Greenville Magazine - July 2008 - (Page 34)

Stax’s e nal r Origi staur ant Rutherford Road. He called it Whitehall, possibly after a section of London he’d traveled to often. Middleton came to Greenville with his wife, eleven children and servants each year until 1820, when he was chosen to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Russia and sold his property to George Washington Earle. Another house you’ve probably passed hundreds of times – and missed – is the Kilgore-Lewis home. Note the little white wooden sign posted at the edge of busy Academy Street. The white clapboard, Palladian-style house, snugly resting on a rise, looks like it has inhabited that spot for the whole of its approximately 170 years. Instead, the house was originally located on the western half of the block that is now bounded by Buncombe, Richardson, Academy and College Streets. It was built between 1836 and 1838 by George Boyle. Josiah Kilgore purchased the lot and home for $1,200. His daughter Mary Keziah and John Wycliffe Stokes were married in the front parlor and their descendants, five generations of Stokeses, Gaineses and Lewises, inhabited the home straight down through the 1970s. It was lifted and moved to its current spot and is now popular with brides of a new generation as well as the headquarters of the Greenville Council of Garden Clubs. While you are thinking about architecture, another neighborhood in town boasts examples of all styles of homes, some designed by Greenville’s own most famous Willie Ward. On the stretch of McDaniel Avenue between Cleveland Park and Augusta Road you will find everything from classic revival to mid-century modern. Be sure to take a side trip over to Belmont to see the majestic Italianate Lanneau-Norwood-Funderburk mansion, and on Cleveland note the squat blocks of the International-style McDaniel Heights Apartments. More treasures can be found at the Greenville County Museum of Art. It is surprising how many people don’t know what hides behind the imposing edifice set back in Heritage Square. A collection of American art, from local as well as world-renowned artists is waiting to be discovered. The best news: you won’t spend a penny, admission is free. And for those who can’t get enough history, step across the green to the Upcountry History Museum. Opened just last year, this venue presents the saga of the settlement of the area with a series of interactive exhibits that is a full-on sensory experience.You’ll hear the call of the drovers, the sing-song of preachers and the musings of a slave, along with seeing life-sized replicas of people and authentic period artifacts. There is even a section for the ongoing oral history project about the WWII experience. Let’s not forget food. Greenville has so many good restaurants, that to give a nod to each would necessitate a separate guidebook. But the three that stand out, not just for the food, but for the experience, are the essence (and aroma) of the city – past and present. For breakfast, venerable historian and author of the definitive book on the 34 GreenviLLe MaGazine | JULY 2008 city’s evolution, Dr. A.V. Huff once said that Stax Original on Poinsett Highway was the place where you could find all kinds of Greenville folk, from the mayor to the mothers. It is true. Stax hasn’t changed much since it was installed in the 50s. On any given morning you are likely to find a crowd so diverse as to include executives in suits, moms with small kids in tow and retirees. Some have been coming for decades, others have just discovered it. The one thing they all know is that whether you prefer a bowl of steaming grits, eggs any style, a thick ceramic mug of fragrant coffee, or just good conversation, it is all served up here. Lunch needs to happen at OJ’s Diner at least once, but you may find that the crispy fried chicken, tender collards and perfectly-spiced fruit cobblers will keep you coming back. OJ’s, a family-run establishment that offers a variety of different options daily, can be found at 907 Pendleton St. Like Stax, the patrons come from all walks of life. They come for the food and the convivial atmosphere that just seems to spring off those steaming, hot pots in the kitchen. Even if you haven’t been in Greenville very long, you may have heard what an international community resides here. Foreign investment in the Upstate has long been an economic engine, and heavy hitters such as Mitsubishi, Michelin and BMW keep the expats coming. That global influence has extended to food. One of the most charming places you can experience the crossroads of culture is at the Paris Café and Restaurant at 116 North Main St. Here you will find Southern hospitality with a French accent – literally. Co-owners Joseph and Pascale Leon offer what they describe as classic French comfort food such as coq au vin, in a bistro setting that is at once intimate and welcoming. Bon appétit! As mentioned at the beginning, this is by no means a complete list of people, places and things to see. Look at it as a starting point for a walking tour that allows time to slow down and information to sink in.You just might fall in love with Greenville all over again. GM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Greenville Magazine - July 2008

Greenville Magazine - July 2008 Contents Editor's Letter My Greenville Alone At Last Watercooler Romance Greenwood Tourist in Your Own Town One-Tank Trips In The Lead Keeping Students In-State After Hours From the Pros A Look Back Walk this Way If These Walls Could Talk Viewpoints Attorneys The Bulletin Around Town Parting Words

Greenville Magazine - July 2008

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