The Swamp Rabbit Trail A Tale of More Than 125 Years Spanning Over Three Centuries

Transcription

1 The Swamp Rabbit Trail A Tale of More Than 125 Years Spanning Over Three Centuries By Sandra E. Yúdice Assistant to the County Administrator County of Greenville, SC May 2012 Revised July 2014 Revised December 2014

2 On May 12, 1979, the G&N office building stood in downtown Greenville, close to the Academy Street bridge. The office building was sold to a private individual who converted it into a residence. Photos courtesy of James D. Sheppard.

3 Table of Contents Where is the Swamp Rabbit Trail Hopping?... 1 Introduction... 2 The 19 th Century: The Mid and Late 1800s... 2 The Gestational Years: The Birth: Developing During Childhood Years: The 1890s... 3 The 20 th Century: The 1900s... 3 Growing Pains of the Teenage Years: The 1900 and 1910 Decades... 3 The Young Adult Years: Defining Its Identity from the 1920s to the 1940s... 4 Reaching Adulthood and Beginning to Decline: The 1950s and 1960s... 4 Ready for Retirement? The Senior Years, the 1970s and 1980s... 5 Will It Really Ever Retire? The 1990s... 5 The 21 st Century... 6 Retirement Is Not Quite There Yet: The 2000s... 6 And They All Lived Happily Ever After: The 2010s and Beyond... 7 Was it Worth Waiting More than 125 Years? Was the Investment Worthy? The Furman University Swamp Rabbit Trail Impact Study... 9 Furman University s Impact Studies... 9 The Relationship Will Continue... 9 Bibliography... 10

4 Office of the Administrator Joseph M. Kernell County Administrator (864) December 2014 Dear Greenville County Residents and Visitors: It is with great pleasure that we present to you the history and tales of one of Greenville County s greatest assets, the Greenville Health System Swamp Rabbit Trail (GHS-SRT). What you are about to read is a story highlighting major details of the struggles and successes of the Swamp Rabbit in many of its phases: as a concept, as an active and inactive railroad, as a dormant asset, as a transformative figure, and as an economic development and tourism injecting destination. As you will read in the pages ahead, you will find that during the mid-1840s, prominent Greenvillian men gathered to examine and discuss a report of the practicability and expediency of constructing a railway from this place (Greenville) to pass through the state to one of the upper terminals of the Charleston Railroad Those prominent Greenvillians had no idea about the long term effects of their actions, decisions, and the unintended consequences that such decisions would have in the future of Greenville County. Because of theirs and others perseverance, determination, and diligence, Greenville County now has this great asset that residents and visitors have enjoyed and will enjoy for decades to come. Current efforts are leading towards extending and expanding the Swamp Rabbit Trail from north to south and from west to east. Under the County s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism leadership, plans are to extend the trail to the North Carolina border and to the Laurens County border to the south. Schools and communities want to be connected to the trail also; therefore, efforts are also leading to expanding the trail to those places west to east. One example is the connectivity that is being considered between the trail and the revitalized Poinsett District. We welcome additional tales on the Swamp Rabbit, if you have one. If you would like to share them with us please do not hesitate to contact Assistant to the County Administrator Sandra Yúdice at syudice@greenvillecounty.org. We will include them gladly in The Swamp Rabbit Trail: A Tale of More Than 125 Years Spanning Over Three Centuries for future generations to learn about it. I hope you enjoy these tales! Sincerely, Joseph M. Kernell County Administrator

