Spartanburg in Spartanburg County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
The “Hub City”
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Spartanburg Union Station
Photographed by Mark Parker, May 17, 2025
1. The "Hub City" Marker Side
The “Hub City”. The first rail line to serve the Hub City, the Spartanburg & Union R.R., was completed in 1859. In 1873, the Atlanta & Charlotte Air Line R.R., later Southern Railway, linked Spartanburg to cities along the East Coast, resulting in major growth for the city and the local textile industry. Later, Spartanburg emerged as a major rail junction with 7 lines serving the city. The lines radiated outward like spokes on a wheel, leading to the moniker "Hub City.
Spartanburg Union Station. Spartanburg Union Station, sometimes called Southern Station, was designed by architect Frank Pierce Milburn. Southern Railway built Spartanburg Union Station here in 1905 to serve their passenger trains. The main station was razed in 1973. The remaining section, which now houses the Hub City Railroad Museum, was built in 1915 to serve Southeastern Express, a railroad-owned parcel shipping company.
Erected 2018 by Hub City Railroad Museum. (Marker Number 42 32.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1859.
Location. 34° 57.246′ N,
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Upstate. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Grave of William Walker / Magnolia Cemetery (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Central Methodist Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); Montgomery Building (approx. ¼ mile away);
Photographed by Mark Parker, May 17, 2025
2. Spartanburg Union Station Marker Side
Regarding The “Hub City” / Spartanburg Union Station. The railroad “hub” of Hub City had seven spokes by 1925. Four of the spokes were the two Southern Railway lines that crossed here. Three other three railroads terminated here, adding three more spokes for a total of seven. They were the Charleston & Western Carolina Railway, the successor to the Spartanburg & Union Railroad, the first line to arrive in Spartanburg; the Clinchfield Railroad; and the Piedmont and Northern Railway, an electric interurban railroad that also carried a lot of freight.
Also see . . . Hub City Railroad Museum. (Submitted on May 24, 2025.)
Additional keywords. C&WC Railway, P&N Railway
Photographed by Mark Parker, May 17, 2025
3. The "Hub City" Marker side near the caboose for the Hub City Railroad Museum
Photographed by Mark Parker, May 17, 2025
4. Spartanburg Union Station Marker side looking south at adjacent restaurant and parking lot
Photographed by J. J. Prats, May 18, 2025
5. The former Spartanburg Express Parcel Depot, Now the Spartanburg Amtrak Station
Railroad passenger trains once also carried "next train out" express packages throughout the country like United Parcel Service and FedEx do today.
The Official Guide of the Railways, December, 1925
6. Charleston & Western Carolina Railway Timetable Nov. 1 1925
Trains run top to bottom on the left side and bottom to top on the right.
The schedule shows four passenger trains a day arriving or departing Spartanburg. Train No. 1 is northbound morning train, departing Augusta, Georgia, at 5 AM, and arriving Spartanburg at 10:20 AM after making 25 stops en route. The timetable shows 133.5 miles between Augusta and Spartanburg, so train No. 1 averaged 25 miles an hour on this trip.
Train No. 2 is southbound morning train, departing Spartanburg at 7:15 AM and arriving Augusta 25 minutes after noon. Train No. 3 is the northbound afternoon train, departing Augusta at 4:15 PM and arriving Spartanburg at 9:30 PM. Train No. 4 departs Spartanburg at 2:30 PM and arrives Augusta at 7:40 PM.
The bottom of the timetable shows connections in Spartanburg for trains of the Southern Railway to Hendersonville, Lake Toxaway, and Asheville that also use this station.
The schedule shows four passenger trains a day arriving or departing Spartanburg. Train No. 1 is northbound morning train, departing Augusta, Georgia, at 5 AM, and arriving Spartanburg at 10:20 AM after making 25 stops en route. The timetable shows 133.5 miles between Augusta and Spartanburg, so train No. 1 averaged 25 miles an hour on this trip.
Train No. 2 is southbound morning train, departing Spartanburg at 7:15 AM and arriving Augusta 25 minutes after noon. Train No. 3 is the northbound afternoon train, departing Augusta at 4:15 PM and arriving Spartanburg at 9:30 PM. Train No. 4 departs Spartanburg at 2:30 PM and arrives Augusta at 7:40 PM.
The bottom of the timetable shows connections in Spartanburg for trains of the Southern Railway to Hendersonville, Lake Toxaway, and Asheville that also use this station.
The Official Guide of the Railways, December 1925
7. Clinchfield Railroad Main Line Timetable, July 1925
Click on the images to enlarge.
It shows one daily train, No. 37, departing Spartanburg at 10:45 AM for Elkhorn City Kentucky where it arrives at 11:10 PM. Train No. 38 leaves Elkhorn City at 6 AM and arrives Spartanburg at 6 PM. Both trains include a Parlor-Buffet Car operated by the Pullman Co. that serves lunch, dinner, drinks and snacks for the entire trip. Principal stops for the two trains is St. Paul VA, Marion SC and Johnson City TN.
It shows one daily train, No. 37, departing Spartanburg at 10:45 AM for Elkhorn City Kentucky where it arrives at 11:10 PM. Train No. 38 leaves Elkhorn City at 6 AM and arrives Spartanburg at 6 PM. Both trains include a Parlor-Buffet Car operated by the Pullman Co. that serves lunch, dinner, drinks and snacks for the entire trip. Principal stops for the two trains is St. Paul VA, Marion SC and Johnson City TN.
The Official Guide of the Railways, December 1925
8. Southern Railway Charlotte to Atlanta Timetable, Sept. 27, 1925
Eight Southbound and eight northbound trains stopped at Spartanburg, including Southern’s Crescent then a first-class-only train between New York and New Orleans via Washington DC and Atlanta GA. The Crescent, trains No. 37 southbound and No. 38 northbound stopped at Spartanburg at 1:15 PM and and 6:33 PM respectively.
Today, Amtrak’s Crescent makes the same run, and is the only passenger train stopping at this station.
Today, Amtrak’s Crescent makes the same run, and is the only passenger train stopping at this station.
The Official Guide of the Railways, December 1925
9. Southern Railway Columbia to Asheville Timetable, Sept. 27, 1925
Another of Southern Railway's lines crossed here in Spartanburg with four southbound and three northbound trains stopping at this station. One of these trains was Southern’s Carolina Special, trains No. 27 and 28 between Cincinnati OH and Charleston SC via Asheville NC. That train stopped at Spartanburg at 1:45 PM northbound and 4:55 PM southbound every day.
In total, in 1925, 26 passenger trains a day stopped at this station.
In total, in 1925, 26 passenger trains a day stopped at this station.
The Official Guide of the Railways, December 1925
10. Piedmont and Northern Railway Spartanburg to Greenwood Timetable, July 4, 1925
The Piedmont and Northern was an electric interurban line that terminated in Spartanburg at a separate station “300 yards” from this station. Seven trains a day departed the nearby station southbound and seven arrived northbound. The line ran through Greenville SC and all three of the seven trains terminated there, with the others continuing to Greenwood SC. Its motto was “A Mill to the Mile” indicating that it connected many of the South Carolina textile mills and it hauled freight in addition to passengers.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 20, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 24, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 312 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 24, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. 5. submitted on June 8, 2025, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. submitted on June 16, 2025, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
