Speaking Green…

We wanted to know what you wanted to see...and how you might use...the former Belk’s site in Downtown. We asked for your input and you gave it! Some amenities on the wish list were:

• Grass
• Park
• Amphitheater
• Water Feature
• Open Pavilion
• Concerts
• Children's Area
• Focal Point
• Destination

Click here and you will be amazed at what you see!

Downtown Anderson

Downtown Anderson is the brightest part of the Electric City! The surge of development has brought Downtown Anderson charming new places to shop, dine, live, and work, with others in progress. Downtown Anderson seamlessly blends our heritage with the present and also with visions of the future. You will find a wide variety in Downtown, from traditional Southern cuisine to modern cafes, from antique shops to contemporary art galleries. Check out our Calendar of Events and directories to plan your visit.

History

Anderson is named for General Robert Anderson, a Revolutionary War hero, who came to South Carolina to assist his good friend, Andrew Pickens, in surveying land that had been given previously to the English Colony by area Native Americans. The City was founded in December 1826 and incorporated by an Act of Legislature in 1833.

The Electric City

Why is Anderson called the "Electric City"? In the late 1800s, Anderson boasted numerous textile mills. Anderson engineer William Whitner produced a way for electricity to be conducted by wires to these mills using hydroelectric power. Anderson was the first city in the United States to have a continuous supply of electric power and the first in the world to create a cotton gin operated by electricity. Mr. Whitner has several places of distinction in Downtown Anderson, including a statue in front of the Anderson County Courthouse and a street named in his honor. Also, at the corner of McDuffie and Whitner Streets, you will find Generator Park. On the grounds of this 10,000 square-foot park stands the century-old generator that was operated by Whitner at the Portman Power Plant.

Location

Downtown Anderson is located in the northwestern corner of South Carolina in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. There are many lakes and rivers nearby, most notably Lake Hartwell. It is located along the South Carolina Heritage Corridor right off Interstate I-85, being about 2 hours from both Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina.