SCVB Blog

February is Black History Month and Spartanburg, South Carolina has a 3-day event planned to celebrate.

On Thursday, February 16th, Mr. Joseph McGill from the National Preservation Trust will sleep in a slave cabin at the Historic Price House, adding it to his Slave Cabin Project. He will share the as part of an all-day symposium the following day.

On Friday, the symposium, entitled Perseverance and Persistence, will focus on African American History in Spartanburg. The symposium will begin at 8:30 am with refreshments and conclude at 3:30 pm. Panelists from several colleges, universities and school districts in the Upstate will discuss the major issues facing Spartanburg from early settlement to the present. Session topics include:

•    Roots to 1800-- the creation of the African American presence in the Spartanburgh District which officially became Spartanburg County in 1795

•    Antebellum and Civil War Years, 1800-1865-- the shift from yeoman farming to increased dependence on enslaved labor. The discussion also includes the Civil War and its impact on African American families and communities.

•    Community Building, 1865-1940--  information on efforts to build autonomous lives and communities in the aftermath of war, and how African Americans adapted themselves to segregation and maintained pride in the communities they build.

•    1940 to Present-- the transformation of the lives of African Americans beginning with World War II, followed by the Civil Rights Movement

On Saturday, February 18th at 7pm, professional actress Carolyn Evans will appear as Harriet Tubman and Ballet Spartanburg will present a dance performance by Kyle Abraham.  

All events will be held at the Chapman Cultural Center Theater. For ticket information, please call 864-596-3501.

It’s time to dust off those bell bottoms and platform shoes that have been hiding in your attic and get ready to boogie the night away at Retro Fest. What has been called the South’s Largest Disco Party returns for its 15th year Saturday, February 4th.

You will feel as if you have stepped back in time as you enter the door and see hundreds of people decked out in their grooviest attire dancing the night away to disco tunes. Retro Fest benefits the Piedmont Chapter of the American Red Cross and has been a crowd sellout for years.

Retro Fest will be held on Saturday, February 4, 2012 at the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium. Get your tickets now, because they go fast! You can purchase your tickets through the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium (www.crowdpleaser.com) or 864-582-8107 or through Ticketmaster.

If you have been to Spartanburg, you probably have quickly caught on that Spartanburg is nicknamed the Hub City. With signs welcoming you to the Hub City at the gateways to the community and businesses with the name Hub City Coffee, Hub City Coffee Shop, Hub City Farmers’ Market, it’s hard to miss.

If you want to know how the city got its famous nickname, visit the Hub City Railroad Museum (see there it is again…Hub City).

 Spartanburg became the Hub City back in the late 1800s, when seven train lines fanned out from the city like spokes on a wheel. Spartanburg was a major transportation hub; by the early 20th century nearly 20 passenger cars passed through and many more freight trains carried goods, textiles, peaches and other produce to nearly every corner of the country.

 The Railroad Museum which is run by a group of volunteers and train enthusiasts opened in April of 2010. Since its opening, over 4,500 visitors have toured the museum.

The Hub City Railroad Museum is housed inside of the beautifully preserved Magnolia Street Train Station and is open to visitors two days a week.  Visitors to the museum will find memorabilia and artifacts that date as far back as the beginning of the railroad.

The Hub City Railroad Museum is located at 298 Magnolia St. and is open on Wednesdays from 10am to 2 pm and on Saturdays from 9am-3pm. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. For more information call 864- 596-3501.