5 Where is the Swamp Rabbit Trail Hopping? 1

6 Introduction The history of the Greenville and Northern Railway (G&NR), locally known as the Swamp Rabbit, is one filled of financial struggles from the onset of the railway in the late 1880s. At that time, no one knew what its fate would be more than 100 years later let alone that it would bring a community together in the 21 st Century. In 1984, Craig A. Myers published A Short History The Greenville and Northern Railway, and wrote, The Greenville and Northern s future remains clouded, but the proper guidance and expansion, it could survive. Robert N. Daniel, in Mann Batson s book written in 2010, noted, Looking backwards across the years, we think of our little railroad, the Swamp Rabbit, with a smile for its ambition to cross the big mountains. But the sober fact is that Greenville (we) lost tremendously because of that failure. Who knows what great commercial opportunities would have opened up if a good track could have been completed and connections been made between Greenville and the boundless west? (p. 184) In July 1999 prior to RailTex of San Antonio, TX, completing abandonment procedures, with proper guidance, vision from community leaders, political will, and determination, Greenville County Council, under the leadership of the late Council Chairman Dozier Brooks, created the Greenville County Economic Development Corporation (GCEDC) to acquire the right-of-way enabling its survival [t]o facilitate, through rail line ownership and/or rail corridor preservation, intermodal, business commuter, shipping, and leisure traveler access to Greater Greenville and its gateways. (Greenville County Economic Development Corporation, 2000). Members of the first GCEDC board of directors included councilors Dozier Brooks, Stephen Selby, and Paul Wickensimer and two at-large community members Patricia Haskell-Robinson and Peter Strub. The board appointed former County Administrator Gerald Seals as President and Chairman of the board. Thus far, the Swamp Rabbit has beaten all the odds that tested its quiet and sometimes not so quiet presence i.e., financial, reorganizations, legal battles, and court orders to be shut down in the Greenville community over 125 years. There may not be the little Swamp Rabbit train anymore going up and down between Travelers Rest and Greenville but its legacy will remain alive and well into the 21 st Century and, hopefully, beyond with great opportunities for local businesses and the local economy along the Swamp Rabbit Trail to thrive. Former Travelers Rest Mayor Mann Batson (2010) wrote, The [125+ years and counting] gestation period has been lengthy. Delivery is ongoing. But the due date for the Greenville Hospital System Swamp Rabbit Trail is set for the May 7-9 weekend [2009]. When the baby finally arrives, it will be a joyous day, but like a real child the ten mile trail from Travelers Rest to Greenville city limits is just the beginning. Nurturing this child and watching it grow is next on the agenda. (p. 185) And right he was! Who knew 125 years ago that the Swamp Rabbit would now be as it quietly lies down traversing Greenville County from north to south an invaluable asset to the community that is being nurtured and taken care of in the 21 st Century? Public officials and community leaders assisted with transforming its identity and destiny and now the GHS- SRT has brought revitalization to the communities along its path both in terms of their economy and health. As the saying goes, Things happen for a reason. We may not understand why they happen when they happen chartering a railroad in the 1800s that was destined to be in so much trouble for so long but fast forwarding to the present and looking back at the past, we now understand why they happened more than a century ago. The 19 th Century: The Mid and Late 1800s The Gestational Years: During the mid-1840s, prominent Greenvillian men gathered to examine and discuss a report of the practicability and expediency of constructing a railway from this place (Greenville) to pass through the state to one of the upper terminals of the Charleston Railroad, and collect such information as citizens decide thereon (Batson, 2010). Many were the letters sent to the Editor of the Enterprise and Mountaineer newspaper supporting the construction of the railroad in the upper part of Greenville County. One letter read, Much enthusiasm exists in [sic] behalf of the contemplated railroad across the mountains. Many have already laid out the locations, with depots, etc. and we have no doubt about scaling the mountains at a grade that will astonish the engineers themselves. Let her roll, is the cry on every hand. Travelers Rest, S. C Felix EM,

