A few weeks ago, we asked you who belonged on Greenville’s Mount Rushmore. We have no intention of actually making this happen, so no need to wonder where it’ll pop up.
You really came through with these answers, and we wanted to share some of our favorites, chosen by you. From left to right:
- Eugenia Duke | We have her to thank for good ol’ Duke’s Mayonnaise, which she created in Greenville in 1917.
- Shoeless Joe Jackson | Born in our very own Greenville, Jackson is widely hailed as the greatest natural hitter in the history of baseball.
- Pearlie Harris | The former Chair of the Bon Secours St. Francis Health System Board, Harris is a beloved community leader and is the namesake of the Pearlie Harris Center for Breast Health.
- Max Heller | A former Greenville mayor, Heller is known as the “patron saint of the city’s downtown renaissance,” and is credited with the revitalization of Downtown Greenville, taking its “wasteland” of empty storefronts, and turning it into the downtown we know and love.
We couldn’t complete this list without a few honorable mentions.
- Mayor Knox White | Mayor White has been Greenville’s mayor since 1995.
- Charles Townes | Born in Greenville, Townes shared the 1964 Nobel Prize in Physics with two Soviet scientists.
- C. Thomas Wyche | A lifelong Greenvillian, Wyche helped bring the Hyatt Regency to Main Street, envisioned Falls Park + RiverPlace developments, and encouraged the city to narrow Main Street from four lanes to two.
Plus, some editors picks for creativity.
- Unity Park — yes, the whole park was nominated.
- An anonymous smiling person.
- “I volunteer Tony” — alright Tony, you’re up.
- Bonnie Jean Wall — a reader’s wife.
We know there are so many people who made Greenville great, and this list just scratches the surface. Maybe we need a few more Mount Rushmores.
