Greenville formed in 1771 as "Martinsborough", named after the Royal Governor Josiah Martin. In 1774 the town was moved to its present location on the south bank of the Tar River, three miles (4.8 km) west of its original site. In 1786, the name was changed to Greenesville in honor of General Nathanael Greene, the American Revolutionary War hero. It was later shortened to Greenville.[7]
19th century
During Greenville's early years, the Tar River was a navigable waterway, and by the 1860s there were several established steamboat lines transporting passengers and goods on the river. Cotton was the leading agricultural crop, and Greenville became a major cotton export center. Before the turn of the century, however, tobacco surpassed cotton and became the leading money crop. Greenville became one of the state's leading tobacco marketing and warehouse centers.[7]
20th century
For over a century, Greenville was recognized only as an important tobacco market and the home of a small state-supported college, chartered by the Legislature in March 1907 and named East Carolina Teacher's Training School, a co-ed institution. By the mid 1960s, East Carolina College had become the third-largest state-supported college, and enrollment approached 8,000 students — twice the 1960 enrollment figure. In 1967, it became East Carolina University. ECU Medical School admitted its first four-year class in 1977. At the turn of the century, enrollment at ECU topped the 18,000 mark, and now exceeds 29,000 students.[8]
Greenville's current economic development began in 1963 when Empire Brush was recruited to the new Greenville Industrial Park, established by Greenville Industries, Inc. (a for-profit land holding company) in partnership with the Pitt County Development Commission (established by a voter referendum in 1957) and Greenville Utilities Commission. One of the community's greatest successes came in 1968 when Burroughs Wellcome, a major pharmaceutical research and manufacturing firm, located a pharmaceutical development/manufacturing facility near the city. The site is now owned by Patheon, a Thermo Fisher Scientific company, which employs approximately 1,200 people.[9] The city and Pitt County have also become home to many other major industries and businesses including Catalent, Attindas, Grady-White Boats, and Hyster-Yale Materials Handling.[7]
In September 1999, Hurricane Floyd made landfall in eastern North Carolina, dropping nearly 17 inches (430 mm) of rain during the hours of its passage. Many residents were not aware of the flooding until the water came into their homes. Most localized flooding happened overnight, and the Tar River suffered the worst flooding, exceeding 500-year flood levels along its lower stretches.[10] An additional 20+ inches of rain had fallen prior in the month from the two passes of Hurricane Dennis.
Damages in Pitt County, alone were estimated at $1.6 billion (1999 USD, $1.87 billion 2006 USD).[11] Some residents in Greenville had to swim six feet underwater to reach the front doors of their homes and apartments. Due to the heavy flooding in downtown Greenville, the East Carolina Pirates were forced to relocate their football game against #9 Miami to N.C. State's Carter–Finley Stadium in Raleigh, where they beat the Hurricanes, 27–23.[12]
Geography
Interactive map of Greenville
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 38.20 square miles (98.9 km2), of which 37.44 square miles (97.0 km2) is land and 0.76 square miles (2.0 km2) (1.99%) is water.[2] It is located in the inner Coastal Plain.
Climate
Greenville has a humid subtropical climate, which is characterized by hot and sweltering summers, and mild to cool winters, with temperatures rarely dropping below freezing. Greenville can be prone to cold weather, as the temperature was once recorded as −4 °F (−20 °C), which is 36 below freezing. The summers are very hot, with temperatures averaging in the 90s, with nights in the mid-70s. The city is also prone to hot weather, as every summer month once recorded a record-high temperature of 100 °F (38 °C) or more.
Climate data for Greenville, North Carolina (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1897–present)
Greenville, North Carolina – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the 2020 census, there were 87,521 people, 37,402 households, and 18,115 families residing in the city.
2010 census
At the 2010 census, there were 174,263 residents in the Greenville MSA, 130,204 households, and 110,997 residents residing within five miles (8.0 km) of the city limit. The population density was 2,364.6 inhabitants per square mile (913.0/km2), making Greenville the densest city in Eastern North Carolina. There were 130,204 housing units at an average density of 1,100.4 per square mile (424.9/km2). The racial composition of the city was: 60.20% White, 32.14% African American, 5.06% Hispanic or Latino American, 1.82% Asian American, 0.80% Native American, 0.04% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 1.01% some other race, and 1.29% two or more races.
There were 25,204 households, out of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.8% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.4% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city, the age distribution of the population showed 18.8% under the age of 18, 28.7% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 15.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,648, and the median income for a family was $44,491. Males had a median income of $31,847 versus $26,324 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,476. About 15.6% of families and 26.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.1% of those under age 18 and 20.4% of those age 65 or over.
