History of Greenville Mayors

[gs3]

I was doing some research on the history of Greenville mayors, and found this website:

http://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/SC/ofc/greenville.html

Funny how you can tell from their tenure, the ones that were liked and disliked. Knox is working on holding office for the longest period (there are a couple ahead of him)....lets hope he goes for MANY more years!

Not knowing alot about Greenville's past, I was shocked to see that Max Heller resigned from office. Why was this? Also, from everything I've heard about Max Heller, I had just assumed he held office for the longest period, but he was actually only in office 8 years.

[upstategeek]

I believe he either ran for U.S. Rep. against Carroll Campbell ( this was the infamous, would you want a non-Christian representing you campaign) or was made head of the equivalent of the state Chamber of Commerce. These events happened back to back and I can't remember which went first.

Knox has a long way to go before he can catch Kenneth Cass, who served seven terms as mayor, though I think they were something like two-year terms.

[gs3]

I believe he either ran for U.S. Rep. against Carroll Campbell ( this was the infamous, would you want a non-Christian representing you campaign) or was made head of the equivalent of the state Chamber of Commerce. These events happened back to back and I can't remember which went first.

Thanks for the info upstategeek! The "non-Christian" thing.....was this part of the actual campaign or a comment that was made and leaked by accident?

My partner is Jewish, he'll get a kick out this when I tell him. Must have been a fairly intense campaign.

[upstategeek]

Thanks for the info upstategeek! The "non-Christian" thing.....was this part of the actual campaign or a comment that was made and leaked by accident?

My partner is Jewish, he'll get a kick out this when I tell him. Must have been a fairly intense campaign.

If I remember correctly, it was an early version of a push polling where calls were made saying "what would you vote for a non-christian, how about a how an immigrant." Later on a mechanic entered the race saying heller should not got to Washington because Heller wouldn't have "Jesus Christ" to call in during times of need. Neither of these were ever connected to Campbell fully, but the phone calls were made by a group supporting him. It has long been rumored (and I can't vouch it) that Campbell's backers got the mechanic to run

[gs3]

If I remember correctly, it was an early version of a push polling where calls were made saying "what would you vote for a non-christian, how about a how an immigrant." Later on a mechanic entered the race saying heller should not got to Washington because Heller wouldn't have "Jesus Christ" to call in during times of need. Neither of these were ever connected to Campbell fully, but the phone calls were made by a group supporting him. It has long been rumored (and I can't vouch it) that Campbell's backers got the mechanic to run

Interesting. I'll have to go through some old newspaper archives. This would have been late seventies right? Around 79?

My partner and I were in a small Mississippi town driving through several years ago and stopped for gas. He signed the credit card and the woman looked at his signature and the name on the card and said "what kind of last name is that".....he was like Jewish....and she proceeded to tell him "ain't none of your kind around here". Thank God he didn't tell her gay Jew! We still make fun of that. It shows how much ignorance is in the world.

He's gonna howl tonight when tell him about this campaign thing! The fact that people would be so dumb to get to that low of a level in a campaign. Grade school really!

[upstategeek]

Interesting. I'll have to go through some old newspaper archives. This would have been late seventies right? Around 79?

My partner and I were in a small Mississippi town driving through several years ago and stopped for gas. He signed the credit card and the woman looked at his signature and the name on the card and said "what kind of last name is that".....he was like Jewish....and she proceeded to tell him "ain't none of your kind around here". Thank God he didn't tell her gay Jew! We still make fun of that. It shows how much ignorance is in the world.

He's gonna howl tonight when tell him about this campaign thing! The fact that people would be so dumb to get to that low of a level in a campaign. Grade school really!

You can actually find some of it in the obits about Campbell a few weeks back. Heller talked about it and kind of passed it off as politics being politics.

[goodbye]

There is an article on Max Heller in the February edition of Greenville Magazine. Just an FYI.

[GvilleSC]

The Greenville News is reporting that former Mayor Max Heller has passed away. Greenville owes him a lot for what this City and its downtown have become. I'm at least glad he got to see his own recognition through the Max Heller Gateway on I-385 and Heller Plaza on North Main.

THANK YOU, MAX!

[vicupstate]

Very sad news.

RIP Max Heller. Thank you for all you have done for Greenville.

[mallguy]

I was only a kid when Max Heller was mayor but he was definitely beloved.

Bob Inglis said the same "non-Christian" garbage about Mitt Romney in the '08 election cycle- it's too bad that such junk continues.

[B&R]

Max Heller had a vision for downtown Greenville to be a pedestrian friendly center that became a dream for others. When he was presenting his ideas few people thought it could happen. Especially since this was during the period when the department stores and retailers were leaving downtown for the malls.

A lot of people made it happen but Heller was the first one to dream the dream.

Thanks, Max.