The best family-friendly hikes and walks around Sans Souci

Monaghan Mill, now the Lofts of Greenville, is a former textile mill (1900–2001) in Greenville, South Carolina, which was converted into loft apartments in the early 21st century. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Monaghan was successful from the start, producing printed fabrics, suits and shirts, and shade cloth. By 1907, Monaghan had increased his spindles to 60,000, and his stock alone had risen to $700,000. The boom in textile production attracted workers from other states and Europe to Greenville. For example, Monaghan employed fifty Belgian immigrants who lived in one of the mill's boarding houses. In 1911, the Parker cousins merged the Victor and Whaley Mills they already owned with the Olympia, Richland, Granby, and Capital City Mills in Columbia, as well as the Appalache Mills in Greer, to form the Parker Cotton Mills Company. The company had $15 million in capital and operated over one million spindles—more than any other contemporary US textile company. The company collapsed in 1914 due to a lack of capital during a cotton panic at the beginning of World War I. Lewis resigned as president of the company and practiced law until his death from cancer in 1916. Thomas eventually retired. The first successful merger of cotton mills lasted twenty years. In 1917, the former Parker mills were reorganized into the Victor Monaghan Group and sold to J. P. Stevens and Company in 1946. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monaghan_Mill

In honor of a Greenville legend – Founder of Duke's Mayonnaise & Duke Sandwich Co. see: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=135195

TANDEM LOVERS GILLIE AND MARC 2024 DEDICATED BY ARTISPHERE TO THE CITY OF GREENVILLE IN HONOR OF THE FESTIVAL'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY Supported by the Gity of Greenville, The Daniel Mickel Foundation, Duke Energy, Metropolitan Arts Council, South Carolina Arts Commission, VisitGreenvilleSC, Brad & Cathy Campbell, Henry & Jamie Horowitz, Scott & Beth MeMillan, Bill & Laura Pelham, Ed & Anne Stein and Chuck & Sherri Timmons

It's a lovely trail but at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday morning it starts getting crowded and by 11:00 there were lots of people. The most annoying part is the speed bicycle riders. They fly down the trail through crowds of pedestrians. I saw several near crashes. I would recommend this trail but only on weekday mornings when there's not as much humanity about.

McPherson park's a great spot to take a break along your ride. With plenty of shaded grassy areas to have a picnic, and restrooms in an interesting cottage style building, it is a lovely park for a lunch stop.

Furman Lake, adjacent to Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, is a scenic reservoir enhancing the campus landscape. Surrounded by lush greenery, the lake offers a peaceful retreat for cyclists.

Opened in May 2022, Greenville's Unity Park, located along the Rabbit Swamp Trail, features cutting-edge playgrounds, a 4,100-square-foot splash pad, green spaces, covered picnic tables, and a 10,000-square-foot welcome center. The 60-acre park includes basketball courts, a historic baseball field from 1925, and three bridges spanning the Reedy River. Visit unityparkgreenville.com/1843/Unity-Park.

The Swamp Rabbit Trail, once a railroad, now a beloved biking route, winds through Upstate South Carolina. Rich in history, this converted rail corridor offers cyclists a scenic journey past woodlands, parks, and the Reedy River. Its transformation into a trail has revitalized communities, fostering recreation and cultural connections.