The Roman Catholic community in Greenville has seen steady growth over the years, with the migration of Hispanic workers to the area, along with significant numbers of people from the Mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States who work for East Carolina University, the ECU Health, and other employers. There are two primary Catholic Parishes in Greenville including St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother on Dickinson Avenue and St. Peter Catholic Church on East 4th Street.[20] St. Gabriel's serves hundreds of Spanish speaking families and supports a Head Start program in the West Greenville area.[21] St. Peter's Catholic Church in Greenville supports a day school for grades K-8.[22]John Paul II Catholic High School supports grades 9-12.[23]
The growth and diverse nature of the city's population has also resulted in the addition of an Islamic Mosque and Hindu Temple within the last decade.[28][29]
A minority of the city's population also identifies as "non-religious" or having no affiliation to any religion.[19]
Greenville's economy is largely reliant on the local hospital system and East Carolina University.[31] A diversified base of companies in advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, emerging technology, and food and beverage fuels the economy. MrBeast, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Avient, Catalent, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, and Weyerhaeuser are among a long list of companies that call Greenville home. In 2024, the North Carolina Department of Commerce announced that two international companies selected Greenville for their first United States based manufacturing locations.[32][33] Boviet Solar, a Vietnamese renewable energy company, committed to creating 908 new jobs and investing more than $294 million to locate its first North American solar panel manufacturing facility in the City of Greenville.[34]Nipro Medical Corporation, a Japanese healthcare and medical device company, will create 232 jobs and invest more than $397.8 million to build a new manufacturing campus and U.S. headquarters in Greenville.[35]
Minges Bottling Group, a large Pepsi bottling and distribution facility, is also located just outside Greenville in Ayden.[36] Greenville is also home to The HammockSource, the world's largest hammock manufacturer.
The largest employer is ECU Health (formerly Vidant Medical Center) and the second largest is East Carolina University with specialized manufacturing and scientific industries augmenting the employment portfolio.
Arts and culture
ECU Student Center
Greenville is home to a wide range of cultural events on and off the East Carolina University campus. East Carolina University offers musical concerts, theatrical and dance productions, travel films, and lectures. The Greenville Museum of Art contains local art, as well as rotating exhibitions. Annually over 3,000 children participate in programs offered by the Museum and over 12,000 people visit the museum.[37]
Theater is beginning to emerge in Greenville as well. Local groups such as the Greenville Theater Project[38] and the Magnolia Arts Center[39] offer outlets for both performers and audiences alike. Smiles and Frowns Playhouse[40] produces children's theatre. Additionally, student groups such as SWASH Improv offer entertainment at the university and local establishments.[41]
Aficionados of sacred organ and choral music have a major outlet in the city of Greenville in the form of the East Carolina Musical Arts Education Foundation, a non-profit organization centered on the Perkins & Wells Memorial Organ, C.B. Fisk, Opus 126 housed at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. The Foundation offers numerous organ and choral concerts annually, plus educational initiatives. The impressive Fisk organ at St. Paul's Episcopal Church is also the primary teaching and performing instrument for East Carolina University, with which St. Paul's and ECMAEF make up a strategic alliance.
Along with Theater, Dance is becoming prominent in Greenville. The Greenville Civic Ballet[42] and the North Carolina Academy of Dance Arts[43] are the main contributors of dance to the community. The Greenville Civic Ballet, owned by Kimberly Gray Saad, holds performances showcasing different dance backgrounds and styles. They hold biannual performances including Cinderella, Peter and the Wolf, Sleeping Beauty and Nutcracker Suites. Greenville Civic offers a diverse dance culture. The North Carolina Academy of Dance Arts is owned by Sherryl Tipton and collaborates with ECU's dance major program. NCADA does an annual Nutcracker performance in winter and in spring does a studio showcase. NCADA keeps a traditional dance culture in Greenville's community. Paired with the innovation of Greenville Civic's performances, the community is thriving with dance.
Thousands gather for a Freeboot Friday concert in Uptown.
Many restaurants and nightclubs offer live entertainment on the weekends. In the old Five Points area (in the newly renovated parking lot at Evans and Fifth Streets) every Wednesday in warm months, an Umbrella Market features local growers and producers plus crafts people. This is also the venue for "Freeboot Friday" on Fridays in the fall when there is a Saturday ECU home football game. It is an "Alive-At-Five" style pep-rally with live music, ECU cheerleaders, exhibits, children's activities, food samplings, and a beer and wine garden. The Downtown area is known for its large annual Halloween street party and live music bars. Considering the size of the city, Greenville has a large number of bars and nightclubs located downtown, due in large part to the location of ECU's campus which is immediately adjacent to downtown. In April 2019, Sup Dogs Restaurant was named the Best College Bar in America by Barstool Sports Barstool Best Bar bracket-style competition.[44] In April 2020, Sup Dogs once again claimed the title.
