"I" is for Industrialization. Much of the state's pre-Civil War industrialization was centered in the upcountry, but the iron foundries and textile mills were relatively small operations. In the 1890s the textile industry mushroomed and by the early 20th century, South Carolina was the second largest cotton-textile producing state in the country. Following World War II, the state began an aggressive effort to foster more industrial development. The State Development Board and the State Ports Authority worked diligently to recruit new industries. In the 1970s most new industries were located in the upstate and the stretch of I-85 from Spartanburg to Greenville was known as the “autobahn” because of the large number of foreign plants located there. By the turn of the 21st century, manufacturing accounted for just over twenty percent of South Carolina's gross state product.
"I" is for Industrialization
