Simpsonville Real Estate Listings of Houses and Homes for Sale in Greenville County, South Carolina

Simpsonville

When it comes to quality of life, Simpsonville offers something for every taste. And, if not within the city itself, then it's within reach in the Greenville area. There are at least 28 different civic clubs located in the Golden Strip area. There are also 45 churches within the metroplex.

Although Simpsonville is a small town of approximately 25,000 residents, there are more than 400 businesses for area residents to take care of their shopping needs. These areas are centralized in two main areas. The downtown area has created a niche by offering shoppers specialty stores. The I-385 area has an expanded Wal-Mart Supercenter, Publix grocery store and Belks department store. There are three malls located just minutes away in Greenville.

And when it comes to recreational opportunities, the sky is the limit. In addition to the many national parks, lakes, rivers and camping in the Smoky Mountains, the area is a hotbed for golfers with numerous courses located within an easy drive. Other nearby activities include collegiate spectator sports, concerts, theaters and the Greenville Braves baseball games.

In the city, the Recreation Department has recently renovated the city's gymnasium which houses a Life Center has a 15-acre central park and several smaller parks headed by a full-time director. These parks include playground equipment, basketball courts, baseball fields, tennis courts, and picnic shelters.

One of the cultural highlights of the year is the annual Labor Day Festival that draws more than 50,000 people. This three-day festival is sponsored by the Simpsonville Area Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the city and features rides, races, games, contests, live entertainment, music, arts and crafts, food, and much more. The Chamber also sponsors a downtown “Trick or Treat” event held the weekend before Halloween as well as Christmas events such as a parade and tour of homes

The Simpsonville area is a part of the Greenville County School District and is served by six elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, and one career center.

Higher education facilities in Greenville County are Furman University, Bob Jones University, Greenville Technical College, and North Greenville College. Greenville Technical College operates a satellite school at the Brashier Campus in Simpsonville. Rand McNally rates the School District of Greenville County as one of the three best in the entire southeast.

Until the mid-18th century, the Simpsonville area, known as the “Back Country,” was completely controlled by the Cherokee Indians. In 1761, King George III of England made an estate grant of approximately 15,000 acres to Nathaniel Austin, who became the High Constable of the area.

During the Revolutionary War, the Tories and British soldiers persuaded the Cherokee Indians to side with them. As a result, the Cherokees became so unruly that George Washington sent a detachment of troops into Greenville County to drive the Indians into the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. With the Cherokee village located close to present-day Simpsonville, Indian graves have been located and artifacts have been found.

Although not as well known as the battles of King Mountain and of Cowpens, the Battle of the Great Canebrake was fought in Greenville County in 1775. A few farmers and untrained Colonial soldiers won the battle against a group of Loyalists and Indians and were not attacked again.

In its history, Simpsonville has been known by three names. The Indians called it Dry Ridge because the water that falls on the east side of the town flows to the Enoree River and that which falls on the west side flows to the Reedy River. The early mail service was delivered to the area by stagecoach to the Plain post office.

Then in 1886, the Charleston and Western Carolina (C&WC) Railroad was built through the town naming the station Simpsonville. This name was chosen in honor of Peter Simpson, a farmer and blacksmith, who had moved into the area from Laurens County in 1836 as the first settler. Simpsonville saw a slow but steady growth until the 1950s when it experienced a residential development surge. And, it is now considered the fastest growing city in South Carolina.