Criminal Defense Attorney inInman, SC

With $27 million in funding approved by North and South Carolina legislatures in the past 18 months, the proposed Saluda Grade Trail is looking inevitable.

Perhaps no community is counting on its promise more than the town that sits on the trail’s southern starting point.

For the people of Inman, a proud community nestled on the doorstep of the Blue Ridge Mountains in northwestern Spartanburg County, years of effort to bring new life to the community’s downtown are finally paying dividends.

But what makes local municipal and business leaders almost giddy with excitement is how the proposed trail is likely to amplify and accelerate Inman’s economic prosperity.

Laying the groundwork

The proposed trail would cover roughly 31 miles running north from Inman, through Campobello and Landrum in South Carolina, then through Tryon and Saluda in North Carolina before ending in Zirconia, North Carolina. The path will follow the historic but inactive Saluda Grade rail line, which is being purchased from Norfolk Southern.

The effort is coordinated by Upstate Forever and PAL — Play. Advocate. Live Well. — in South Carolina and Conserving Carolina in North Carolina.

The promise of a new rail trail connected to the heart of Inman’s downtown seems to be an affirmation of the years of hard work by town residents and leaders to revive what was for decades known as the “fresh peach capital of the world,” according to Mayor Cornelius Huff.

Known to lifelong residents and newcomers alike as “Cornchip,” Huff has spent decades in public service to the people of his hometown, first as a volunteer for the local fire service — where he earned his nickname — and later as an EMT. For the last 20-plus he has served the city’s government, first as a member of City Council. He became mayor in 2014.

“You’re planting seeds all along the way … and now the seeds are coming up and we’re seeing the plants and the flowers and now they’re starting to bloom. It’s harvest time for Inman.” — Inman Mayor Cornelius Huff

From the beginning of his time in city government, Huff said he was always motivated by the vision “to see Inman come alive again.”

Over the years, there have been many efforts to make that vision a reality, but there was one overriding obstacle in the way: the city’s former strong-mayor government. It effectively allowed the mayor to override the City Council and hamper the type of collective action community revitalization depends on. Huff saw this firsthand as a council member and ran for mayor in 2014 on the platform to change Inman’s structure to a council-administrator model.

“I was able to be a part of that transition — the good, the bad and the ugly,” he said. “It takes a team to make things grow and to win the game.”

Allowing the mayor and council to have an equal voice in charting the city’s future combined with bringing a professional administrator in to run the city’s day-to-day operations helped Inman get ready for the growth the Saluda Grade Trail will almost certainly bring, Huff said.

Being clear-eyed and proactive in meeting that growth is one of the main jobs of Joe Lanahan, the city administrator, who came to the role in 2020 after stints as recreation director for the city of Mauldin and, prior to that, as a program manager for Greenville County’s Parks, Recreation & Tourism Department.

Lanahan said he saw how the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail went from the modest idea of a 12-mile trail connecting Travelers Rest and downtown Greenville to an expanding trail network that has revitalized nearly every community it touches.

With 3 miles of the proposed Saluda Grade Trail traversing virtually the entirety of Inman’s downtown, the impact to the city is expected to be transformative.

“It’s very, very exciting,” Lanahan said.

Momentum building

The momentum of Inman’s efforts to reignite interest in its downtown has become palpable in recent months.

Beyond a streetscape project that beautified and updated Main Street, new businesses have come downtown and brought an increasing number of visitors.

Huff and Lanahan credit these entrepreneurs for staking their financial livelihoods on the vision that Inman is entering a new phase of growth and prosperity.

Among those businesses bringing new life — and foot traffic — to Inman is The Crepe Factory, which opened in downtown Spartanburg in 2016 but moved to its 12 S. Main St. location in Inman in 2021.

Lanahan said the restaurant not only brought its loyal customer base to Inman, but serves as a magnet for new visitors. Likening such businesses to the major department stores that served as anchors to underpin the commercial appeal of suburban malls, Lanahan said they help signal Inman is a great place to be.

That idea was among the motivations that prompted Jim and Carin Holliday to build their new Holliday Brewing manufacturing and distribution facility in downtown Inman. The custom-built 9,000-square-foot brewery and taproom is located at 12 Prospect St., a block north of Main Street.

It joins the company’s Drayton Mills Marketplace location in Spartanburg and will feature food offerings in partnership with Spartanburg’s Burgers & Bakery.

Jim Holliday said Inman offered the right opportunity at the right time for his company’s expansion. The planned trail promises to make that future even brighter.

Saluda Grade Trail fast facts

Did you know?

Inman is home to Inman Mills, founded by James Chapman in 1901 and one of only a handful of historic textile firms still in operation. The contributions of the Chapman family are commemorated in Inman’s Chapman High School and Spartanburg’s Chapman Cultural Center. Among the family’s notable members is celebrated singer, songwriter, author and actress Marshall Chapman.

