Keeping Track
Swamp Rabbit, 1888The Swamp Rabbit is an important part of Travelers Rest history and the Greenville Hospital System (GHS) Swamp Rabbit Tram Trail will be a part of the town’s future! It’s a hiking and running trail that will take the place of 9.2 miles of old railroad track. Keep track of its progress at www.gcrd.org/swamprabbit or www.travelersrestsc.com/trails.
The Cafe @ Williams Hardware is a proud partner in the growth of the GHS Swamp Rabbit Tram Trail.
The Greenville Hospital System (GHS) Swamp Rabbit Tram Trail will bring new visitors and old friends back to Travelers Rest. Of course, for locals and students, it will be one more reason to get out and enjoy the beauty of the “heart of the foothills.”
Keeping track of latest developments from the GCRD:
Besides inside the city of Greenville, the Greenville Hospital System Swamp Rabbit Tram Trail is not open yet; however, all the necessary permits are in hand and paving of the section from just north of Travelers Rest to just south of Furman University (approx. 5 miles) will begin the week of April 9th and will take about a month.
Just below Watkins Bridge Road the endangered plant Bunched Arrowhead has been found. In order to spend the $100,000 that we were recently awarded through the Recreational Trails Program we must complete a wetlands delineation in order to ensure that the Bunched Arrowhead habitat is not adversely affected by construction of the trail. While we go through this process and secure the necessary Army Corps of Engineers permits, progress in being made on the construction of a pedestrian median on Hwy 253 and the re-use of the 8 railroad bridges. While we all wish it was open we are essentially working through the process of paving a 10 mile long road with 8 bridges that goes through wetlands and along a river so there are procedures to follow. Your patience is appreciated!!!
· The Inaugural Greenville Hospital System Swamp Rabbit 5k will take place on the trail in Travelers Rest at 6:30 pm, Friday May 8th. This Corporate Shield event will start at Gateway Park just behind Sunrift Adventures. For registration ($5/ before May 1st, $10/ after May 1st)and more information contact Chad Carlson (Race Director), (864)455-3582 • ccarlson@ghs.org
Earlier postings:
The view of the trail from the back of The Cafe @ Williams Hardware as it leads back toward Greenville:
According to Mann Batson, author of A History of the Upper Part of Greenville County South Carolina, the folks of the Travelers Rest area had big plans for the railroad to connect from the mountains to the sea. He cites the Greenville Daily News: “Since the tracts from Greenville to Travelers Rest generally followed the lowlands near Reedy River it became known as ‘The Swamp Rabbit.’ This chugging, shaking, rattling train has served the upper part off and on since the late 1880’s except when the rails were taken up and sold along with the rolling stock, 1,263 tons of steel and some right-of-way.” (GDN, May 4, 1906)
There was even talk of a trolley to serve the area. Today, the planned GHS Swamp Rabbit Tram Trail will finally fulfill the dreams of the townsfolk, over 130 years later.
MOST RECENT UPDATES FROM Greenville County:
Swamp Rabbit Progress Report
October 21, 2008
In time for the US Pro Cycling Championships signs were erected along the 4 miles of the Greenville Hospital System Swamp Rabbit Tram Trail that is paved and open for people to enjoy. This section starting one mile above Linky Stone Park and the Children’s Garden under the Academy Street Bridge travels through Falls Park and Cleveland Park down along the Reedy River to its temporary southern terminus at the Reedy River on Cleveland St Extension just north of Greenville Tech. Look for the Swamp Rabbit signs and let me know if you get turned around so we can improve our signage through this popular area of Greenville.
Go to www.gcrd.org to be added to the e-mail update list for the Swamp Rabbit.