"S" is for Spartanburg

"S" is for Spartanburg (Spartanburg County; 2010 population 36,786). The town of Spartanburg was incorporated in 1831, its name originating from a local Revolutionary War regiment: the Spartan Rifles. The town was built around an open rectangle of land, which became known as Morgan Square. Long an upcountry commercial center, Spartanburg’s commercial and financial role expanded further following a flurry of cotton mill building. By 1909 there were nine mills in or near the city. After World War II, city officials and the Chamber of Commerce have endeavored to diversify the area’s industry beyond textiles—and to revitalize the downtown area. Spartanburg is home to three colleges: Wofford (1854), Converse (1889) and Spartanburg Methodist (1911). At the turn of the twenty-first century—although it lost population--Spartanburg remained the area’s primary legal and financial center.