Historic markers unveiled in Old Town Greenwood

Among the businesses and homes of Old Town Greenwood, the historic heart of the city beats.

Since the first pioneers arrived 200 years ago, commerce has flourished in the center of town. Shops, restaurants and banks provided the lifeblood for residents over two centuries. People built ornate homes surrounding the district.

Greenwood’s history makes it clear how important Old Town was. Now, residents and visitors can find a reminder every time they pass through.

“Having two historic districts is pretty cool. A lot of people think of Greenwood as a large suburb, and maybe they don’t quite realize the neat history of the area,” said Brad Nemeth, past president of Restore Old Town Greenwood.

City officials, community leaders and preservation-minded residents unveiled the two new historical markers on Wednesday afternoon, increasing the visibility of Greenwood’s long-standing heritage. One marker recognized the city’s commercial district, while the other, placed along Madison Avenue, showcased the historic residential district.

The dedication ceremony helped bring to a close the Greenwood community’s bicentennial celebration. In addition, it serves as continuing evidence of the turnaround taking place in Old Town.

“Twelve years ago, when we first started this process, a lot of our goal was to revitalize downtown. That was very important to everybody here — that’s why we’re here today,” said Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers. “We wanted to bring new businesses in. At the time, it was about 90% vacant; now, it’s about 90% occupied with great businesses.”

Both Greenwood’s commercial district and its residential district have now been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Starting in the 1830s, the crossroads of Main Street and Madison Avenue were bustling with businesses. Existing buildings in the commercial district carry the signature Italianate, Romanesque Revival and Classical Revival architectural styles stemming from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Local residents worked to get the district on the National Register of Historic Places, and in 1991, they succeeded.

The residential district’s journey to historic status was more fraught. The efforts were spearheaded by Restore Old Town Greenwood, a preservation organization founded in 2011 by residents who were concerned that the city’s historic structures were in danger of being torn down.

City officials partnered with the nonprofit group to work on adding the residential district to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2017, it was approved, providing the distinction to about 300 buildings, including some homes that are more than 150 years old, northeast of U.S. 31 and Main Street, on either side of Madison Avenue.

Having both areas of Old Town Greenwood on the National Register of Historic Places was an important step. But those who worked to get that designation also wanted to make the community more aware of the districts’ significance.

“After we had our historic home tour in 2019, and made some money off of that. We knew we wanted to use that money to do something interesting. So we decided that we would purchase two markers,” Nemeth said.

Restore Old Town Greenwood had the markers purchased, and worked with the City of Greenwood to install the two signs, as well as refurbish existing historic markers, such as the one at the Polk Commercial Building. The commercial district sign was placed at the city parking lot on West Main Street, across from Brewer Street.

A short walk away, people could find the residential district sign, installed at the city lot at Madison Avenue and Wiley Street.

Each highlights the importance of the respective districts in Old Town Greenwood.

“The 29 buildings in this district were primarily constructed during the period of thriving commercial activity spurred by the advances of transportation from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century,” the commercial marker reads.

In the heart of the residential district, the sign the addition to the National Register in 2017, adding, “At that time, the district contained 354 structures, with the oldest dating to the 1870s. The district features a wide variety of architectural periods, including Gothic Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Romanesque Revival, Colonial Revival and Craftsman.”

About 30 people gathered for the unveiling on Wednesday. Nemeth gave some background on both districts, while Paul Jacquin, the current president of Restore Old Town Greenwood, summed up the symbolic importance of the two markers.

“Restore Old Town Greenwood, one of their guiding principals when they started was to preserve the history of the city — the buildings, the culture,” he said. “That’s what we’ve tried to do.”

With the work that’s been done in Old Town, local residents can be proud of their traditions while looking to the future, Myers said.

“That’s what it’s about: bringing our community together and preserving our history,” he said.