Falls Park on the Reedy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Entrance to Falls Park
Entrance to Falls Park
View of park from foot bridge showing cascades.
View of park from foot bridge showing cascades.

Falls Park on the Reedy is a 32-acre park adjacent to downtown Greenville, South Carolina in the historic West End district. The park was founded in 1967 when the Carolina Foothills Garden Club reclaimed 26 acres of land that had been previously used for textile mills. Renovation accelerated in the late 1990's, prompting the formation of the Falls Park Endowment, a private charity supporting ongoing development. Each summer the park is home to the Upstate Shakespeare Festival.

Falls Park and the Liberty Bridge
Falls Park and the Liberty Bridge

The park's most striking feature is a unique pedestrian bridge that curves around a waterfall on the Reedy River. Named the "Liberty Bridge," the 355-foot long suspension bridge is supported by cables on only one side, giving an unobstructed view of the falls. It was designed by German firm Schlaich Bergermann & Partner and completed in the fall of 2004. It was awarded the Arthur G. Hayden medal for innovative design in 2005.[1]

Near the bridge, the Main Street entrance to the park is graced by Bryan Hunt's 16 ft. bronze sculpture Lake, Falls, Lake and contains a restaurant and other visitor amenities at the new Falls Park Center.

The park also features a collection of public gardens and a wall from the original 1776 grist mill built on the site.

[edit] External links