Considering the number of people building homes in the Greenwood area today for the purpose of vacationing and future retirement, it comes as no surprise that the first residence here was built in 1823 by John McGehee, Jr. as a summer home for him and his bride, Charlotte, who named it Green Wood.
 
This 600-acre plantation was named Green Wood by McGehee's wife, Charlotte. When the first railroad came through in 1852, it moved the center of the village to it's present-day location since stores and businesses began to locate around the depot. This marked the beginning of developing the "widest Main Street in the world" and the Square, now referred to as Uptown Greenwood.

During the last half of the nineteenth century in Greenwood, considered a railroad town, merchants dealt in groceries, general merchandise, dry goods, farmer's supplies, furniture, rice, and cotton. There were also banks, insurance companies, and undertakers. 

The Greenwood community was becoming known throughout the state as "pre-eminently an example of what can be accomplished by unremitting energy and boundless self-reliance" and Greenwood's "hospitable and progressive" people welcomed "all who may come to" their town. These characteristics are still present in today's Greenwood residents.

Area historians have credited several "pillars" with shaping the Greenwood of today, and those were in place from the outset. One was an early special interest of Greenwood residents in educating students. By the time of its chartering in 1857, Greenwood had schools that were already 25 years old.

A second foundation for Greenwood's continued prosperity was the initiative and hard work of its founders and early settlers in providing transportation facilities; first railroads, then highways and an airport.

A third key part of Greenwood's development was the area's textile industry, which remains a vital economic block supporting the Greenwood Community.

From Cotton to Genes …
During the era when "cotton was king and the gin was his throne", many textile mills were operating in South Carolina. Greenwood's first plant, Greenwood Cotton Mill, was organized by William L. Durst in 1889 and it was placed in operation in 1890. The second mill, Grendel, began operating in 1897. Durst died in 1902 and his brother, J. K. Durst, succeeded him as president of Greenwood Cotton Mill. 
Other notable developments that marked the turn of the century were:
· Greenwood was chosen as the site of a state Baptist orphanage and the first children arrived at Connie Maxwell Children's Home in 1892. This site today is still beautiful with its stately oak trees, farm and gardens for education purposes, lovely homes, playgrounds, and a church.

• Telephone service began in 1896 with 42 subscribers.
• Two newspapers, The Greenwood Journal (1894) and The Greenwood Index (1897) were launched. They merged in 1919 to become The Index-Journal, which is still the only daily newspaper in Greenwood County.
• The Oregon Hotel opened in 1898 to provide lodging and meals for travelers.
• The first business development on the west side of the square began in 1898 when a group purchased the property and opened a block of stores.
• Greenwood began operating its own power plant for water and electricity in 1899.

1908 marked the end of the first generation and the beginning of a new era in the textile business. James Cuthbert Self, a cashier at the Bank of Greenwood (which became Bankers Trust and is now part of Bank of America), was elected president of the Greenwood Cotton Mill and still maintained his banking career until 1916. One of its plants was closed and the other was doomed unless machinery could be updated. Mr. Self went to the manufacturers in New England to borrow the money to update the mills. It took two trips and his integrity and conviction, but he succeeded. Self was known most for his good business sense and his consideration of the human dignity of his employees and others in the community. He once said "I don't think much of a man who makes money in a community and then forgets about it."

Other mills had begun to appear in Greenwood and the weeding-out process of ownership began. John Pope (Jack) Abney, a banker with Farmers and Merchants Bank, acquired the Panola and Ninety-Six mills.

Greenwood now was the home of two titans of the same industry at the same time. They were competitors, both of whom were characterized by hard work, vision, and good judgement. James C. Self, Jr., who succeeded his father and E. B. Grier, who succeeded Jack Abney, both also had those characteristics.

This was evident during Greenwood's industrial diversification beginning in the 1960's. Today, there are a total of 80 industries in Greenwood ranging from less than 10 employees to over 1600.

Early Greenwood was considered a healthful place to live. Many of its first residents, including the McGehees moved here for that reason. Perhaps this early influence helped propel Greenwood into becoming the regional center for health care services that it is today.

From its first days, Greenwood was well supplied with doctors. Medical care was provided in the doctors' offices (usually in their homes) or from house call. The first hospital was built in 1911 and served the area even after a tornado in 1944 did major damage to it.

The principal instrument Mr. Self used to express his gratitude for the opportunity that had been given to him to live, work, and prosper in Greenwood was the Self Family Foundation, chartered in 1942 "to hold property in common for religious, educational, social, fraternal, charitable, and eleemosynary purposes." Among the stated purposes was "to acquire, operate or maintain a hospital in Greenwood County" and "to foster, encourage, promote, support, carry on, or conduct research in any or all of the medical arts and sciences."
 
Self Memorial Hospital, opening in 1951, has been the foundation's largest single project. It has grown tremendously ever since and is now a major regional center for Health Care.

The Greenwood Genetic Center, an institute organized to provide clinical genetic services and laboratory testing, to develop educational programs and materials, and to conduct research in the field of medical genetics, began it's existence here in 1974.

Opened in 1996 as a part of the Genetic Center, the J. C. Self Research Institute of Human Genetics is a state and national resource in which scientists seek a greater understanding of the causes, treatment, and prevention of birth defects and mental retardation.

A biotechnology park is being created near the Greenwood Genetic Center. The Greenwood Biotechnology Park, with its South Carolina Biotechnology Incubation Facility, will allow companies to start up financially sound and grow as their research is approved by the FDA or other government agencies. Such research will help find cures for diseases and disabilities and create foods that can provide more nutrition for people.

... From Cotton to Genes …
Throughout Greenwood's history, the one thing that has remained constant is the community's commitment to quality living. If you ask any of the businesses and industries why they came here, they will tell you it is because of the beauty of the area, the people, and the quality of life.