Downtown Greenville has seen a huge resurgence since the recession. The area has been renamed to Uptown Greenville and has become the arts and entertainment hub of the area. Currently, Uptown Greenville houses over 20 restaurants and over 25 retail stores. It hosts several events throughout the year such as Sunday in the Park, The Umbrella Market, Freeboot Fridays and the Uptown Art Walk. Uptown has also become a popular residential destination in recent years with the development of new apartments and the renovation of existing infrastructure for residential use.
Kayaking the Tar River
During warmer months, residents and visitors also take advantage of Greenville's access to the Tar River. Kayaking, fishing, and boating are popular pastimes along with camping and trail access along the banks of the river. In early 2020, the City Council also authorized the purchase of approximately 163 acres of land north of the Tar River that will be used for the development of an adventure park focusing on outdoor recreational activities such as running, hiking, biking and camping along with lake-based and river recreation. Greenville also features a greenway system of more than 9 miles that connects the medical and educational community with the Uptown District and Tar River.
Retail
Greenville is the regional shopping destination for the Inner Banks area, since many big-box retailers and specialty shops are located in the city. Large centers include Greenville Mall (formerly Colonial Mall Greenville and Pitt Plaza originally), University Commons, Lynncroft and Arlington Village. La Promenade, La Promenade II, Arlington Village, and Arlington Plaza located within Greenville Blvd, Arlington Blvd, and Red Banks Rd is one of the biggest outdoor/strip mall-type shopping locations in Greenville, housing over 60 shops and restaurants. A new development called 11 Galleria, on the site of the former Carolina East Mall, features a number of big-box retailers. This new shopping center will contain a total of 400,000 sq ft (37,000 m2).
ECU's sports teams, nicknamed the Pirates, compete in NCAA Division I FBS as a full-member of the American Athletic Conference.[46][47] Facilities include the 50,000 seat Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium for football, the 8,000-seat Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum for men's and women's basketball, and the Clark-LeClair Stadium, with a seating capacity of 3,000 (max capacity of 6,000+ when including outfield "Jungle" areas) for baseball. In 2010 a state of the art, Lady Pirates softball stadium with a seating capacity of 1,500 has been completed, neighboring a new ECU track and field facility and soccer stadium plus an Olympic sports coach's offices and team rooms facility are in varying stages of completion all along Charles Boulevard, the main entry way for all Pirate sports.
Greenville has a strong tradition in Little League Baseball. Greenville Little Leagues was founded in 1951 and has two leagues; North State and Tar Heel. In 1998, a team from Greenville represented the South Region in the Little League World Series. They made it to the semi-finals, where they lost to eventual champion, Toms River, New Jersey. In 2017, Greenville again represented the Southeast region in the Little League World Series. In this run, the pitchers threw a combined perfect game, followed by a no-hitter, the first US team to throw back-to-back no hitters. They made it to the United States Championship Game, where they were eliminated by Lufkin, Texas.
Stallings Stadium at Elm Street Park is home to Little League baseball in Greenville. Along with Little League success, Greenville teams have also won multiple Babe Ruth Baseball titles. Since 2006, Greenville has sent Babe Ruth baseball teams to Southeast Regional competition each year in two different age groups, with two teams reaching the Babe Ruth World Series; the '06 15 yr. old team, and the '08 13 yr. old team. The 2006 team became the first Greenville Babe Ruth team to reach the World Series in 30 years, along with becoming the first Babe Ruth team to ever win a World Series game, defeating Clifton Park, New York 12–0. In 2012, the 13u Greenville All-Stars advanced to the Babe Ruth League World Series. The 2012 squad advanced to the championship game, falling to Bryant, Arkansas 4–3.[48]
Greenville is home to the Greenville United Football Club, which joined the National Premier Soccer League on January 16, 2023. Greenville United FC games are currently played at John Paul II Catholic High School.
Greenville is home to two major running groups, GoRun (Greenville Organization of Runners) and Greenville Running group.
In addition a large bicycling group, EC Velo, tours the city and Pitt County weekly.