7 Pseudonym (Batson, 2010, p. 13) In March 1884, representatives from the towns of Bates, Cleveland, Saluda, Paris Mountain, Glassy Mountain, Chick Springs, Highland, and O Neal held public meetings at Marietta in February and at Tigerville. The conclusion at the meeting in February was that, The people present on this occasion are of one mind in their desire to have a railroad constructed over the mountains and express themselves freely and even enthusiastically in advocacy of the measure (Batson, 2010). One of those present was Capt. L. I. Jennings who worked tirelessly to bring a railroad through the upper part of Greenville County (Batson, 2010, p. 73). Prior to the actual construction of the railroad bed, two were the companies chartered with its construction which would run between Augusta, GA, and Knoxville, TN. They included the Greenville & Port Royal Company ( ) and the Atlantic, Greenville & Western Railway Company ( ). The former was unable to raise much needed capital funds to build it resulting in the company s reorganization. The latter one was commissioned to build the line from Greenville going east to the Atlantic and west to the North Carolina state line connecting it with rail lines going to Tennessee. Circumstances at the time required both companies to merge and, in 1887, the Carolina, Knoxville & Western Railway Company (CK&W) was formed (Myers, 1984; Rooney & Wade, 1977; Runey, 1949; Sheppard, 2006). The Birth: 1888 The CK&W was chartered to build the railroad connecting Augusta, GA, and Knoxville, TN, and the newly created company proposed to build a 282-mile track. A telegram sent in 1888 to the Knoxville Tribune on the proposed $200,000 subscription to fund the construction of the railroad read, To the Knoxville Tribune: Greenville, S. C., Dec. 28, The City of Greenville Today voted for the Carolina, Knoxville, and Western Proposition by 2,300 majority. The County is safe by 2,000. EM, (Batson, 2010, p. 25) After raising the capital needed, construction began in 1888 and a 12-mile rail line was built between Greenville, SC, and Hellams Crossing just north of Travelers Rest, SC. Operations started in 1889 (Batson, 2010). Developing During Childhood Years: The 1890s In 1891, just two short years after the railroad began operating, the CK&W Railroad Company bankrupted. The court appointed H. C. Beattie as the receiver. The sentiment at the time was that if the rail ended in a township, its financial situation would improve. Therefore, the receiver was authorized extending the railroad to Marietta, SC. In 1892, the railroad extended for about 15 miles from Greenville to Marietta but it continued suffering from revenue losses (Myers, 1984; Sheppard, 2006). The 20 th Century: The 1900s In August 1896, the railroad was sold and the new owners applied to stop service and prepared to sell the railroad. However, resilient local residents protested and took the matter to the courts filing an injunction to remove the tracks. In 1899, the court ordered to remove the rails and removal work begun from Marietta to Union Bleachery (Sheppard, 2006). The rails and other equipment and real state were sold to Charleston and Western Carolina Railway for $28,000 (Myers, 1984; Batson, 2010). Growing Pains of the Teenage Years: The 1900 and 1910 Decades In 1904, the railroad resurrected as the Greenville and Knoxville Railway restoring service to Marietta in The railroad reached River Falls (formerly Pott s Cove) in 1910 (Rooney & Wade, 1977; Myers, 1984; Batson, 2010) reaching its northernmost part for a total of 23.1 miles (Sheppard, 2006). By May 1912, the Greenville and Knoxville Railway had 13 stations along its path. The stations included Greenville, Monaghan, White Oak, Montague, Altamont, Travelers Rest, Phillips, Hellams, Bates, Marietta, Cleveland, River View, and River Falls (Batson, 2010). Passengers took the Swamp Rabbit to River Falls and stayed at the Valley View Hotel and resort area for rest, relaxation, and entertainment. They swam in the Middle Saluda River, hike, hunt and went to Caesar s Head for the dances and other activities (Batson, 2010, p. 90). The railroad went under several receiverships and later became the Greenville & Western Railway in In 1916, the G&W, under the name of the Blue Ridge Mountain Route ran daily, with the exception of Sundays, with two passenger trains and one train from Greenville to River Falls on Sundays (Sheppard, 2006). Changing names did not help the railroad since, in 1917, was put in receivership again due the bad conditions of the rail bed that life and property would be jeopardized if trains were run and the cost of repairs was not available. Judge Johnson authorized the receiver to discontinue the operation of the trains (Batson, 2010, p. 46). Between 1917 and 1919, law suits were filed in courts who ordered to resume operations and to shut the railroad again. In May 1919, R. A. McTyre purchased the rail for $75,000 just 3

8 to sell it again in August 1919 to W. H. Cook of Duluth, MN, (Batson, 2010; Sheppard, 2006). The Swamp Rabbit became a movie star in 1917 when it was feature in a movie filmed in Travelers Rest. The movie was based on the life of Sidney Allen, a Tennessee folk hero who had gotten on the wrong side of the law and was rescued by his family from a trial in a Tennessee court house (Batson, 2010, p. 140). The Young Adult Years: Defining Its Identity from the 1920s to the 1940s In January 1920, the Baker Fentress Company a timber business from Chicago purchased the railroad, eliminated the passenger trains, and for 37 years operated it thru a lumber company subsidiary (Saluda Land and Lumber) shipping its product to Greenville for distribution (Sheppard, 2006). The railroad became a subsidiary under the Greenville & Northern Railway (G&NR). For a short period of time the G&NR operated passenger excursions on weekends and, until the 1950s, it provided mail and express services (Batson, 2010). There are references of the railroad being called the Swamp Rabbit as early as 1891 but no references as to who named it (Batson, 2010). The 1930s, presented challenges to the railroad again as the financial crisis of the Great Depression developed and set in. However, it again thrived during the years after the Great Depression. In the 1940s, the short-line had already defined its identity and was recognized as, one of the South s quaintest and friendliest short-lines. Around the city of Greenville and all along its crooked and grassy right-of-way, the Greenville & Northern Railway Company is known always, and with affection, as the Swamp Rabbit the l il ole train that runs up to Cleveland. Hardly anybody recognized it by its dignified and rather austere corporate designation. But everyone knew the little train and many, especially the old folks, obviously loved it. the reason the line is known as the Swamp Rabbit [is because] [f]or four or five miles out of town, G&NR tracks are laid along a G&NR steam locomotive No. 15 (2-8-0) was in Greenville in November Photo courtesy of James D. Sheppard. marshy flat that is incredibly desolate, full of reed and cattails. (Runey, 1949) By 1943, the line had been reduced to 19 miles from Greenville to Cleveland (Sheppard, 2006). In 1948, Saluda Land and Lumber sold the mill to Georgia Pacific. Georgia Pacific continued the lumber shipping business using the G&NR. The G&NR locomotives were steam powered until August 14, 1948, when the railroad purchased its first dieselelectric locomotive built by General Electric (Sheppard, 2006). Reaching Adulthood and Beginning to Decline: The 1950s and 1960s In 1952, G&NR s owner, Saluda Land & Lumber Company, dissolved but the railroad remained as an affiliate of Baker, Fentress & Company (Sheppard, 2006). By the mid-1950s, the rail line began suffering financial loses one more time. In 1957, short line entrepreneur Samuel M. Pensley of Boston, MA, purchased the line, began building warehouses, and modernized the railroad and its facilities (Myers, 1984; Batson, 2010). The G&NR then became a subsidiary of Pinsly Railroad Company (Williams, 2005). By the end of the 1950s, the railroad announced the formation of the Berea District Industrial Park bringing financial success and stability until the mid-1960s (Myers, 1984). As new businesses opened along the G&NR line, old customers also shut down operations and moved away from the railway making the railroad unsustainable. In 1961, the Georgia Pacific lumber business closed in Cleveland, SC, and a four-mile stretch of railroad in the upper side of the line was abandoned in This closing left only two products using the railroad service, natural gas and waste fiberglass rags (Myers, 1984). In the mid-1960s, Slater Mill built a natural gas pipeline taking away business from the railroad. Carloads were severely cut to six by In the late 1960s, in an effort to revive the railroad, a group of businessmen operated the Swamp Rabbit tourist railroad between Marietta and Cleveland, SC (Myers, 1984). In 1964, a group of investors purchased the 4-mile track between Marietta and Cleveland and ran a tourist train for four years, the destination was Echo Valley Park in Cleveland (Sheppard, 2006). 4

