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Living History: This magnificent structure has its roots as a women’s school and before that, a resort hotel. For generations, visitors have long enjoyed visiting the appealing town where it can be found, and many retirees have discovered this area’s unique combination of small town charm and big city conveniences.
Photo courtesy of City of Gaffney, SC

	City of Gaffney

	City of Gaffney Visitors Center

	Spartanburg

	Greenville

	Shopping in the Carolinas


	click on this image to read more about ... south carolina atlas and gazetteer published by delorme.

GAFFNEY

ROAD Trip to Gaffney, SC

Center for Carolina Living
small city with big city access is one of many reasons to follow the town’s motto and Get Into Gaffney. Gaffney gives the comfortable feel of a small city with the ease of big city access. Located halfway between Greenville, South Carolina, and Charlotte, North Carolina, on Interstate 85, the town attracts folks from everywhere to shop at the more than 80 stores located at Gaffney Premium Outlets located off Exit 90. For sheer beauty, traveling the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway (SC Hwy 11) is a great way to catch a first glimpse of the Upstate’s beautiful mountain views.


uring your visit, take time to buy local and eat fresh with produce grown by local farmers at the Gaffney Station Farmers Market across the street from the Visitors Center. Crossing the tracks will place you in the center of Gaffney’s Commercial Historic District, one of the city’s three nationally certified historic areas. Continue to discover history by exploring the downtown area with visits to the Michael Gaffney Log Home, the City Hall Park with its historic water fountain, and the new Gaffney City Hall. Upon departure from the historic commercial district, you’ll want to stroll through the streets of Gaffney’s Residential Historic District, with homes constructed between 1890 and 1930, generally of frame or brick construction with fine examples of Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Neo-Classical, Victorian and Bungalow styles. The Residential Historic District leads to the beautiful Limestone Springs Historic District encompassing much of the Limestone College campus, Nesbitt’s Quarry (locally referred to as the Limestone Quarry), and the Limestone Springs Baptist Church. Continue your historic exploration with a visit to the Cherokee History Museum located on College Drive and visits to the two local Revolutionary Battlefields, Kings Mountain (1780) and Cowpens (1781). Both were important victories for the Colonial patriots that led to the British surrender at Yorktown. Kings Mountain National Military Park and Cowpens National Battlefield stage annual reenactments that bring many tourists to the area. Visitors and residents (including many retirees who’ve chosen this lovely town) attend annual festivals, concerts, theatrical productions, or one of the local art galleries. Downtown Gaffney is home to the Gaffney Little Theatre and Limestone College’s arts and music departments which host an array of captivating performances. There’s also lifelong learning available through the colleges. You’ll find traveling exhibits of art at Premium Outlets, Limestone College and the local campus of Spartanburg Community College. Year-round exhibits are hosted at the Cherokee County History Museum, the Gaffney City Hall and the Gaffney Visitors Center and Art Gallery. The City of Gaffney received a grant to purchase the historic “old post office” in 2009. During its “renovation” project, City officials, staff and contractors quickly changed its plans to be that of a “restoration” project, unveiling numerous architectural and ornate features of the original construction of 1913. Today, the Gaffney Visitors Center and Art Gallery has joined the Cherokee Alliance of Visual Artists (CAVA), a non-profit organization compiled of Cherokee County artists. The gallery located in this facility offers free admission and features rotating exhibits of works by local artists and often displays the works of visiting artists. Try to arrive while artists are working in the studio so you can observe “art in the making.” Southern charm makes Gaffney one of the most desirable places to visit, live and retire. Showcasing four seasons annually, the town is centrally located for great weekends to the beach, mountains, or big city entertainment. Dr. Walt Griffin spent most of his life in Iowa, and moved to Gaffney in 1992 to become president of Limestone College. “There are so many positives about living here,” he says. “The climate is a huge plus, as is our proximity to both mountains and ocean. The size of the community is great, because you get to know your neighbors and the folks in town.” He likes the fact that Charlotte and Greenville are less than an hour’s drive, and Spartanburg is about 30 minutes away. “You have access to larger areas when you want them, but you don’t have to live in them,” he says.
Related Reading Day Trip to Gaffney, SC



*Written by Leighann Snuggs*