About Downtown Spartanburg
Historical Downtown Spartanburg
Established as a village in 1831 and then as a city in 1880, Spartanburg has a rich and vibrant history. Though it has frequently changed its physical form, from hamlet, to village to a small but growing city (it had 3,200 citizens in 1880) the downtown has functioned over time much as it did from its earliest days, providing the hub for social interaction, religious observance, institutional care and governance for the area. And, at the center of it all, lies Morgan Square, the oldest and most prominent public space in the city.
Yet, the Morgan Square area represents but a small fraction of downtown. The core area can count among its numerous assets businesses both old and new, two nationally-recognized colleges, a busy performance hall and auditorium, a first-class conference hotel, churches with large and growing congregations, a new central library, a variety of well situated parks, public art and a well connected transportation system. These assets are coupled with an active and energetic citizenry, a diverse arts community, visionary leadership, and a strong philanthropic base.