Christmas in South Carolina brings with it a wealth of ways to celebrate the season and perhaps one of our favorites is the practice of lighting up your own home, either inside or out, with twinkling displays. Most families make a tradition out of visiting neighboring homes and communities to view these displays each year. And while we’ve featured public, fee-related Christmas light displays in South Carolina that you can enjoy this season, there are countless communities and single homes that really deck the halls, too. There’s one, in particular, that’s referred to as The Christmas House in Inman, South Carolina, and we think it has some of the absolute best Christmas lights in the state. Be prepared to be delighted at this house of Christmas!

Here Are The 10 Most Enchanting, Magical Christmas Towns In South Carolina

Did we mention it’s absolutely free? Of course, donations are always appreciated (there’s a donation box in plain view). Don’t you agree that the Christmas House in Inman, South Carolina has some of the best Christmas lights in the state? We love this showing of holiday spirit! For more information, see the official Facebook page for The Christmas House in Inman. If you can’t get enough of the Christmas joy, we recommend taking a day trip to one (or more) of these charming Christmas towns in South Carolina.

More to Explore

Sarah | November 15, 2021

What are some other places to go to see Christmas lights in South Carolina?

Each year, millions upon millions of Christmas lights go up around the Palmetto State. We’ve rounded up some of the biggest, best, and brightest Christmas lights in South Carolina so you can put them on your bucket list. From drive-thru displays to epic holiday, festivals at some of the state's biggest attractions, the Palmetto State comes alight in bright, twinkling, festive lights all holiday season long.

What's the best Christmas event in South Carolina?

While we love them all, there's something truly magical that happens at Brookgreen Gardens in the winter. Each year, South Carolina’s number one outdoor attraction, Brookgreen Gardens, delivers the best winter hike in South Carolina and it takes place at night under the glow of flickering candles and twinkling lights. For a handful of magical nights this holiday season, Brookgreen Gardens is open at night for a spectacular lights display, making it all the more special. Wander freely through the many sculpture gardens and gaze in awe as the lights shine perfectly to illuminate many of the sculptures and fountains. Each afternoon, more than 2,700 candles are hand lit throughout the garden; some are even floating in the many reflecting pools. It's such a magical display and a wonderful setting for the best winter hike in South Carolina!

Are there any unique holiday events in South Carolina?

In addition to the above Christmas lights displays in South Carolina, these drive-thru displays are wholly unique to the Palmetto State. What we love the most is that you don't even need to get out of your warm, cozy car to enjoy them! Our favorite is James Island County Park, which is the largest in the state and features more than two million lights and three miles of displays to drive through. After, visitors can park and enter the enchanted light trail for even more Christmas light displays, visit with Santa, shop for sweets and more, roast marshmallows, hop aboard the festival train, and take a spin on the holiday carousel.

INMAN, S.C. —

A South Carolina woman who set up her phone camera at sunset over the weekend captured more than she expected.

"I was just trying to get the sunset on video, actually," Brianna Oliver said of the images she took from a field off Asheville Highway in Inman.

Brianna Oliver

When Oliver went over the time-lapsed video she took on Saturday, she discovered an animal running across the screen.

"I saw what was there, and I was like, 'What is that?' I asked my boyfriend," Oliver said.

"I’m pretty sure that’s bigger than a cat," she told him.

Oliver posted video and pictures to a neighborhood Facebook page, and the comments confirmed what she suspected: that it was a cougar or mountain lion.

"I think it’s a mountain lion, personally," she said. "It’s not the first one I’ve seen out there, but people don’t believe you because they say it’s not native here."

We showed the video to Greg Yarrow, a wildlife biologist and professor of wildlife ecology at Clemson University.

He said his first reaction was that it might be an animal that escaped Hollywild, the wild animal preserve on Hampton Road in nearby Wellford.

Brianna Oliver

"These occasional sightings are usually either misidentified, or they’re animals that may have escaped or sometimes people will get kittens and raise them as pets," Yarrow said.

WYFF News 4 contacted Hollywild, and officials said all their animals were present and accounted for.

Still, Yarrow said wildlife experts are in agreement that the Eastern cougar, or mountain lion, is not found breeding or free-roaming in this area.

"Certainly, it’s interesting in terms of being able to see that (animal) roaming across the field there, but that’s pretty much where were are right now," Yarrow said. "There’s really not been any documented — at least in South Carolina — cases of cougars free-roaming."

He said the closest breeding populations of cougars are in South Florida, in the Everglades, and in the Big Cypress Swamp area.

More news (video will continue after links.)

Another interesting element to the video comes about 15 minutes or so, in real-time, after the animal runs through the area. Another animal that looks like a deer is seen to the far left, running around off-screen.

Yarrow said that although wild cats can travel a long range, the possibility that this could be one that is migrating through the area is pretty rare.

As for Oliver, she said she's just glad she wasn't out there when the cat was there. She also said she's getting support from her neighbors about the post.

"It’s just crazy how many reactions it got and how many people believe, like I do, that they’re around," she said.

Jay Butfiloski, with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, said this after looking at the video:

"There is nothing in this video that would make me think this was a big cat. There is no substantial tail, and the body appears smaller. A mountain lion should have a thick long, and black-tipped tail," he said.

