Greenwood SC

Greenwood SC is located about 45 miles from Greenville and about 70 miles from Columbia. It is where my Grandmother Durst lived, and where my father was born. My Durst ancestors started Greenwood. They were Germans who settled in South Carolina in the early days of America. They came to Charleston first and then headed inland. They came to an area close to modern-day Greenwood and were known as Palatines. As the years progressed, they moved a little further. Some went to what is now Edgefield. Others even ventured out toward Texas, but my family stayed around Greenwood. My great-grandfather started a cotton mill that provided jobs and economy to Greenwood. Later, he would start the bank, which one day became a part of Bank of America. My grandfather had the first car dealership in Greenwood. He and my Grandmother had four boys--James, William, George and John. John was my father. His father died in 1924, when my father was only around 13. There is some controversy on how he died, but the symptoms indicate a brain tumor. My Grandmother raised all four boys and sent them to college which was Clemson. She was a school teacher. She lived until she was 105, and everyone called her "remarkable". Greenwood is a relatively small town, but it has a lot of heart and history. I have a street named after me near Lander University called W. Durst Street. To be fair, there is a street named after my cousin Elizabeth called E. Durst Street. The sad thing is that today there are no Dursts from our family who live in Greenwood. They have all either died or moved away. My parents are buried in Greenwood, along with Uncle Jim and Aunt Claudia, and other Dursts. One day, when I die, there is a place for me in that cemetery next to my Mother. If you ever visit Greenwood, which I hope you do, just think about what it took to make the town what it is today. And, you'll also see the second widest Main Street in the world next to Buenos Aires Argentina.