As many of you know, I've recently relocated to Greenville, South Carolina after spending my entire life in Pennsylvania.
As a travel writer, I'm excited to explore the South with the same curiosity and enthusiasm that I brought to my years of covering the Mid-Atlantic. Just last week I visited the Upcountry History Museum, where I learned about 300 years of cultural, social and economic development that shaped the Greenville region.
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The Upcountry History Museum is one of a cluster of museums on Heritage Green. |
The museum, which opened in 2007, is operated by Furman University and is part of the cultural campus known as Heritage Green. The cluster also includes the Children's Museum, the Greenville County Museum of Art, the Sigal Music Museum, the county's main library and the Little Theatre. The museum covers about 15 Upstate counties from settlement to the present day, offering a sweeping look at the area's story.
As a person who is new to the area and encounters the name McBee a lot around here, I was interested to learn that Vardry McBee is often called "The Father of Greenville." McBee established a saddlery, mills, an ironworks, a brickyard, a stone quarry and more in the Greenville area. Eager to give back to his community, he donated land for schools and churches and became an advocate for the railroad, fueling even more development. (Ironically, I once worked for a company called McBee Systems, while in college. I didn't realize it was based in Greenville. Of course, now I do.)
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| Vardry McBee is also known as the "Father of Greenville." |
Another highlight of my visit was learning how the Reedy River's restoration paved the way for Greenville's renaissance. What is now the beloved Falls Park was once a blighted area. Thanks to funds from a hospitality tax, the city transformed a 32-acre area in the West End District into a beautiful public
garden and area where the people can stroll, shop, or simply enjoy the view.
Another highlight of my tour was the Pepsi exhibit. I had no idea that it is based in Greenville. Visitors can enjoy learning about the history of the company and even how its logos evolved over the years. (The first one was atrocious!)
The museum has two levels of exhibit galleries, some permanent and some rotating. In 2015, the Upcountry History Museum became a Smithsonian affiliate, enabling it to host curated Smithsonian exhibits.
Music lovers will appreciate the section on the "Piedmont Blues," a style of acoustic guitar music characterized by a unique finger-picking technique that combines a steady, alternating bass line with a syncopated melody.
Influential blues artists like Rev. Gary Davis and Pink Anderson were born in nearby Laurens, leaving their mark on American music.
One thing I like about exploring the history of areas is that I often discover how common words are coined. For example, carpetbaggers got their name when South Carolinians became a bit resentful of outsiders arriving in the area to participate in state government. One common comment was that "everything these men own they could carry in a carpetbag!"
For me, one of the most moving exhibits was the interactive display on Greenville's textile history. The city was once a textile hub, with mills clustered around the Reedy River. Visitors can hear the sounds of the mills while listening to oral histories from women who worked there. The work was arduous: long hours for low pay and constant exposure to dust and noise. Many were derisively called "lint heads" since cotton fibers clung to their hair, clothes and skin, marking them in ways that fueled class prejudice.
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| Museum visitors will learn more about those who toiled at textile mills. |
In another part of the museum is the
War Dogs: K-9 Military Exhibit. It runs through February 9, 2026 and tells the stories of a different kind of military hero. The touching display explains how man's best friend exhibited bravery through during some very trying times in our past.
I found the above exhibit of a fallen service dog on an American flag especially hard to view without tearing up.
Debuting this summer is the Avengers: End Game--The Exhibition, which runs through January 18, 2026. It includes original costumes, movie props and memorabilia from the movie Avengers: End Game. Guests will see the Black Panther costume warn by Chadwick Boseman from nearby Anderson. They will also spot the Ant-Man suit and the Captain America costume worn by Chris Evans.
Beyond exhibits, the museum hosts programs, events, lectures, family days and more special exhibitions.
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| A theater for community gatherings. |
Upcoming Exhibitions
Sue Reich's The Quilter's Night Before Christmas November 1-January 11, 2026.
Beyond Halloween Land Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas from October 18-March 1, 2026.
The Art of Warner Bros. Cartoons from January 31- May 24, 2026.
The Upcountry History Museum is open from Tuesday-Saturday 10-5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Closed Mondays)
For newcomers like me—and longtime residents alike—it’s a
fascinating place to gain perspective on the region’s past and how it continues
to shape the Greenville we know today.