Yarrow said several years ago there was a report of a cougar on Clemson’s campus.

He said one of the schools naturalists was actually able to catch up to it and discovered it was an exotic breed of dog that looked very similar to that type of body of a cougar.

"Yeah, that was almost convincing," Yarrow said. "You look at the photographs and you just can't tell."

Horizontal construction at the site in the city of Inman, SC is slated to begin in Summer 2024, and vertical construction is anticipated to commence on the project in December 2024. Delivery of the first units is scheduled in Summer 2025.

TruAmerica Multifamily, a national, institutionally-focused multifamily investment firm, acquired a 33-acre site in the Spartanburg, South Carolina market and announced plans to develop Hartley View, an $86-million Build-for-Rent (BFR) community.

The land acquisition sets the stage for TruAmerica’s first BFR development, which will encompass 281 units and includes a mix of 214 front-loaded townhomes, as well as 67 detached, front-loaded single-family residences.

The property is situated on a site 15 minutes north of downtown Spartanburg, near BMW’s manufacturing facility with more than 10,000 full-time employees. The market is home to a host of companies that support BMW’s operations. The location within the Greenville-Spartanburg area ideally sits at a mid-point in a key Mid-Atlantic goods movement corridor between Atlanta, GA and Charlotte, NC, along Interstate 85 that is also connected by critical rail transportation lines. The vibrant market includes a dynamic mix of jobs, retail services and attractions within a path of growth.

Purpose built BFR communities typically offer a larger array of amenities that appeal to the lifestyles and interests of a wide range of renters today, especially since they live like a single-family residence. They also help meet housing demand in markets facing an undersupply.

“Hartley View is our inaugural Build-for-Rent development, and the community represents the culmination of a strategic endeavor that commenced last year with the launch of a BFR platform as part of TruAmerica’s overall portfolio of workforce housing communities across the U.S,” said Mitch Rotta, Senior Managing Director, and Head of Build-for-Rent at TruAmerica. “Our BFR strategy is anchored on building communities in hyper-growth markets, near strong and expanding employment bases. Our BFR projects are designed to appeal to both renters by choice, as well as by necessity, who are seeking a single-family residential living style, along with the amenities found in today’s popular apartment communities.”

“We are fortunate to be in a strong position as we move forward on Hartley View, since we’ve already completed our acquisition due diligence and secured land financing,” said Rotta. “Those factors contribute to our confidence that we are aligned with investor interests around pursuing deals in a challenging market with higher thresholds, while appealing to land and homebuilder networks seeking third-party BFR partners in California and the SMILE states.”

Brad Morris of New Deco, Inc. represented the seller, Converse Development. The buyer was not represented in the transaction.

“Pursuing BFR community developments like Hartley View is a natural extension of TruAmerica’s workforce housing platform because it complements the same demographics that make up our Class B multifamily strategy,” said Robert E. Hart, founder, CEO, and President of Los Angeles-based TruAmerica. “Our BFR communities provide yet another housing option for working-class Americans who can’t afford to own a home or would just prefer to rent.”

INMAN, S.C. (FOX Carolina) -Downtown Inman is set to become the new hotspot for outdoor concerts with the opening of a state-of-the-art pavilion. This development marks the end of using porta potties and rented stages for the popular Music on Mill series, allowing performances to take center stage at this new permanent venue.

City Administrator Joe Lanahan shared the excitement surrounding the culmination of a decade-long vision.

“We are standing under a decade worth of vision,” he said. “The result is this wonderful new pavilion with a permanent stage, and a restroom and concession building,” Lanahan said.

The $1.5 million project promises to enhance the downtown experience significantly. Lanahan emphasized the pavilion’s role in anchoring the town.

“You need your anchors, your big spots in town where people know where they are, and we really see this pavilion as an anchor for downtown,” Lanahan said.

The pavilion adding several modern amenities, including a restroom, a water bottle filler, and a newly installed ATM—the first public ATM in downtown Inman.

“The bathroom is available, there is a water bottle filler and a water bottle in the back, and as well as an ATM machine. We brought an ATM back to downtown; we currently didn’t have a public ATM but now we have a permanent one in our facility,” Lanahan added.

Local business owners, like Graci Bohon of Gracie’s Boutique, are optimistic about the pavilion’s impact on the town.

“I think it’s going to bring a lot of people from out of town to see what Inman has, and a lot of businesses are going to stay open past hours as well,” Bohon said.

Lanahan looks forward to inaugurating the stage.

“Now we have these beautiful permanent facilities to work with. Friday night will be the first night we get to see it live with our kick-off to Music on Mill and our traditional opener Back Nine. We’re excited to see that and see how the parking lot operates. We’ve gained about 25 feet of parking lot back for more guests so they can be closer to the stage,” Lanahan said.

Back Nine will launch the free concert series this Friday night at 6 PM.

Silver Travis Friday June 14th 6pm

A1A Friday June 21st 6pm

The Tams June 28th 6pm

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