9 Ready for Retirement? The Senior Years, the 1970s and 1980s By 1970, rail traffic stopped completely from the Slater Mill and the railroad was abandoned between Cleveland and Travelers Rest (Ruthven, 2007; Taylor, 2012) making the latter the railroad northern terminus (Sheppard, 2006). For the most part, from the 1950s to the 1970s, the railroad was under financial stress 50% of the The Swamp Rabbit Trail A Tale of time. During the 1980s, the railroad traffic moved mostly waste and scrap from the Berea Industrial Park businesses and railroad customers (Myers, 1984) and the last train ran in January 1998 due to the condemnation of two trestles (Sheppard, 2006). Will It Really Ever Retire? The 1990s A postcard titled Swamp Rabbit Railroad at Echo Valley, Cleveland, S.C. on U.S. No. 276, 16 Miles North of Greenville, So. Carolina: Swamp Rabbit Railroad pulling out of the station for a round trip of approximately 9 miles between Echo Valley and Marietta. Passengers enjoy superb mountain scenery, a real steam train ride. Color photo by C.H. Ruth. Photo courtesy of James D. Sheppard. In May 1997, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) authorized the purchase of the line by the South Carolina Central Railroad Inc. (d/b/a Carolina Piedmont Division or CPDR), a subsidiary of RailTex of San Antonio, TX (Sheppard, 2006; Williams, 2005). CPDR purchased approximately 11.8 miles of track and assets from the Greenville and Northern Railway (RailTex, Inc., 1997). Service on the rail line stopped in January 1998 and never resumed (Sheppard, 2006). Within less than one year of the purchase, RailTex began abandonment proceedings with the STB for two segments in Greenville County. The segments included the G&NR (the northern segment ) and a 3.29 mile railroad segment (the CPDR or southern segment ) running between Highway 291 (Pleasantburg Drive) and what is now the Clemson University International Center of the Automotive Research (CU- ICAR) at the Millennium Campus just north of the General Electric track spur in the southeastern part of the City of Greenville, SC (Williams, 1997; Williams, 1998a). According to RailTex there were no rail shippers on the northern line and, prior to 1993, the northern segment was used by G&NR solely for movements of rail equipment to and from repair and storage courtesy of James D. Sheppard. facilities near milepost 0.0 Industrial Metal Processing, Inc. s locomotive No. 63, is at the plant at Berea, on April 25, Photo (Williams, 1998b). CPDR purchased the southern segment in 1990 and, by 1992, according to CPDR there was only one shipper on the line who used motor freight 95% of the time to meet its needs (Williams, 1998b). In early 1999, concerned citizens approached Greenville County Council requesting assistance and proposing alternatives to the disposition of the rail lines. Greenville County Council had the forward thinking of forming the Greenville County Economic Development Corporation (GCEDC) to purchase the soon-to-beabandoned railroad rights-of-way from RailTex at a cost of $1.3 million, including the entire northern segment from Downtown Greenville to north of Travelers Rest and the miles southern segment. The South Carolina Department of Transportation contributed $100,000 with a grant towards the purchase of the lines. The mission of the GCEDC is: To facilitate, through rail line ownership and/or rail corridor preservation, intermodal, business commuter, shipping, and leisure traveler access to Greater Greenville and its gateways. Our highest priorities, in carrying out this mission, are safety, citizenship, responsibility, and cost effectiveness. Usually, retirement means a phase in life to slow down and enjoy the pleasures that it brings. However, the Swamp Rabbit, as resilient as it has been for over a century, did not slow down and was very busy generating and growing offsprings to become what it is today, a trail that is a destination point which is recognized locally, regionally, and nationally. The Swamp Rabbit Trail has also made the communities it traverses, such as Travelers Rest and Greenville, destination points. Additionally, the 3.29-mile southern rail line will also prove to be an asset to the community later on. Currently, there are discussions and efforts in the community to use the right-ofway as a multimodal corridor facility that could include a recreation trail, a bus rapid transit, personal rapid transit, 5

