6AM City In-house

We’ll take “Greenville” for 400

15 interesting facts about GVL
Aerial view of downtown greenville sc
The list celebrates new business in Greenville and beyond. | Photo by James Simpson
If you know us, you know we’re here for the deep cuts when it comes to GVL trivia — and there’s plenty of interesting factoids to go around.

As connoisseurs of the quirky and unconventional, we put together a list of Greenville’s history, oddest characteristics, and more. Maybe you’ve lived here your whole life and know some of this, or maybe you’ll learn something new.

Either way, test your local knowledge with these 15 interesting facts.
  1. Greenville was once home to an Oscar-winning actress: Joanne Woodward. A native of Thomasville, GA, Joanne moved to Greenville at 16 years old in 1945. She went on to become a Hollywood actress, having been nominated for three Academy Awards and winning Best Actress for “The Three Faces of Eve.” Read more about her life in Greenville in the Greenville Journal.
  2. Step aside, Ricky Bobby. Louise Smith, one of the first females to race in NASCAR and known as “racing’s good ol’ gal,” was a Greenville native. In 1949, Louise + her driving student Barbara Peigler, were two of nine women to race in a 10-lap event at Greenville-Pickens Speedway.
  3. Speaking of Greenville-Pickens Speedway, did you know the racetrack hosted the first live-televised NASCAR race? ABC’s Wide World of Sports broadcast The Greenville 200 Grand National, a 200-lap race won by Bobby Issac, in 1971.
  4. Delano Drive near Unity Park (where Southernside Brewing Co. is located) has some relation to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. After he died in Georgia on April 12, 1945, President Roosevelt’s body was transported north on the Southern Railway. The train passed through Greenville at 6:30 p.m. on April 13, and 15,000+ Greenvillians bore witness. (Greenville News)
  5. 166. That’s how many movies have been filmed in Greenville, according to IMDB. Well-known pictures include “Leatherheads” starring George Clooney and “Coup De Ville” starring Patrick Dempsey.
Click below for 10 more interesting GVL facts.
10 MORE INTERESTING FACTS
Did our fun facts surprise you?

A. Yes, I didn’t know any of these
B. I knew a few but there were still some surprises
C. I know my city well and knew all these already
LET US KNOW
Lowes Foods

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Thursday, Nov. 24
  • Taylors Turkey Day 5kan Run | Thursday, Nov. 24 | 8-10:30 a.m. | Eastside High School, 1300 Brushy Creek Rd., Taylors | $5 | Walk, jog, or run any distance up to 10k — all proceeds go to the Greer Community Ministries.
  • Upstate Holiday Light Show | Thursday, Nov. 24-Saturday, Dec. 31 | 6-10 p.m. | Greenville Pickens Speedway, 3800 Calhoun Memorial Hwy., Easley | $35-$120 | Drive through a nighttime Christmas wonderland featuring 32 million colored lights synchronized to the music plus enjoy carnival rides and a petting zoo.
Friday, Nov. 25
  • Greenville Christmas Market | Friday, Nov. 25-Sunday, Nov. 27 | Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville, 44 E. Camperdown Way, Greenville | Free | Start a new holiday tradition with live music and entertainment to meet and greets with Santa.
  • SouthEast Punk Flea Market | Friday, Nov. 25-Sunday, Nov. 27 | 11 a.m.-7 p.m. | Greenville Shrine Club & Event Center, 119 Beverly Rd., Greenville | $5-$10 | Shop art, vinyl records, vintage clothes, collectibles, and more at this Black Friday weekend market.
  • Disney On Ice presents “Let’s Celebrate” | Friday, Nov. 25-Sunday, Nov. 27 | Times vary | Bon Secours Wellness Arena, 650 N. Academy St., Greenville | $20-$60 | Watch Mouse-ter of Ceremonies Mickey Mouse lead a parade of more than 50 Disney characters + see 14 classic and modern stories on ice.
  • 2022 World Cup Watch Party | Fri., Nov. 25 | 2-4 p.m. | Growler Haus, 12 Lois Ave., Greenville | Free | Be there for all the action and watch the 2022 FIFA World Cup with the Triumph at a watch party.
Saturday, Nov. 26
  • Rivalry Fan 5K | Saturday, Nov. 26 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | Brewery 85, 6 Whitlee Ct., Greenville | $30 | Racers will receive a free beverage of choice, race sticker, photos, and shirt — it’s walker, dog, and stroller-friendly and benefits the Julie Valentine Center.
  • Holiday Pop Ups | Saturday, Nov. 26 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Art & Light Gallery, 16 Aiken St., Greenville | Free | Join Art & Light for its annual Holiday Pop Up featuring Mark Gardner with his wood turned bowls.
Sunday, Nov. 27
  • Drag Brunch | Sunday, Nov. 27 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Old School Tavern, 23 Rushmore Dr., Greenville | $10 | Enjoy d̶i̶n̶n̶e̶r̶ brunch and a show with performances by Dixie Sherwood, Andria Temptations, and more.
Thursday, Dec. 8
  • A Child’s Haven 2022 Holiday Benefit Bash | Thursaday, Dec. 8 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Huguenot Mill and Loft, 101 W. Broad St., Greenville | $150.00 | Enjoy an evening of live music from Steven Galloway and food from Table 301 while supporting A Child’s Haven — proceeds will support therapy to help heal families + break the cycle of poverty, abuse, and neglect.*
We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
100+ MORE EVENTS
The Biltmore

