It used to be when I told friends or colleagues out of state that I lived in Greenville, SC, they would either get awkwardly silent or they would make a less-than-positive generalization about this region of the country. It was clear to them that Greenville was an insignificant part of what they considered to be the “abyss” of the Southeast. In particular, my friends seemed flummoxed as to why someone like me, born and raised within minutes of New York City – the epitome of progressivism and pluralism – would have any interest in living under the confines of a city nestled squarely within “The Bible Belt.” Their questions would sometimes betray an underlying assumption that everyone down here handled snakes, walked around with rifles on their backs, and carried Confederate flags to work.
People don’t talk about Greenville that way anymore.
It’s been amazing the past five years to see how Greenville has exploded into the national spotlight. Celebrities, newspapers, magazines, and just about everyone else (or so it seems) is raving about the Upstate of South Carolina. In fact, visitgreenvillesc.com has been tracking all of Greenville’s “Media Mentions,” from National Geographic to the Huffington Post to USA Today. It’s pretty clear – our incredible downtown, food, craft beer, art, outdoor activities, strong economy, and “New South” charm have thrust Greenville into the national conversation.
I was contemplating all this recently as I walked past the new Embassy Suites downtown – an area along Reedy River that was practically undeveloped in January of 2016 and now is set to be yet another gorgeous addition to a downtown that keeps getting more and more beautiful. It occurred to me that I was experiencing an emotion I’ve never felt about a city. I didn’t just like Greenville. Nor was “love” the appropriate word to describe what I felt. What I felt in that moment was pride. Yes, I was proud of Greenville.
There are many cities in the US that I love, such as where I grew up in Ledgewood, NJ – a town uniquely positioned 45 minutes west of New York City while also being 45 minutes east of farmland that might as well be Alabama. I love Ledgewood for the good times and memories it provided me in my childhood, but I can’t say that I’m proud of Ledgewood.
Greenville is different, and I think I know why. It’s because Greenville is more than a city. Greenville is a movement.
Greenville may be set in a rural, southern setting, but it refuses (and we refuse) to be confined to the negative, “old South” stereotypes. We are progressive. We are inclusive. We are forward-thinking. And we can do this while still maintaining some of the best distinctives of the South – our strong faith in God, country, and conservative values. People might not believe that it’s possible to be forward-thinking and conservative, inclusive and religious, but it is possible and it’s happening right now in and throughout Greenville.
Greenville is a beacon of optimism in a seemingly endless abyss of national pessimism. Gang violence, police aggression, Confederate flag debates, hostility by and towards immigrants – we’ve seen it all but we refuse to be dragged down by the steady stream of negativity. We have more important things to do than wallow in controversy, like continuing to grow our economy (which is already growing at a much faster pace than the national average); like adding more restaurants to our amazing downtown, which already has well over 100 restaurants within walking distance of the iconic Falls Park; like building on the already 21-mile paved Swamp Rabbit Trail, which is a great way to walk, run, or bike the Upstate and has already had a major economic impact in our region; like improving on our many festivals, such as Artisphere and Fall for Greenville, which are already some of the largest and most noteworthy of their kind in the entire Southeast.
Greenville is in many ways an anti-city. Whereas other cities are focused on developing as many high-rises as possible, Greenville is more concerned with how those high-rises impact the skyline, walkability, and “green space” of the city. Rather than trying to make money off of every square inch of downtown real estate, Greenville has chosen to invest in our distinctive “canopy” of trees that line Main Street. Instead of putting parking meters everywhere to make as much money as possible on downtown traffic, Greenville has instead made the vast majority of street parking free for the first two hours on weekdays and completely free on nights and weekends. In recent months even the parking garages have become free for the first hour on weekdays.
Greenville stands as an example to other small cities of what significant impact a local government with strong vision and leadership can achieve. Twenty-five years ago, many people considered it not safe to go downtown. Now our downtown is the economic, cultural, and spiritual center of our city. It’s hard to believe that a government could set in motion a renaissance on a city of less than 65,000 people without raising taxes through the proverbial roof. But Greenville demonstrates that wise leadership can accomplish what tax dollars alone cannot.
So yes, Greenville is a movement. It’s a different take on what it’s like to be a small city. It’s a different take on what it’s like to be in the South. It’s a different take on what American conservatism looks like in practice. And so, unlike with any other city I can think of, I’m proud of Greenville. I’m caught up in the Greenville Movement. And I hope that you’ll allow yourself to get caught up in it too.