10 and stations along the way. The 21 st Century Retirement Is Not Quite There Yet: The 2000s Since the purchase, a series of setbacks including lack of funds and a law suit from a businessman who wanted rail service restored on the G&NR line precluded the GCEDC from fulfilling its mission until the law suit was dismissed in 2004 (Williams, 2005). For many years, critics of the purchasing decision looked at it as a waste of taxpayers funds. However, time showed that the decision, as bold as it was in G&NR tracks at Travelers Rest, SC, are being pulled up on April 21, 2007, in preparation for the construction of the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Photo courtesy of James D. Sheppard. 1999, was a wise one just like the one made in the 1880s. The conversion of the right-of-way into a trail has proven to be an asset for the community as the Furman University economic impact studies later demonstrate (Reed, 2012; Reed, 2013). The mid-2000s were busy years for the rail lines. In September 2004, the court dismissed the law suit and ordered the GCEDC to just pay the plaintiff s legal fees. In spring 2005, Greenville County Detention Center s inmates and volunteers under the leadership of Judy Cromwell and Carlton Owen cleared the railroad right-of-way from Travelers to Greenville. In June 2005, the GCEDC filed a petition with the STB requesting approval to rail bank the lines: abandon the miles segment between Downtown Greenville and north of Travelers Rest and discontinue service on the 3.29-miles segment between southeast Greenville and the CU-ICAR at the Millennium Campus. In October 2005, the STB, under a notice of interim trail use (NITU), granted the abandonment and discontinuance petitions under the Rails to Trails Act. The NITU authorized the GCEDC to negotiate, within a period of 180 days, an agreement with Upstate Forever for interim trail use on the 11.8-miles segment. In February 2006, in response to Western Carolina Railway Service Corporation s (WCRSC) offer of financial assistance (OFA) filed with the STB, the GCEDC Chairman Herman Butch Kirven indicated to the WCRSC that its offer of approximately $46,000 is far too low. Based on our own recent appraisals of the real estate and non-real estate assets on the northern line, GCEDC believes that the purchase price should not be less than $1,133,769 GCEDC has an obligation to the public to accept only a full market value price for the northern line (Kirven, 2006). In September 2006, Upstate Forever requested the STB to vacate the existing NITU and to issue one to the Greenville County Recreation District (GCRD), which the STB approved (Williams, 2006). In September 2006, the GCEDC and the GCRD entered into a lease donation and operating agreement on the 11.8-miles right-of-way with the purpose of developing, maintaining and operating the trail. Salvaging the rails began in Proceeds from the rail salvaging assisted the GCEDC with paying legal fees to defend the law suit that was dismissed in 2004, pay the settlement, and the STB proceeding charges. Once the salvage project was complete, the Swamp Rabbit Trail was born and ready to go thru a transformation for the next few years until its official opening in May

