Tens of thousands of soldiers trained in Greenville before heading to the European battlefront. | Photo via Library of Congress
This Monday, July 28 marks exactly 111 years since the start of World War I. While the lion’s share of the action took place in Europe, soldiers from 30+ nations across the globe fought. Many of them — an estimated 9.7 million — did not return.
For some of the soldiers who lined those battlefields, their journeys began in Greenville.
The camp
Located just southeast of Paris Mountain, Camp Sevier opened its doors in July 1917, just a few months after the United States joined the conflict. Its purpose: a training facility to prepare men for combat.
For months, each young soldier slept in tents + barracks, built camaraderie, improved physical fitness, and learned infantry skills including drill, weapons handling, and gas defense. There was a hospital and a library on-site within the camp’s ~2,000 acres, meaning thousands of civilian employees were also part of the effort — nurses, custodians, maintenance workers, construction crews, office staff, food servers, engineers, and more were needed to keep the place running.
Nurses like these were crucial in both WWI and the fight against Spanish Flu in 1918.
Photo via Library of Congress
Camp Sevier was also pivotal in the rise of Duke’s Mayo. That’s where Eugenia Duke started selling her homemade sandwiches to army canteens in 1917, before selling jars of mayo as a standalone product some six years later (much to the delight of the soldiers).
“Old Hickory”
Troops from South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee formed The 30th Infantry Division at the camp, nicknamed “Old Hickory” in honor of US President Andrew Jackson. The division, comprised of 27,000 men, played a key role on the European battlefront.
It was deployed in May 1918. Four months later, they cemented their place in history, breaking through the Hindenburg Line — a previously impenetrable, crucial German defensive front. Australian allies then capitalized upon this breakthrough and made further inroads, providing a decisive blow in what was increasingly considered a stalemate.
Greenville Vegan Chef Challenge | Saturday, July 26-Thursday, July 31 | 8 a.m.-10 p.m. | Locations vary | Price of purchase | Try new vegan dishes at select restaurants and vote for your favorites online all month long.
Summer Adventure | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Roper Mountain Science Center | $14+ | Get up close and personal with butterflies, explore the Environmental Science building, and pet a stingray in the Marine Lab.
Greenville Margarita + Mimosa Fest | 2-8 p.m. | Ink N Ivy | $30+ | It’s part bar hop, part summer cocktail celebration as you sip hand-crafted margaritas and mimosas.
Taylor Swift Triva | 3-5 p.m. | Social Latitude | Free | Are you a “Fearless” competitor? Show off your Tay-Tay knowledge with bar eats, drinks, and prizes.
Buzzy Bee Night Market | 4-9 p.m. | New Realm Brewing Co. | Price of purchase | Browse treasures from 40+ local vendors showcasing arts, crafts, trinkets, and more.
Million Dollar Quartet | Saturday, July 26-Sunday, Aug. 10 | Times vary | Centre Stage | $30+ | This Tony Award-nominated musical recreates the jam session in 1956 when Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley played together at Sun Records in Memphis.
Sunday, July 27
Singer-Songwriter Sundays | 2-6 p.m. | The Tasting Room of Travelers Rest | Free | Enjoy the sounds of local musicians with a glass of wine or beer to keep the Sunday scaries at bay.
Open Coffee Cupping Class | 4-5 p.m. | Tselia Coffee | $34 | Elevate your morning joe with a class centered on recognizing flavors and improving your tasting skills.
Who else’s camera roll is full of snaps like this?
Photo by GVLtoday
Today Is
National Dog Photography Day, an opportunity to post as many photos of your pup as you like. As if you don’t do that anyway. Meet two of GVLtoday’s lovable pups: Arthur is on the left, and Walter is on the right. We’d love to show off some of your pets in a future newsletter — send in a photo and tell us a little about them.
Number
90 million. That’s how many people are under heat alerts across the US as a heat dome persists, from the Upper Midwest toward the East Coast, through tomorrow, July 27. While high temps stick around, stay safe and plan a fun day indoors around Greenville. (NWS)
Real Estate
It’s rare to find new construction in Alta Vista. Enter Partridge Estates — five custom homes tucked beside the Caine Halter YMCA. Lot three is a 4,300-sqft home listed at $2.895 million, but buyers can also build their dream home from scratch. Three lots are still available. (The Post and Courier Greenville)
Eat
Here’s the scoop: South Carolinians love chocolate ice cream. That’s the most popular flavor in the state, based on a study of Google data by Beach.com. If you’re feeling more adventurous, we recommend trying one of the unique flavors that you’ll find at GVL’s delicious creameries.
Environment
A European summer + good deeds. Where do we sign up? Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital city, is rewarding travelers for eco-friendly, sustainable behavior. Visitors can ride bikes + volunteer their time to earn free and discounted food, tours, excursions, and activities. There are plenty of ways to do good in Greenville, too.
Stat
9%. That’s how much the cost of beef has risen in the US since January. This price increase has caused some people to dub beef the new eggs, so we’re thinking a trip to a local vegetarian restaurant might help keep our stomachs and wallets full. (CNN)
Sports
The 2025 MLB trade deadline is coming up on Thursday, July 31. While the Greenville might not be in the majors, attending a local Drive game could be your chance to see players before they get called up to the Boston Red Sox. (ESPN)
Post of the Day
If you head down to M. Judson Booksellers’ 10-year birthday celebration today, you might notice a daisy chain or two.
The reason? The store is named after Mary Camilla Judson, and daisies are a physical representation of her legacy. Over Judson’s 38-year career at Greenville Women’s College she taught English, literature, French, astronomy, physiology, logic, and botany. She also founded a library at the school with her own money.
A life like that does not go uncelebrated. After her death, students would carry a 40-ft daisy chain from campus to her Springwood grave — a tradition that lasted decades. And a tradition that’s being honored today.
A really good electric bikini trimmer. Its stainless steel ceramic blades provide a smooth shave free of nicks, razor burn, and ingrown hairs. Bonus: It’s waterproof + boasts up to five hours of battery life.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
Wait, where’s Danielle? Your wonderful newsletter editor will be back in your inboxes on Monday — I’ll just be covering the Saturday newsletters for the next little while. Drop into my inbox to say hi and let me know what you’d like to see in these weekend editions.
A warning: if you don’t let me know, the newsletters will be full of dad jokes + more photos of my dogs.
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