History of our streets

[GvilleSC]

Some of the names of our downtown streets are more obvious than others. I can't offer too much in the way of their histories, but I'm sure some people on here can enlighten us, or simply takes stabs at what it might be... Coffee Street is by far the one I'm most interested in.

These are ones that I either know or am assuming:

McBee Avenue -- named for Vardry McBee, the "father of Greenville"

Washington Street -- assuming it is named for our first President, but not necessarily

College Street -- Greenville Women's College location at Heritage Green I presume

Church Street -- for Christ Church's location

Falls Street -- Reedy River Falls I assume

Camperdown Way -- for Camperdown Mill?

These are streets that I'm not sure of their name origin:

Spring Street

Brown Street

Academy Street

Stone Avenue

North Street

Coffee Street

Elford Street

Beattie Place

Richardon Street

Broad Street

Of course, streets named after cities were your direct route to that location, such as Augusta Street, Pendleton Street, etc. Any other streets that your curious about or know about, please post. The ones above are just ones that I would like to know more about...

[greenvillehistorytours]

These are ones that I either know or am assuming:

McBee Avenue -- named for Vardry McBee, the "father of Greenville"

Washington Street -- assuming it is named for our first President, but not necessarily

College Street -- Greenville Women's College location at Heritage Green I presume

Church Street -- for Christ Church's location

Falls Street -- Reedy River Falls I assume

Camperdown Way -- for Camperdown Mill?

These are streets that I'm not sure of their name origin:

Spring Street

Brown Street

Academy Street

Stone Avenue

North Street

Coffee Street

Elford Street

Beattie Place

Richardon Street

Broad Street

Of course, streets named after cities were your direct route to that location, such as Augusta Street, Pendleton Street, etc. Any other streets that your curious about or know about, please post. The ones above are just ones that I would like to know more about...

[whitehourseview]

A couple of streets in Greenville, for example Manly Street and also Broadus Avenue, were named for some of the professors at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, located where Downtown Baptist is now. That seminary moved to Louisville, KY the 1800's.

[btoy]

All the streets in the Pettigru District are names after professors from Furman University. Toy St. is named after Crawford Howell Toy who was a Prof. at Furman and at The Southern Baptist Theological University while it was still in Greenville and then moved to Luisville, KY with the school when it left Greenville. He was at one time engaged to famous Baptist Missionary Lottie Moon.

While in Luisville his beliefs started conflict with traditional baptist beliefs and he was asked to leave the denomination. Furman offered him the presidency but he went to Harvard to teach instead. At Harvard he became a Unitarian.

BTW, considering there are no colleges downtown now at one time there sure were alot. Furman, Chicora Woman's College, Southern Theological, Holmes Bible College, Greenville Womans College and I am sure that isn't all of it.

[GvilleSC]

Thanks for the info. I didn't know that about the Pettigru district. Is this Toy related to you?

[GvilleSC]

University Ridge in downtown Greenville is going to be renamed "Wilfred Walker Street".

I'm not sure how I feel about this yet. "University Ridge" serves as a historical reference to the days of Furman University's downtown campus. The street indicates the school's old location, as well as the former use of Sirrine Stadium as Furman's football field... From what I read, there's no mention of why University Ridge was chosen for the renaming.

[Galley]

University Ridge in downtown Greenville is going to be renamed "Wilfred Walker Street".

I'm not sure how I feel about this yet. "University Ridge" serves as a historical reference to the days of Furman University's downtown campus. The street indicates the school's old location, as well as the former use of Sirrine Stadium as Furman's football field... From what I read, there's no mention of why University Ridge was chosen for the renaming.

[benjamesriddle]

This is very sad... I loved the tribute to Furman in the name. Too bad...

[gs3]

University Ridge in downtown Greenville is going to be renamed "Wilfred Walker Street".

I'm not sure how I feel about this yet. "University Ridge" serves as a historical reference to the days of Furman University's downtown campus. The street indicates the school's old location, as well as the former use of Sirrine Stadium as Furman's football field... From what I read, there's no mention of why University Ridge was chosen for the renaming.

[linkerjpatrick]

Who is Wilfred Walker?

[GvilleSC]

Wilfred Walker was very involved in Sterling High School, according to The Greenville News.

[Greenville]

I think that is a reason the people who wanted to rename the road wanted to rename the road with his name. So people would know who he was.

However so many people will know the road as University Ridge that they will call it that anyway. Even relative newcomers to town will be like the natives and still call the road University Ridge and confuse the heck out of visitors! i.e. "How do I get to the Chamber of Commerce?" Oh, just go down Church Street and turn on the road that used to be called University Ridge.

[gs3]

Wilfred Walker was very involved in Sterling High School, according to The Greenville News.

[whitehourseview]

Thanks.

I just Googled him and:

Wilfred J. Walker, a groundbreaking radio announcer and teacher at the old Sterling High School for black students.

Was Sterling High School somewhere near University Ridge?

[btoy]

Thanks for the info. I didn't know that about the Pettigru district. Is this Toy related to you?