When you homeschool, it’s easy to fall into the (terrible) habit of staying inside all the time. We try really hard not to slip into that hole. Not that there’s anything wrong with being home, but there’s so much to see and do around town, and beyond. It’s best for us to GET OUT! Plus, it keeps my young teenager from spending all of his spare time on electronics. 

Monday, we spent the morning in downtown Greenville. The weather has been perfect. (Although, at the moment, it’s a little too cold for me). 

 This is JP’s favorite spot in Falls Park.

This was my first time taking a picture of the Medusa Tree. How is that even possible? It’s one of the most photographed spots in Greenville.

A Little History

In 1926, a group of women in Greenville got together and decided to coordinate their gardening efforts to beautify the city. The Greenville Gardening Club was born. 

The club entered Better Homes and Gardens “Most Beautiful America” contest for their landscape of the Rock Quarry Park. They won 2nd Place and five hundred dollars! With the money they were awarded, Greenville Gardening Club partnered with the Greenville Park and Tree Commission and Furman University to create The Arboretum. The first arboretum was completed with over two hundred fifty species of trees.

Unfortunately, during World War II, the city’s focus shifted and the arboretum fell into disrepair. Greenville’s Garden Club gave what remained to Furman University in 1948.

The Medusa Tree – or root tree – is one of the remaining Beech Trees from the Old Arboretum. During the construction of Furman Way (the former road, now part of the Swamp Rabbit Trail) the soil around the roots began to erode, exposing the infamous roots.

If you’ve lived in Greenville as long as I have (or longer), you should find this information fascinating. If you haven’t, you’ll still want to grab a photo at this spot!