To commemorate Presidents Day, we’re looking back at times sitting presidents visited Greenville
Note: Some of these leaders made multiple stops in our city, so we chose to highlight just one of their trips.
President Grover Cleveland, 1887
We think this may be the first sitting president to visit Greenville, and information around the visit seems very limited. The only photo we could track down was this one posted in the GREENVILLE SC NATIVES Facebook Group back in 2019 showing crowds waiting for Cleveland.
President Gerald Ford, 1974
President Ford landed at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport to a crowd of Greenvillians + he spoke at the Greenville Memorial Auditorium for a fundraiser.
President Jimmy Carter, 1980
When campaigning for reelection, President Carter stopped by our city, which most know is a short drive up I-85 from his Georgia home.
President Ronald Reagan, 1984
Another reelection campaign stop came a few years later when Carter’s successor, President Reagan, came to our city.
President George H.W. Bush, 1992
Though not an official appearance in our city, President Bush rode a train between his appearances in Clemson + Spartanburg during the final days of his reelection campaign. However, Bush did stop in Greenville when campaigning with then-President Ronald Reagan.
President George W. Bush, 2008
It wasn’t his first visit to Greenville, but President Bush visited Furman University to deliver the commencement address.
President Donald Trump, 2017
At the start of his presidency, President Trump visited Greenville to attend a fundraiser for Governor Henry McMaster.
President Joe Biden, 2024
Though his visit was a few brief moments at GSP, Air Force 1 landed in Greenville and President Biden met local leaders — including Mayor Knox White — following Hurricane Helene. He then boarded a helicopter to tour damage in Western North Carolina.
We aren’t local historians, though we leaned on research from some to create this article. Know something about these visits that we missed? We’d love to hear from you.