11 In the spring 2007, Upstate Forever facilitated the Swamp Rabbit Forums with public meetings at Furman University and Downtown Greenville. The goal was to develop aesthetic and trail designs, a mission statement, and make recommendations to name the trail based on the community s input. Community leaders from several public, private, and non-profit organizations participated in the forums including municipalities, Clemson University, local chambers of commerce, GCEDC, Greenville County, GC Emergency Management, law enforcement agencies, GC School District, GCRD, GC Sheriff s Office, GC Planning Commission and others. Realizing the transformative change the Swamp Rabbit Trail would have on the Greenville community, the Greenville Above: April 7, 1993, view looking east, the G&NR engine house is in the distance. Bottom: April 26, 2007, view looking east, paved trail leading past the former engine house. Academy Street bridge in the background. Photos courtesy of James D. Sheppard. Hospital System (GHS) now the Greenville Health System-- also joined the efforts to develop the trail by promoting the health and wellness benefits of the trail and encouraging people to live active and healthy lifestyles by using it. In 2007, GHS announced its commitment to sponsor the trail by providing $100,000 each year for ten years to the GCRD to assist with its development and marketing efforts (Houck, 2012), hence the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail name. Officially, the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail debuted the weekend of May 7-9, 2009, with its inaugural 5K Race with more than 2,000 people participating (Batson, 2010). Participation in the now annual race grew to over 4,000 in 2012 with runners coming from all over the Upstate SC, the Midlands SC, the Grand Stand, and as far as Porter Ranch, California; Sherwood Forest, Maryland; Marblehead, Massachusetts; and other states (Carlson, 2012). Under the leadership of the GCRD s Director of Greenways and Natural Historic Resources, Ty Houck, the SRT conquered new territories. Plans are to extend and expand the Swamp Rabbit Trail and work with the municipalities to build a continuous ribbon of trail that extends to the NC/SC boarder and into Laurens County via downtown Fountain Inn to the south (Richardson, 2012). Currently, the GCRD is working with property owners to extend the trail north of Travelers Rest to the SC/NC border. It is worth noting that the North Carolina s Friends of Ecusta Trail group has advocated connecting the future Ecusta Trail to the Swamp Rabbit Trail at some point in the future at the states border. With the purchase of the railroad right-of-way, an abandoned rail car was also acquired on the G&NR. The car must have been built around 1947 and operated by the Southern Railway as some of its parts have that year and name printed. Physically, the 65+ year-old railcar is in good conditions and has been cleaned and painted thanks to the Leadership Greenville Class 39. In the early 2000s, upon request from the Whitewater Valley Railroad Museum, the GCEDC donated the car to the museum for restoration. However, attempts to dismantle and move the railcar from its location failed due to the high cost of removing suspected asbestos and lead paint from the car and transportation costs to the museum. The car remained on the right-of-way during the salvaging process but was moved to its present location along the Swamp Rabbit Trail at the intersection of Sulphur Springs Road and Pinsley Circle in the Berea area. And They All Lived Happily Ever After: The 2010s and Beyond In May 2010, the City of Greenville completed the Swamp Rabbit Trail Connector at Willard Street. It consists of a 53 long steel and timber bridge across the Reedy River that connects the City of Greenville s portion of the trail to the original Swamp Rabbit Trail developed, built, and maintained by the GCRD to the northwest of the city. The Swamp Rabbit Trail is now 14 miles long, connecting Travelers Rest to Downtown Greenville and south through Falls Park, Cleveland Park to the Caine Halter Family YMCA and Greenville Technical College (City of Greenville, 2012). In May 2011, the GCEDC transferred the right-of-way where the Swamp Rabbit Trail lays to Greenville County. The GC Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Department continues operating and maintaining the trail. The trail s fully developed plans call for extending the Swamp Rabbit Trail from the SC/NC border in north Greenville County all the way south to the Greenville/Laurens county line running thru the Lake Conestee Nature Park, the Golden Strip area, and Fountain Inn. On August 20, 2011, the City of Fountain Inn inaugurated the 7

