This image is the cover for the book Simpsonville, Images of America

Simpsonville, Images of America

Simpsonville was little more than a stop on the road between Greenville and Laurens, South Carolina, when a man named Peter Simpson moved to the area in the 1840s. Simpson became the postmaster and blacksmith for the area, then known as "Plain" or "Dry Ridge," and streets and churches began to spring up, creating a town. By the time of its incorporation in 1901, Simpsonville was thriving as a small railroad town, with a textile mill drawing more to the area in 1908. Under the leadership of two particularly influential and long-standing mayors, Dr. L.L. Richardson and Ralph Hendricks, Simpsonville grew throughout the 20th century to become the hub of commerce and development that it is today.

Andrew M. Staton

Andrew M. Staton is a Simpsonville native, a 2013 graduate of Hillcrest High School, and a 2016 graduate of the College of Charleston, where he earned degrees in history and historic preservation. An award-winning genealogist, Staton is the founder and executive director of the Simpsonville Genealogical Research Room, which opened in 2015 as the only history and archival facility in the city. Staton is currently pursuing a master's degree in the archival field, but his roots will forever remain in his hometown of Simpsonville.

Arcadia Publishing