Report from the Pacolet Community
Updated, January, 2013
Awards
- 2012 Spartanburg County Tourism Ambassador Award
- 2011 South Carolina Preservation Trust- Elected Official
- 2010-11 Champion for Education Award, SC School Boards Association
- 2010-11 Friend of Education Award, SC School Curriculum Development
- 2008 United States Preserve America Community
- It was noted that "As a community, you honor our nation's past and inspire and educate for the future. The Nation applauds your achievement. As your community shares its story with residents and visitors, you set a great example for others."
- Pacolet is the only Preserve America Community in Spartanburg County.
- 2008 Golden Achievement Award
- SC/National Schools Public Relations Association award for Community Social Studies Curriculum.
- 2007 South Carolina Pilgrimage of Place Award
- Awarded, Domino Development Team, Clemson University
- 2007 South Carolina Blueprint Community
- Awarded, SC Association of American Institute of Architects
- 2006 South Carolina Rural Leadership Award
Studies
- 2011, United States Department of Agriculture Feasibility Study of Pacolet/Glendale
- 2009, SC Community Development Forum held in Pacolet
- 2009, Mayor Harris chairs Spartanburg County Tourism Strategic Plan
- 2008, Mayor Harris and Mayor Pro Tem Littlejohn present at the National Preservation Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "Plan for Rural Revitalization".
- 2007, South Carolina Urban Land Institute study, Glendale and Pacolet.
- 2006, Mary Black Foundation sponsors design for Pacolet Trailhead.
- 2006 & 2007, Pacolet hosts South Carolina Mayor's Institute
- 2005, Photographic Exhibit, Pacolet Pilgrimage of Place, Greenville Technical College and Clemson University
- 2004, Pacolet citizens along with 18 professional planners, architects, landscape designers, and others develop a Community Master Plan and Covenant. Funded by SC Departments of Commerce and Urban Forestry.
- 2003, Mayor Harris selected with 18 professionals across South Carolina to study rural revitalization in County Mayo, Ireland.
Economic Development
- Village Post Office to stay open. Our Village post office is the only one that was slated to be closed to receive additional operating hours.
- Annexations complete for: Brown Mill Road, Gethsemane Baptist Church, East Main extension. Other annexations requests to the town in process.
- Town acquired the Old Amory Building located on Sunny Acres Road.
- Lockhart Power celebrates its 100th year by planting 100 trees in areas of operation. Pacolet received 29 trees distributed as follows: 3-Marysville School, 7 ClothRoom, 19 near the future river walk.
- 2010-2011, United States Department of Agriculture-Rural Development Grant to study waterway connecting the two communities of Pacolet and Glendale.
- 2008 to present, $925,000 Grants for Business District Sewer
- Annexation - Brown Mill and Jerusalem road citizens petition to annex
- Land Use Plan updated, new zoning ordinances adopted
- New housing/retail in sight along Highway 9
- New businesses over a ten year period – Lockhart Power Plant-Upper Pacolet Dam, Family Dollar, Dollar General Market, Spartan Industries expansion, Peeler's Farm Supply, New China Restaurant, Reflective Recycling, Spartan Hydraulic, Alternator Exchange, Satellite Depot, Say Cheese – Photo Shop.
- Pacolet Scenic River Group established to implement blue way on the Pacolet River & Lawson’s Fork Creek as National and State Scenic Rivers.
- Lawson's Fork/Pacolet Rivers Paddling Trail, Advisory Council
- Spartanburg County Tourism Strategic Plan
Safety
- Communitywide Crime Watch Program established.
- Partnering with the schools Pacolet Elementary and Middle School of Pacolet to provide a police presence in the mornings and afternoons during opening and closing.
- Town wide clean up days – local churches adopt roads
- Implementing Town Street Sign plan to be completed by 2015.
Heritage Celebration and Preservation
- National Register Sites - Pacolet Town Hall, Cloth Room, Marysville Community School, Pacolet Mill Village (Historic District) and 13 Archival Sites at the Pacolet River Heritage Preserve
- Continuance of the Pacolet Community Social Studies Curriculum by teaching all the state standards out in our community to our students in grades K-5 and grade 8.
- American Revolution Heritage - 2012 marks seventh year of Gen. Daniel Morgan's Victory March from the Pacolet River to the National Battlefield - Town partners with Palmetto Conservation Foundation, Cherokee Historic and Preservation Society and Cowpens National Park.
- 2009 Historic District Design Guidelines Adopted, Historic Architectural Review Board appointed.
- 2008 Pacolet Area Museum opened
- Celebrations: Indian Summer Festival, October; "A Village at Christmas", and Cultural Heritage Tours, Christmas Parade.
Grants total over a ten year period - $11 million. Designated for infrastructure: water, sewer, sidewalks, roads and bridges
Appling for:
- Clothroom and Amphitheater rehabilitation monies through ARC, CDBG and USDA
Recently secured grants:
- $800,000, Construction and Design Phase - Pacolet River Gateway Project: River Walk and Intersection Improvements.
- $925,000 – In process, Sewer expansion Business District
- $1 million, Pacolet Partners with US Teach America History - Right Under Your Feet Grant, Sites are Marysville Community School, African American; Wag Stop Plantation, American Revolution; and Pacolet River Archival Sites, Native American.
- $19,500 - Directional/Way finding signage, Complete
- $27,000 - Amphitheater Signage, Complete
- $150,000 - Hillbrook Sidewalk extension connects a six mile walkable loop
- $74,000 - Nature Trail linking Middle School to sidewalk infrastructure.
- $19,000 - Lighting for Pacolet River Bridge, Complete
- $60,000 - Rural Revitalization Study of Pacolet River and Lawson Fork Corridor, Glendale and Pacolet