpler meals.  Rooms are large and comfortable and recently upgraded.  Breakfast includes table service and several menu choices. 

lobby flowers at Inn on the Square in Greenwood, South Carolina
lobby flowers at Inn on the Square in Greenwood, South Carolina


Fox & Hound Lounge at Inn on the Square in Greenwood, South Carolina
Fox & Hound Lounge at Inn on the Square in Greenwood, South Carolina


guest room at Inn on the Square in Greenwood, South Carolina
guest room at Inn on the Square in Greenwood, South Carolina

 
breakfast at Inn on the Square in Greenwood, South Carolina
breakfast at Inn on the Square in Greenwood, South Carolina



More things to do in Charleston, South Carolina.

More ideas for exploring the U.S.


images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers


8 comments:

  1. Very nice article on Greenwood. It looks like a nice place to visit, and would provide a relaxed get-away. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. I would definitely enjoy the Festival of Flowers in Greenwood. I don't believe I've ever been to South Carolina, so thanks for the glimpse, Carole.

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  3. That topiary looks fun - I love the seahorse!

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  4. Thanks for this little slice of life and a tourist's glimpse of Greenwood. Looks like a charming place to visit in South Carolina. The topiary photos are gorgeous - loved the sea horse!

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  5. I enjoyed reading your article. I visited Greenwood a few years ago and your article brought back great memories!!

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  6. Big fan of topiary trees and the Festival of Flowers looks like an event in Greenwood I'd really enjoy. Lilac scents and the sounds of songbirds are ways to please my senses!

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  7. I lived in South Carolina but have never been to Greenwood. I would love to go to the flower festival this year.

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  8. Greenwood looks interesting.I would love the flower festival.

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