12 0.5 mile section of the Swamp Rabbit Trail in the southern part of the county. This section of the SRT is considered the launching point for the southern part of the trail that will eventually work its way through the Golden Strip and connect to the northern section of the trail (Greenville County Recreation District, 2011). Greenville County Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Department Director Gene Smith said, The popularity of the Swamp Rabbit is proof that people in our community want safe walking and biking paths. This is just the start of us being able to provide this opportunity for more people as we continue to implement the Greenville County Greenway Master Plan of 2009 (Greenville County Recreation District, 2011). City of Fountain Inn Mayor Gary Long said, We are confident that we will be able to work with the other municipalities and county to get this trail connected to the other parts of the Swamp Rabbit Trail. I know the citizens of Fountain Inn are looking forward to using this section of the trail as a safe and convenient way to get around our city. It will be exciting to watch the progress as we work from the south to one day being able to walk or ride our way to downtown Greenville and into Travelers Rest. (Greenville County Recreation District, 2011) In 2013, with the assistance of the Leadership Greenville, Class 39, the section of the Swamp Rabbit Trail on Pinsley Circle was converted to the Swamp Rabbit Station at Berea. The work on the trail along Cleveland Street in the City of Greenville at the Greenville Technical College, Barton Campus, was noticeable in early Running along Cleveland Street between South Pleasantburg Drive and Faris Road, the 0.8 trail extension of the Swamp Rabbit opened on June 5, 2012, to the public (Foley, 2012). This section of the Swamp Rabbit Trail opened as Greenville Tech turns fifty and represents the same type of vision that allowed the state s technical college system to open in the sixties We are pleased to be part of the Swamp Rabbit Trail system, said Dr. Keith Miller, president of Greenville Tech. We salute the visionaries who now are transforming our community with this path to fitness and fun (The Travelers Rest Tribune, 2012). On September 5, 2012, Greenville County and GCRD officials presented the All Aboard Railcar Restoration Project to the Leadership Greenville Class 39 (LG 39). The group selected it as one of its class project. The goal is to make the Sulphur Springs Road, Pinsley Circle, and the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail intersection a destination point and the gateway to the Berea community. LG 39 coordinated efforts with the Planning Division s revitalization efforts in this area of the Berea community to create the Swamp Rabbit Station in LG 39 raised funds to restore the railcar and convert the site into a handicap accessible pocket park with a food truck parking area that will serve trail users and Berea area residents. Additionally, in 2013, local philanthropist David Wilkerson donated to Greenville County a mini-locomotive that will be placed in front of the restored railcar. The mini-locomotive will be a place for children to climb on and have fun. There are no amenities such as the proposed restoration and conversion of the railcar into a community pocket park along the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail in the Berea area. This project will be an excellent addition to the trail because it would not only create a place of pride for the Berea community but could potentially spur further economic development opportunities. The restoration project is considered a high impact project and could be a catalyst for further improvements in that area and along the GHS-SRT. Also in 2013 and under the leadership of GCEDC s Chairman Fred Payne, discussions began to take shape to develop the 3.29-miles southern segment of the railroad between Pleasantburg Drive and Middle Laurel Creek at CU-ICAR. The GCEDC Board of Directors has discussed the potential of connecting this segment to Mauldin, Simpsonville, and Fountain Inn to Laurens County and Charleston, SC, via the privately owned freight railroad right-of-way. Preliminary discussions indicate that the segment could be converted into a multi-modal transportation corridor that potentially could include a trail, bus rapid transit, light rail, and/or personal rapid transit systems. The GCEDC and Upstate Forever formed a collaborative partnership that could include other stakeholders such as the County and City of Greenville, local foundations, and other public and private organizations. These efforts are also leading to the recapturing of the abandoned rail corridor between Pleasantburg Drive and the Laurens Road/Washington Street intersection. Meetings have been held with commercial property owners who are receptive to the idea of developing the abandoned corridor into a trail to connect the southern segment corridor to the Swamp Rabbit Trail at Cleveland Park in the City of Greenville. Eventually and with proper guidance and expansion (Myers, 1984), the Swamp Rabbit Trail will find its way from Fountain 8

13 Inn up north to connect with the existing trail in the City of Greenville. All it needs to do is to captivate and enamor communities and neighborhoods with its charming personality to enter into a relationship. For new communities entering this marriage, it would be a great deal as the initial couples, namely Travelers Rest and the City of Greenville, would serve as models to continue a long and lasting relationship with the Swamp Rabbit Trail, hopefully, for centuries to come. Was it Worth Waiting More than 125 Years? Was the Investment Worthy? The Furman University Swamp Rabbit Trail Impact Study Furman University s Impact Studies Furman University conducted a three year impact study of the Swamp Rabbit Trail. The first study began in the summer of 2010 and has shown that approximately 359,314 users would be observed on the GHS SRT (based on daily observations for Year 1 (Reed, 2012, p. v). The second year study results were released in spring 2013 and showed an estimate of 403,323 people using the trail. The third study was conducted between July 2012 and June 2013 and the results were released in fall The third year study results indicate that about 501,236 people used the trail during that period (Reed, 2014). On the trail s impact on business, the study results showed that, in year one, most businesses had increases in sales/revenue ranging from 30% to as high as 85% and, in year two, businesses revenue increased as high as 100% (Reed, 2013, p. 39). In year three, business owners reported increases in sales/revenue ranging from 10% to as high as 85% and Seven new businesses opened because of the trail (Reed, 2014, p. 45). Business people have renovated derelict buildings on properties adjacent to the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail, opened, and relocated so that trail users have direct access to those businesses from the trail. The Relationship Will Continue The marriage between the Swamp Rabbit Trail and the communities it touches along its path will continue producing offsprings as spurs are built to connect communities to the Swamp Rabbit Trail. It is impressive the economic development that the Swamp Transformation of the Swamp Rabbit Rabbit Trail has brought along its length from Travelers Rest to Downtown Greenville. For example, bicycle shops have been established as well as coffee and outdoor shops, inns, and grocery stores. New housing developments are being considered and/or underway along the trail s path. The Swamp Rabbit Trail is a high impact local success story that is improving the communities it traverses from north to south. The City of Travelers Rest has capitalized on the portion of the trail that runs thru its rehabilitated and modern downtown as it has become a well-used community asset and a tourist destination point. Café@William s Hardware in Travelers Rest has indicated that 70% of their business comes from the trail on weekends. Bike shops have seen a three-fold increase in bike sales and trail-centered businesses like Swamp Rabbit Café and Grocery have occupied long abandoned derelict warehouse spaces. Bottlecap Creative House is another success entrepreneurial story and it is adjacent to the trail in Travelers Rest. Bottlecap s partner Kevin Keigley noted, If you re on the trail, you re set up to grow (Davis, 2012). The Swamp Rabbit married Greenville County s communities more than a century ago and it is here to stay via a recreational trail. People will enjoy the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail and its offsprings for many years to come as day or weekend long activities are programmed around the trail or simply because they want to be on, by, and/or a part of it. For information on the various activities programmed for your enjoyment on the trail just go to bbit. 9

