United States Department of Agriculture
Funds Study for Glendale and Pacolet
The United States Department of Agriculture-Rural Development (USDA-RD) awarded Federal stimulus money in the amount of $60,000 to the towns of Pacolet and Glendale for an economic, educational and recreational feasibility study of the Lawson’s Fork Creek—Pacolet River Corridor that connects the two former textile villages in Spartanburg County. The purpose of the feasibility study is to determine what economic and recreational opportunities can be realized by attracting the funds needed to bring to maturity and fruition the projects identified through the study. Pacolet Mayor Elaine Harris and Glendale representative B. G. Stephens announced the grant Monday at the Pacolet Town Hall before an audience of 65 persons including educators, business persons, non-profit staff, community volunteers, college faculty and students, government leaders, and staff from the United States Department of Agriculture-Rural Development.
The feasibility study, which will last about eight weeks, should begin by mid-February and will be led by a professional team. All community citizens and the organizations that have been partners in the two communities’ revitalization efforts will be urged to participate in the study. Projects likely to be identified and developed should result in the creation of 105 capital improvement jobs and 76 sustainable, long-term jobs.
The Lawson’s Fork Creek—Pacolet River Corridor consists of eight miles of flowing rivers between Glendale and Pacolet. The first leg is four miles between Glendale and the intersection of the Lawson’s Fork with the Pacolet River. The second leg of four miles is from the intersection to the Town of Pacolet by way of the Pacolet River. Pacolet and Glendale are less than six miles apart as the crow flies. The communities are also connected by a network of County roads and State and Federal highways.
Separate background studies of Pacolet and Glendale include those conducted by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 2006 and 2007. Also, in 2004 the Town of Pacolet developed a Community Master Plan partnering with the South Carolina Departments of Commerce and Urban Forestry. A unified study of Glendale and Pacolet was conducted by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) in 2008. A recurring theme of these studies is that the two villages are perfectly positioned to cooperate to take advantage of their locations near each other and at either end of the Lawson’s Fork Creek – Pacolet River Corridor.
(This information is from the Press Release issued by Elaine O. Harris, Mayor of the town of Pacolet and B. G. Stephens, Glendale Community Representative on Feb. 5, 2010. )
The Preliminary Feasibility Study Report was issued by the USDA in May, 2011.
Contact Information:
Elaine O. Harris, Mayor
Town of Pacolet
180 Montgomery Avenue
PO Box 700
Pacolet, SC 29372
eharris@townofpacolet.com; 864-474-9504 (P) 864-474-9442 (Fax)
B. G. Stephens, Glendale Community Representative
460 South Fairview Avenue
Spartanburg, SC 29302
bgsphd@bellsouth.net; 864-573-8844 (P)
Click on this link to read details about an effort to get a Scenic River Designation for part of the same waterways.
This web site has been started as a public service to share the story of Pacolet. T