Easley

Life in Easley

Easley was named after William King Easley, a Civil War cavalry major and attorney who helped bring the Atlanta and Charlotte Air Line Railway through the area by raising $100,000 in investment. The town was chartered in 1873 — locals wanted to name it Holcombetown after its first citizen, Col. Robert Holcombe, but Holcombe himself said "Easley sounded better." The railroad transformed it into a thriving textile town, and the city was officially incorporated in 1901.

Today, Easley is a city of nearly 23,000 in Pickens County, sitting 12 miles west of Greenville. Its motto — "Time Well Spent" — captures the pace and character. This is a genuine blue-collar Southern city with deep roots, affordable housing, and a community that shows up for each other. The Upper South Carolina State Fair has been held here annually in September, and Easley hosted the Big League World Series from 2001 to 2016.

Easley sits at the crossroads of US Route 123 and SC Highway 8, with easy access to both Greenville and the Blue Ridge foothills. The Doodle Trail — a 9-mile paved path connecting Easley to Pickens — has become a beloved community amenity for walkers, runners, and cyclists. Downtown is seeing reinvestment, with new restaurants and shops filling historic storefronts. Fun fact: in 1968, NASCAR driver Curtis Turner caused a telephone outage by landing his airplane on Main Street.