History

Glassy Mountain, located in Greenville County, has an elevation of 2760
feet above sea level. At the edge of the Blue Ridge mountains, the views to the South easily allow picking up landmarks 12 miles or more away (such as the water towers in Greer, SC).

The northern edge of the mountain boundaries the Greenville County watershed, providing a pristine habitat for wildlife. The watershed area prohibits any boating or construction around the North Saluda Reservoir. According to the epa web site, the reservoir was purchased in 1961 and has a watershed area of 17,000 acres. The lake itself is approximately 
1,100 acres. Prior to 2000, water from the reservoir was pumped
unfiltertered to Greenville County residents, a tribute to the purity of the
water in this area.

A question often asked is “Where did the name ‘Glassy Mountain’ come
from?” The most common and believable explanation I’ve heard is that
water flowing down the large granite face of the mountain often freezes. The
icy rock face reflects the sunlight as if it were made of glass. That
sounds like as good an explanation as any. The name certainly predates the
formation of Glassy Mountain Township in the 1870s, but I have not determined the earliest recorded use.

Glassy Mountain is considered the “heart” of the Dark Corner of Greenville
County. The mountainous region, originally populated by Cherokee Indians, was and is home to an independent and hardy collection of people.