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foothill towns
Anderson, SC
Chimney
Rock, NC
Clemson, SC
Columbus, NC
Gaffney, SC
Greenville,
SC
Hickory, NC
Lake Lure &
Rutherford County, NC
Morganton, NC
Mount
Airy, NC
Saluda, NC
Seneca, SC
Spartanburg, SC
Tryon, NC
Books About The
Carolinas
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| Anderson, S.C. |
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ven if you don't harbor a secret wish to ride in a hot-air balloon, they are certainly
beautiful to watch as they float gracefully above the earth.
You'll get your chance to watch more than one hundred of them during Freedom
Weekend Aloft, one of the nation's largest hot-air balloon festivals, held on Memorial
Day Weekend each year in Anderson.
The event has been chosen one of the "Top 20 Events" in the Southeast
for more than a decade. It's been featured on NBC's "Today Show," and
was even a question on TV's Jeopardy (answered correctly by a high-school aged
contestant from Texas). The event also hosts the National Disc Dog finals, and
brings balloon enthusiasts from around the world to revel in the magnificence of
all those colorful spheres.
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ut that's not what attracted Tony and Teresa Milici to move to the Brookstone
Meadows resort community in Anderson. Originally from New York, the Milicis spent the
last 26 years living in Florida and decided to move to Anderson.
"Our son got married here and when we came to the wedding, my wife fell in love with the
area," said Tony Milici. "I agreed to the move if we could find the right place, on a golf course."
In addition to golf, the Milicis really enjoy the rolling hills and turning of the seasons in the South
Carolina upstate, and compare it to the scenery close to their earlier home on Long Island.
"Florida became boring to us and Anderson had everything we wanted," he explained, noting
that while the former All-American City has all the necessities, nearby Greenville offers topnotch
national events, and Clemson University sports gives them an abundance of athletic diversions.
"I have to say this is the friendliest community we've lived in through all of our 43 years
together," explained Mr. Milici, noting that he really appreciates the varied ages of the
residents, which gives them the ability to enjoy the different generations - "and we all
get along!"
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Recreation is a plus in the area, and the City of Anderson Parks and Recreation Department
manages 76 facilities within 170 acres of parks and recreation areas.
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Nearby Lake Hartwell is one of the Southeast's largest recreational lakes, with over 1,000
miles of shoreline (301 of which border Anderson County).
With 12 golf courses in Anderson County alone, Mr. Milici has plenty of options in his golfing,
and the opportunities for walking offer another way to enjoy the beautiful colors and rolling
vistas in this part of the state.
For arts enthusiasts, there are community theatres, a youth theater, the Symphony Orchestra
Association, and numerous special events year-round.
The cost of living is good, with the average price of housing approximately $30,000 less than
its nearby bigger neighbor, Greenville.
According to Roger Mudd, Executive Director of the Anderson County Development
Partnership, the area is well positioned to attract business. "The County Administrator
has hired a new Director of Economic Development and also has hired someone to work
specifically with retail and small business," said Mr. Mudd. "I don't know any other counties
that are being that aggressive, which is a great plus for business."
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Health care facilities provide superior care through the Anderson Area Medical Center
(AAMC) that offer comprehensive services and a full range of clinical and support services.
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Partners for a Healthy Community is an innovative program that works to improve the
community's health care while reducing costs.
For history buffs, nearby Pendleton is one of the largest historic districts in the nation.
The entire town is on the National Register of Historic Places and the downtown area
alone has more than 50 buildings constructed before 1850. The city of Anderson was
founded in 1826 and is named after General Robert Anderson, a revolutionary war hero
who settled in the area.
Its slogan -- the electric city -- comes in recognition that Anderson was the first city in the
South to have an unlimited supply of electric power, and indeed the first cotton gin in the
world to be operated by electricity was in Anderson County in 1897.
Today's residents can enjoy shopping in more than 40 centers, and less than one hour away in
Commerce, GA is one of the largest outlet centers in the Southeast.
All of that is simply an added bonus to the Milicis, who are most enthusiastic about the
three-season weather, which allows them to enjoy their fireplace occasionally, but
spend most of the year outdoors!
"Don't tell my wife that she was right about this move," he joked, as he looked out of his
window toward the rolling hills with their glorious fall colors. "We knew this would be nice,
but it's even better than we ever expected!"
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Anderson City pop.: 25,514
Anderson County pop.: 168,985
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Katherine O. Pettit has worked as a writer,
magazine editor, printer and public relations consultant. The Columbia resident has
published more than 250 articles in magazines and newspapers. Her writing explores a
variety of subjects including travel, lifestyles, business and management.
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