Sports Tourism is a huge economic driver for Greenville and Pitt County, with the effort being spearheaded by the Greenville-Pitt County Sports Commission (Play Greenville, NC Sports). The Sports Commission has helped secure such national events as NCAA Championships, and starting in 2021, Greenville is the home of the Little League Softball World Series.[52]
Greenville has a council–manager form of government. The Greenville City Council is the governing body of the city.[1]
The mayor presides at council meetings and authorizes documents approved by the City Council. Together, they are responsible for establishing city policies and appointing members for boards and commissions. The City Council approves resolutions and ordinances, adopts an annual budget, manages the financing of city operations, and authorizes contracts.[1]
The city manager, appointed by the Greenville City Council, is responsible for implementing the policies enacted by the City Council and managing the daily operations of city government.[1]
Five of the council members serve individual districts and the sixth is elected by the entire city and serves at-large, much like the mayor.[1]
Current members
Current members of the Greenville City Council, as of 2024:[1]
All Greenville schools fall under the Pitt County Schools (PCS) administration. PCS formed in 1985 when Pitt County Schools and Greenville City Schools merged. The 9-member Board of Education oversees all Greenville and Pitt County schools. In July 2013, Dr. Ethan Lenker was named Pitt County Schools Superintendent.[55] As of 2022, there are 13 elementary schools, five middle schools, six traditional high schools, two early college high schools, and the Health Sciences Academy in Pitt County. There are also ten private schools.
Elementary schools
Ayden Elementary School (K–5)
Belvoir Elementary School (K–5)
Bethel School (K-8)
Chicod Elementary School (PreK–5)
Creekside Elementary School (K–5)
Eastern Elementary School (K–5)
Elmhurst Elementary School (K–5)
Falkland Elementary School (K–5)
G.R. Whitfield School (K–8)
Grifton School (K–8)
H.B Sugg Elementary School (Previous (k-12) now (pk-2))
Victoria Christian Academy Christian Academy (K–12)
Media
Newspapers and publications
The Daily Reflector serves as the main daily newspaper and is Greenville's oldest business.[56] Other notable newspapers that serve the city include G-Vegas Magazine, The Greenville Times, The East Carolinian, Her Magazine, The Minority Voice and Viva Greenville.Daily Drum Newspapers-The Number one African American Newspaper.
Greenville was the largest transmitter site for the Voice of Americashortwave broadcasts under the auspices of the U.S. government's International Broadcasting Bureau. Both transmitter buildings and three large antenna 'farms' were located just outside Greenville.[57] The Greenville Transmitting Station provided shortwave broadcasts for U.S. government-funded, non-military, international broadcasting and served as a standby, alternate gateway for the Satellite Interconnect System to use to uplink programming, should the Washington, D.C., SIS gateway have become unavailable. The station was also a backup facility for uplinking programming to the Atlantic Ocean Region satellite and served as the primary return link of that satellite. For the VOA, the main target areas for the station's shortwave broadcasts were Latin America, the Caribbean with special emphasis on Cuba, and Africa. Three complexes, one for management, distribution, and monitoring, and the other two for actual transmitting, formed an approximately nineteen-mile (31 km) equilateral triangle around Greenville. At one time, these formed the largest international broadcasting site in the world.[58] Two of the three sites have been decommissioned.
Infrastructure
Health care
The health care community in Greenville is one of the largest in the state of North Carolina. With 861 beds, ECU Health Medical Center is the fifth largest hospital in North Carolina and is one of five academic medical centers in the state (others include the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, Wake Forest University, and Campbell University). ECU Health Medical Center is the only trauma center east of Raleigh and serves as the teaching hospital for The Brody School of Medicine. The hospital hosts over 1,700 licensed medical providers and serves over 1.2 million residents of the region. Many medical offices and clinics along with the hospital and university teaching facilities lie on Greenville's west side, comprising what is known as the Medical District.[59] The East Carolina Heart Institute is open and has added 250 jobs at the hospital along with a six floor facility.[60] A new 418,000 square foot Cancer Center broke ground at ECU Health Medical Center. The 96 inpatient room facility serves as one of the major destinations for oncology patients in Eastern North Carolina.[61] The Golden LEAF Foundation announced a $10.8 million grant in 2018 and The Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Family Foundation also donated $10 million.[62][63] Vidant Cancer Care at the Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Tower opened in March 2018.[61]
Public transportation is provided by the G.K. Butterfield Transportation Center, which connects Uptown Greenville with local bus service, through the Greenville Area Transit (GREAT), and intercity bus service via Amtrak Thruway and Greyhound Lines. East Carolina University operates a local bus service, ECU Transit, and Pitt Area Transit (PATS) provides "by request" transportation.[64][65]
^"Station: Greenville, NC". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
