Simpsonville, SC History and Historic Homes

Considered by many to be a suburb of the much larger city of Greenville, the town of Simpsonville has a long and distinct history that dates back to the mid-18th century when the vast area of Greenville County that had been controlled by Native Americans was declared British soil. What began in 1820 as a simple crossroads through what was then known only as the "back country," has grown into one of the fastest growing and livable small towns in the United States. Near the present site of Simpsonville, the first recorded settlement was by Cherokee Indians who called the area Dry Ridge.

Considered by many to be a suburb of the much larger city of Greenville, the town of Simpsonville has a long and distinct history that dates back to the mid-18th century when the vast area of Greenville County that had been controlled by Native Americans was declared British soil. What began in 1820 as a simple crossroads through what was then known only as the "back country," has grown into one of the fastest growing and livable small towns in the United States. Near the present site of Simpsonville, the first recorded settlement was by Cherokee Indians who called the area Dry Ridge.

The first white inhabitant was actually named Thomas Goldsmith. He ran the stagecoach stop, founded in 1820, that would become the site of the first general store and mercantile nearly 20 years later. The Simpson for whom the town would eventually be named was Peter Simpson -- a blacksmith and farmer who moved to the area in 1838. Almost 50 years later, in 1885, the Charleston and Western Carolina (C&WC) Railroad laid tracks through town and built a station they named Simpsonville. That year, the post office was renamed to match and the name has remained since. Industry came to Simpsonville at the turn of the 20th century in the form of the Woodside Cotton Mill that would quickly become the biggest employer in the thriving town for decades to come. Thanks to a mild climate and semi-rural setting, the town continues to have a large industrial base with several thousand people employed in such tasks. The largest employers in Simpsonville today make plastic packaging and electronic components. In the 1950s, public utilities tied Simpsonville to Greenville and have allowed for a phase of rapid expansion.

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