For a long time in the mid-part of this century, in towns and cities across the land, it was felt that growth in and of itself was always something good. 
    The sheer energy of its driving force was overpowering. Communities felt that nothing could-or-should-stand in its way. As a result, often too much emphasis was placed on quantity. 
    And too little upon quality.
    A human community is not all that different in principle from one of nature's forest communities. If the vital components of either are thrown out of balance-if too much weight is given to this or that at the expense of something else-the entire population can suffer as a result.

    To assure that the legacy of the new century has value and permanence, in the spring of 1987, with the Chamber acting as a catalyst, a group of citizens united together to form a task force.
     The question was to put them simply and plainly: What do we want Greenville to be in the year 2005?
     The group was presented with the challenge of drawing up a list of priorities-in a sense, a map for the journey that must be taken. For what we envision will not happen by accident or chance. To make sure all of the pieces fall into place, it will take an actionable plan that blends the ingredients of conscience and common sense in just the right proportions. Equally important-far more than just a city or a county,

    Sometimes what appears to be but one small dark cloud on the horizon can grow into a storm of major proportions almost without warning. Similarly, on the positive side of the balance sheet, if we grasp opportunities solidly  and surely when they present themselves, the future gain can be a windfall for the common good.

Greenville is in reality an amalgam of citizens throughout the county that transcend all governmental and historical boundaries.
     What we present in the following pages is a vision of Greenville in the year 2005. Though it began as our vision, now that it is shared, the legacy belongs to each of us. And the commitment... to all.