Spartanburg, SC (SPB)

Ticket Revenue

FY 2011

$477,071

Station Ridership

FY 2011

4,469

Note: Fiscal year is from
October through September.

The Spartanburg Union Station on Magnolia Street was built in 1904, and once served the Southern Railway, the Clinchfield Railway and the Charleston & Western Carolina Railway. In 1949, as many as 14 passenger trains daily traveled through Spartanburg along the Washington-to-Atlanta route, and both considerable freight and passenger rail commerce served to give Spartanburg its “Hub City” nickname.

Sadly, the original station building was torn down bit by bit until, in 1996, the remaining structure was gutted by fire. The week after the fire, 16-year-old Trey Davis III, then in high school, began an initiative to save the station through letters, editorials and visits to city leaders. The station was saved through volunteer efforts and restored. Today the station also holds the Spartanburg Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Spartanburg is said to be named for the seasoned battalions of the two Spartanburg Regiments that fought under command of Brigadier General Daniel Morgan during the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Cowpens on January 17, 1781. The battle took place just north of what is now downtown Spartanburg. This overwhelming victory for the American forces turned out to be a deciding battle of the Revolutionary War and remains today a model of military strategy.

Early settlers to this area included French fur trappers, English woodsmen, and Scotch-Irish farmers. As with Greenville, this area was also a favored hunting ground for the Cherokee and Catawba tribes, which occupied land west and east of this area, respectively.

Cotton mills, though relatively sparse in the Spartanburg area before the Civil War, abounded here afterwards as in much of the Piedmont South, encouraged by the many streams and waterfalls associated with the fault line that runs through this area. The local economy has benefited from the BMW manufacturing plant located in the western end of Spartanburg County since 1996. Spartanburg is also home to the world headquarters and research facility for Milliken & Company, one of the world’s largest privately held textile and chemical manufacturers.

Within the past decade, developers and community leaders have established an effort to revitalize Spartanburg’s downtown district. This has resulted in the remodeling of Morgan Square, the restoration of a number of historic structures, and the relocation of several businesses and company headquarters to their downtown district. Today, the restored Magnolia Street station hosts the Hub City Farmer’s Market weekly on its grounds. Numerous festivals are also held downtown throughout the year. Other attractions include the Spartanburg Museum of Art, the Spartanburg Regional (history) Museum, and the Spartanburg Science Center, as well as the Chapman Cultural Center, and the showroom home of Hub-Bub and the Hub City Writer’s project.

Amtrak does not provide ticketing or baggage services at this facility.

Spartanburg is served by two daily trains.