[3] In 1786, due to population growth in Ninety-Six District and the victory of the American Whigs over the British and their colonial Tory and Cherokee allies, the state legislature formed Greenville County (originally spelled Greeneville), named for General Nathanael Greene,[4] the hero of the American southern campaign.

[6][7] After the Civil War ended in the 1860s, former slaves gained freedom, the textile industry grew quickly, and cotton farming expanded in the county.

[8] The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad's consolidation into the 1900s further linked the county with the national economy, and dozens of textile companies opened, with farm workers migrating to associated mill villages.

World War I and creation of the Army National Guard's Camp Sevier in Taylors further increased the county's outside connections in the early 20th century.

After the war ended, agriculture decreased and business leaders such as Charles E. Daniel and Roger Milliken pursued other industries to replace textiles.

The current county administrator is Joseph Kernell, whom the council appointed in January 2004 after voting in late 2003 to hire him.

[31][32] Council members are elected by voters in each of the 12 state legislative districts (17–28) within the county and serve staggered four-year terms.

[33] From the latter half of the 20th century onward, Greenville County has voted overwhelmingly Republican in presidential elections.

In 2020, Joe Biden became the first Democrat to obtain over 100,000 votes in the county, and Donald Trump's 18.2% margin of victory was the lowest for any Republican since 1980.

One of the district's first sheriffs, Revolutionary War hero Robert Maxwell, served from 1795 to 1797, when he was killed in an ambush.

This method of election was placed into the South Carolina State Constitution in 1868 and the Office of Sheriff in Greenville County began.

[46] In 2017, Sheriff Will Lewis was suspended by Governor Henry McMaster for misconduct, perjury, and obstruction of justice.

It is sponsored by CommunityWorks, Inc., a nonprofit community-development financial institution, and receives assistance from the United Way of Greenville County and the Hollingsworth Fund.

[54] Some of the largest employers in the county include Bon Secours, Charter Communications, GE Vernova, Lockheed Martin, Michelin, Prisma Health, Publix, TD Bank, the United States Postal Service, and Walmart.

[59] The library system is managed by a board of trustees whose 11 members serve 4-year terms after appointment by the county council.

[60] In October 2023, after some prior controversy, the library board voted to remove all themed displays from its facilities except those pertaining to paid holidays.

[63] The GHA is the portion of the Greenville Health System that still existed after the hospital transitioned into being operated by Prisma.