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 two hours from both Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina.

One of the Southeast's largest and most popular public recreation lakes, Lake Hartwell was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1955 and 1963 as part of a flood control and hydropower project. The nearly 56,000 acres of water provide many recreation opportunities. There are numerous natural sand beaches along the 962-mile shoreline in addition to campgrounds, recreation areas and boat access areas. Hartwell borders Georgia and South Carolina on the Savannah, Tugaloo and Seneca Rivers.

April 20, 2013

Since 1947, The event that ushers in spring with picnics, sundresses, elegant hats, tailgating, family and friend reunions, and the sounds and sights of thoroughbreds thundering past striving for a win. The Block House is the longest running steeplechase in the state of North Carolina occurring continuously since 1947. The National Steeplechase Association sanctions four of the races with total purses reaching $65,000. An amateur division showcasing local jockeys takes place after the Block House Cup feature race. The day also showcases a varied, equestrian learning experience from Carolina Carriage Club and Paso Fino demonstrations to the Old Tryon Foot Beagles and Hounds.

Come to the Carolinas and enjoy some fine entertainment.

Michelin invests $200M in Starr plant expansion

Source - GSA Business

By Liz Segrist 

Published Jan. 24, 2013

Greenville-based Michelin North America announced Thursday a $200 million expansion of its Starr manufacturing plant to increase the rubber supply for tire production in North America.

The rubber compound material produced in Anderson County will be used for all different types and sizes of Michelin’s tires, of which demand has been steadily increasing in North America, said Pete Selleck, Michelin North America chairman and president.

Previous coverage  Michelin gets OK on tax incentives for possible expansion Michelin produces first tire at expanded Lexington plant Michelin to build plant in Anderson County

 

The investment is expected to create more than 100 jobs. Over the past 21 months, Michelin has announced $1.15 billion in investments in South Carolina, creating 870 manufacturing jobs in the state.

“A job in manufacturing will have the spillover affect of five to seven additional jobs created in those communities,” Selleck said.

Construction on the Starr plant expansion, which will be adjacent to the current facility at 1 Bib Way in Anderson, is underway. Production of the rubber mixture is expected to begin in 2014, said Rich Kornacki, executive vice president of Michelin North America and head of the specialty product lines.

Nearby the ongoing expansion, construction continues for Michelin’s earthmover tire plant in Anderson. Construction is on schedule and the plant is expected to begin producing the massive earthmover tires before the end of the year, Selleck said.

Michelin announced in April plans to invest $750 million and employ 500 people between its Lexington and Anderson counties’ facilities to meet the growing demand for its earthmover tires.

Expansion in Greenville too?

In December, Greenville County Council approved an incentive plan for Michelin to expand there. Selleck said the company does not have an announcement to make for Greenville County at this time. Selleck said the company continuously works with the local government of the counties in which it operates to see the framework for incentives.

“We are constantly going to the communities in which we operate to see the framework for incentives,” Selleck said. “There are other things we’re thinking about in the future. There are many things we’re thinking about. We have a strategy and a vision. We are always looking for opportunities.”

Michelin is making investments in modernizing existing equipment and facilities within Spartanburg and Greenville counties.

 

Michelin North America Chairman and President Pete Selleck

Michelin continues to expand its global footprint. Last week, it announced plansfor a $73 million expansion of its truck-tire plant in Nova Scotia. It has two plants starting up in China; a truck-tire plant starting up in India and its first tire plant underway in South America, located in Brazil.

 

“Most of our growth today is in emerging markets,” Selleck said. “Our group is investing at its highest level in history and what’s remarkable is that our financial performance is such, that even with all of the investment, we still have positive cash flow.”

For the Starr plant expansion, Michelin seeks production workers and maintenance technicians and engineers. The new jobs are hourly. The hourly wage was not disclosed.

The 12-year-old Starr facility is one of Michelin’s two semi-finished rubber production plants in Anderson County. The company’s largest rubber-producing plant in the world is a few miles away in Sandy Springs, built in 1975 as one of Michelin’s first U.S. manufacturing facilities.

Michelin officials attributed Anderson County’s infrastructure, electricity, incentives, local government, Tri-County Technical College and especially the skilled workforce as the reasons for continually attracting Michelin investment into the county.

“This facility produces the quality rubber compound used in Michelin’s tires, and its ability to meet the strong demand for our products is critically important,” Kornacki said. “We are proud to place yet another one of Michelin’s key plants in Anderson County, an area that has been great for our business.”

Michelin has 14 S.C. locations and currently employs more than 8,000 statewide. It has 24 U.S. facilities, according to the company.

Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earth movers, farm equipment, heavy duty trucks and motorcycles.

LAKE HARTWELL is located in the Northeast Georgia Mountains and Upcountry South Carolina. Formed by a Corps of Engineers dam at Hartwell, Georgia and bisected by Interstate 85 as it crosses from Georgia into South Carolina, Hartwell Lake is one of the most accessible lakes in the nation. Less than 2 hours from downtown Atlanta, GA,  2 hours from Charlotte, NC, or 1 hour from Greenville, SC, Lake Hartwell is an ideal location for your  residence, retirement, vacation, or investment real estate. Lake Hartwell's 962 miles of shoreline and 56,000 acres feature over 80 public boat launch, recreation, and park areas with some of the best boating, water-skiing, and fishing in Georgia or South Carolina.  GOLF one of many nearby courses, FISH for one of Lake Hartwell's 50+ pound Striped Bass, or just relax on a quiet island or one of many natural sand beaches. NEW!! Order Maps of most GA, SC, and other Southeastern Lakes HERE including Lake Keowee and Lake Jocassee in South Carolina.

MOUNTAINS and NATIONAL FORESTS totaling 2 million acres are located within an hour of Hartwell Lake. These areas feature hundreds of parks, hiking trails, mountain trout streams, waterfalls, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, canoeing, rock climbing, mountain biking, scenic drives, bicycling, gem mining, and dozens of beautiful picnic areas.

EXPLORE the unique Georgia and South Carolina towns and villages that are the Gateway to Lake Hartwell. 
(Anderson, Fair Play, Seneca and Westminster in South Carolina and Hartwell, Lavonia, and Toccoa in Georgia.)
SHOP giant flea markets, outlet stores, and unique craft shops in the Lake Hartwell area.
(The Anderson, SC Jockey lot is the largest flea market in the Southeastern US.)

Have you always wanted to move to South Carolina?  With smiling faces and beautiful faces how do you choose which area? 

Clemson study ranks S.C. counties likelihood for growth comparing South Carolina’s 46 counties for likelihood of long-term growth.  Here are the results - Greenville County ranked No. 13; Anderson County ranked No. 16 and Spartanburg County ranked No. 17, according to a Clemson University Economic Development study of the state’s economy between 2000 and 2008.

The report examines data from 2000 to 2008, during which time the U.S. encountered two national recessions, one from 2001 to 2002, and the second from 2008 to 2009, which continues to impact the state’s economy. The report shows that some S.C. counties are still prospering in spite of two recessions, while others are lagging.

Clemson’s Office of Economic Development commissioned the study of S.C. prosperity in 2011. Led by Yandle, the study team included Jody Lipford, an economics professor at Presbyterian College in Clinton; and Tate Watkins, an independent economic consultant in Washington. Click here to read the report.