Greenville
was carved out of blackland prairie by sturdy pioneers who cleared the tall grass
for their homes and farms. When Hunt County was created by the first legislature
of the new state of Texas in 1846, Greenville was named the county seat. Our community
blends heritage and contemporary lifestyle for the best of both worlds: the city
and the country.
Greenville was named for Thomas J. Green, a general in the Texas Army in the
war for independence from Mexico and, later, a member of the Congress of the Republic
of Texas. (The city narrowly escaped being named “Pinckneyville” in honor of James
Pinckney Henderson, the first Governor of Texas!) Hunt County commemorates Memucan
Hunt, another Texas freedom fighter and Minister to the United States for the Republic.
The rich blackland soil that stuck to shoes and buggy wheels when wet proved
to be a real economic asset. It grew a high quality cotton used by English spinning
and weaving mills.
Cotton
brought the railroads to Greenville and with them growth and prosperity. The “cotton
capital of the world,” Greenville soon boasted the world’s largest inland cotton
compress, a population of several thousand and six railway lines.
During the harvest season, cotton brought a “snowfall” to the downtown square
as tufts of white pulled from bales for examination by cotton buyers floated into
drifts around the courthouse.
As the area began to shift from an agricultural to an industrial economy in the
1950s, Greenville prepared for the future by developing an industrial park. Additional
industry grew at the converted World War II Majors Field Army Air Corp base, now
serving as the municipal airport.
A former Governor of Texas has stated, “Greenville stands a model of a community
that planned smart and worked hard.”
Throughout
Greenville’s history, economic growth has been accompanied by attention to the social,
spiritual and recreational needs of our citizens. The community’s many civic organizations,
churches and city-wide festivals and celebrations are enhanced by the availability
of local parks, museums, library, golf courses, and nearby lakes.
The conveniences of an industrialized city, coupled with a “hometown” attitude,
make Greenville a great place to work and a great place to live!