14 Bibliography Batson, M. (2010). The Swamp Rabbit Legacy and Legend. Taylors, South Carolina: Faith Printing Co. Carlson, C. (2012, May 4). GHS Swamp Rabbit 5k Retrieved June 8, 2012, from Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center: City of Greenville, S. (2012). Department of Parks and Recreation, Trails and Greenways Recent and Future Projects. Retrieved June 7, 2012, from City of Greenville, South Carolina: Cortright, J. (2009, August). Community Trails Systems. Retrieved January 9, 2012, from AmericanTrails.org: David, C. A. (1926, July 18). Greenville, South Carolina - A Newspaper Article From Retrieved from Abandoned Rails.com: Davis, A. (2012, January 22). Bottlecap Partners Add Pop to Brands. The Greenville News, 1E. Greenville, SC, USA: The Greenville News. Foley, M. (2012, June 5). $1.75 million Swamp Rabbit Trail extension opens. Retrieved from The Greenville News: topnews text FRONTPAGE Greenville County Economic Development Corporation. (2000, Februay 16). Approved Minutes, Greenville County Economic Development Corporation. Greenville, South Carolina, USA. Houck, T. (2012, June 7). GHS commitment to the SRT. Electronic Mail. Greenville, SC. Kirven, H. ". (2006, February 7). Greenville County Economic Development Corporation. Letter. Greenville, SC, USA. Myers, C. A. (1984). A Short History, The Greenville & Northern Railroad, Greenville Railroad History Since Greenville, South Carolina, USA: C. A. Myers. Greenville County Recreation District. (2011, August 17). GHS Swamp Rabbit Now in Fountain Inn. Retrieved June 7, 2012, from Creating Community Through People, Parks & Programs: RailTex, Inc. (1997, May 1). RailTex, Inc. Announces Acquisition of Greenville and Northern Railway Assets. Retrieved from PR Newswire: a Reed, J. A. (2012). Greenville Hospital System Swamp Rabbit Trail: Year 1 Findings. Furman University, Health Sciences. Greenville: Furman University. Reed, J. A. (2013). Greenville Health System Swamp Rabbit Trail: Year 2 findings. Greenville, SC: Furman University. Retrieved from Richardson, J. (2012, April 19). Study: More than 350,000 users a year on Swamp Rabbit Trail. Retrieved June 7, 2012, from trtribune.com: users-a-year-on-swamp-rabbit-trail&catid=42:rokstories&Itemid=219 Rooney, B., & Wade, J. (1977, Spring). Greenville & Northern, The Swamp Rabbit is still with us. Railfan, pp Runey, M. (1949, December). Carolina Swamp Rabbit. Railroad Magazine, pp Ruthven, A. W. (2007). A citizens guide to rail trail conservation. Retrieved from American Trails: Sheppard, J. D. (2006, Winter). Greenville & Northern Railway Company. NRHS Bulletin. Philadelphia, PA: Grit Commercial Printing. Taylor, T. (2012, March 9). Greenville to River Falls. Retrieved from Abandoned Rails: 10

15 The Travelers Rest Tribune. (2012, June 6). New segment of Swamp Rabbit Trail opens in Greenville. Retrieved June 7, 2012, from trtribune.com: Williams, V. A. (1997, December 31). Surface Transportation Board. Retrieved from Decisions: STB Docket No. AB-312 (Sub-No. 2X): Williams, V. A. (1998a, February 10). Surface Transportation Board. Retrieved from Decisions: NO. AB-312 (SUB-NO. 2X): Williams, V. A. (1998b, March 30). Surface Transportation Board. Retrieved from Decisions: STB Docket No. AB-312 (Sub-No. 2X): ment Williams, V. A. (2005, July 27). Surface Transportation Board. Retrieved from Decisions: STB Docket No : Williams, V. A. (2006, November 13). Surface Transportation Board. Retrieved November 13, 2006, from Decisions: STB Docket No. AB-490 (Sub-No. 1X): ent 11