In 1765, Greenville consisted of a trading post and a gristmill built by Richard Pearis. The area largely consisted of a few settlers and a lot of Cherokee Indians. In 1797, Lemuel J. Alston tried to develop the area but soon sold out to Vardy McBee in 1815 for a total sum of about $27,000 for 11,000 acres. In 1873, the Atlanta and Charlotte Air Line railway opened with a direct path through Greenville. This helped to facilitate the movement of the textile industries from the North to the South, resulting in Greenville becoming known as the Textile Capital of the World, a distinction that prevailed through the last quarter of the twentieth century.

Beginning in the 1970's, Greenville began to try to re-invent itself and in the process, buried much of its past by knocking down and building over its history. Soon several organizations and foundations were created to try to preserve what is left. County Council's answer: The Greenville County Historic Preservation Commission, whose mission is striving to protect, preserve, and enhance the distinctive architectural and cultural heritage of Greenville County as established by the County Historic Preservation Ordinance.