Weather
  • 58º | Mostly cloudy | 10% chance of rain
Today Is
  • Thanksgiving, a day of thanks celebrated since 1621 and made a national holiday in 1863 by Abraham Lincoln. City of Greenville offices and Greenlink are closed today and garbage services will resume a day later than scheduled.
Tech
  • The first F-16 fighter jet was completed at Lockheed Martin Greenville. The plant expects 300 orders for the fighter jet and has orders for 128 aircraft from five foreign governments (think: Taiwan and Morocco) through a contract with the US government to build aircraft for sale to foreign allies. ✈️ (The Post and Courier Greenville)
Number
  • $50,000. That’s how much Bon Secours St. Francis Cancer Center was awarded by The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a childhood cancer research charity. The grant will fund a full time clinical research nurse coordinator for Bon Secour’s Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Care program. (Greenville Journal)
  • 2. That’s how many Greenvillians placed at the 30th Annual National Gingerbread House Competition at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville. Maisy Frahler placed first in the child category and Ella Frahler placed third in the Youth category. Congratulations, Maisy and Ella. 🏠
Ranked
  • No. 8. That’s how Greenville ranked on a Rent Cafe study’s Top 10 Cities by Most Converted Apartments. In Greenville, 571 apartments emerged from adaptive reuse projects between 2020-2021, with 511 coming from converted factories and 60 from warehouses. 🏢
Cause
Plan Ahead
  • Tickets are now available for euphoria’s In Good Spirits guest chef dinner on Tuesday, Dec. 13 (6:30 p.m.) at Stella’s Southern Brasserie (340 Rocky Slope Rd.), featuring a crafted menu by Chef Anthony Gray paired with bourbon cocktails by Beam Suntory. 🥃
Announced
  • If you love this newsletter (and supporting local) as much as we love strolls in Unity Park, morning lattes from Methodical Coffee + Saturdays spent enjoying lunch at Papi’s Tacos (which is a lot) — we’ve got something for you: GVLtoday just launched a membership program. Learn more + sign up. 🎉
Finance
  • Picture this — you receive an unsolicited phone call asking for personal or private identification information. What do you do? Greenville Federal Credit Union says don’t respond, even if the call looks like it is coming from your bank or credit union. Here are eight more tips to protect yourself from fraud.*
Health
  • Open enrollment for individual and family health insurance is now. Enrollment events are happening this week at American Carolina Insurance at 213 Three Bridges Road on Fri., Dec. 2, 12-7 p.m. or Elite Insurance at 2611 Wade Hampton Blvd. on Sat., Dec. 3, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.*
Real Estate
  • In the century-plus since its past life as a bustling cotton mill, Woodside Mill has been restored to its glory and adapted into one-of-a-kind, loft-style apartment homes with modern updates. Think: character-rich spaces + open living concepts redesigned for everyday functionality. Studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments are available now. 🏡 *
Travel
  • Traveling for the holidays? Pro tip: Get bonus gas rewards when you buy participating items at Lowes Foods. Learn more.⛽ *
Shop
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6AM City In-house
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Kyle.

Editor’s pick: Happy Thanksgiving, GVL. Today is all about being thankful, and I’m so thankful for you, our readers, for tuning in every morning to catch up on all things Greenville. Thank you and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? We broke down the history of the Palmetto Bowl rivalry.
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Editorial: Kyle Steadings, Danielle Johnson, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Emily Shea| Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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