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Welcome to
Belton, South Carolina, home of the Wachovia Palmetto
Tennis Championships, the S.C. Tennis Hall of Fame, the
Belton Center for the Arts and the Standpipe Festival -
and the friendliest people this side of Mayberry.
Belton was chartered in 1855 soon after the Columbia
and Greenville Railroad was built. It soon became
a junction point ot the C & G, the Piedmont and
Northern and the Blue Ridge (Southern Railway) with 36
passenger trains serving he town. The city is
still served by the Pickens Railway and CSX
Transportation.
The city is at the junction of four highway arteries
with connections to i-385in Greenville County, I-26 in
Laurens County and I-85 in Anderson and Greenville.
Anderson is only 15 minuets away and its only 30 minutes
to downtown Greenville. Far enough away for Belton
to retain its small town ambiance and friendliness, but
close enough to the big cities for any cultural,
educational, work or shopping experience anyone would
wish.
With a population of 4,400 it is the second largest
town in Anderson County. It is unique in having a
thriving downtown business district, the historic Town
Square, which is undergoing a $1,000,000.00
revitalization. This has been a cooperative effort
between the state, the county, the city and local
organizations. In fact, the local organizations
have provided most of the work and much of the money.
This is indicative of the involvement of the people in
the community that makes Belton a great place to live.
There are many other successful business, as well as
many historic sites in the city or area which is located
on the S.C. National Heritage Corridor. Historic
residential areas are within walking distance of the
Town Square. One of these, Brown Ave.,
particularly reflects small town "Old South"
charm and appearence. The symbol for Belton is the
Standpipe. This is a 155' tall, concrete
reinforced water tank with a capacity of 165,000 gallons
which was built in 1909. It towers over the city
and has the appearance of a medieval castle tower. There
are only three remaining in S.C. and this is the
tallest.
The city is home to two elementary and one middle
school, with the high school being only 10 minutes away.
Other cultural and educational facilities are the Belton
Center for the Arts, the Belton Depot, Ruth Drake Museum
and a new branch library.
Belton has the council form of government with six
council members and a mayor. Under this form, the
mayor and each council member have the same authority.
A city administrator is employed to carry out the
council's policies, oversee day to day operations and
supervise city employees. The mayor and the
council members serve for four year staggered terms.
While council members must reside in the ward they
represent, all voters vote for all council members and
the mayor. This results in all areas of the town
being equally represented, but also insures that each
member of the council is responsive to the needs
of all citizens.
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