Belton was developed in 1855 and is now the county's second-largest city. It is located in eastern Anderson County, South Carolina, and serves as a railway link for the C&G, Piedmont, Northern, and Blue Ridge. Two railways, the Greenville & Western Railway and the Pickens Railway, continue to serve the Belton area.
Belton suffered from the Civil War but, luckily, remained unscathed. Cotton is the main agricultural crop of Belton and attracted entrepreneurs who decided to build some of the biggest cotton mills in South Carolina. The construction of cotton mills in Belton saw an upsurge in job opportunities and population, which is why Belton continued to develop. The community then constructed a 160-foot tall Belton Standpipe in 1909. The Standpipe can hold 150,000 gallons of water and became the city's notable landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Anglers can begin their fishing trip by visiting Brown Creek in Anderson County. Brown Creek, Broadmouth Creek, East Prong Broadmouth Creek, and West Prong Broadmouth Creek are perfect places for largemouth bass fishing. The Broadmouth Creek Watershed Eight Lake near Anderson County and the Big Creek Watershed One Reservoir are suitable for anglers catching trophy bass. They can also catch fish like largemouth bass, white crappie, channel catfish, blue catfish, flathead catfish, and pumpkinseed in the area.
TNT Catfish Lake is a pay-to-fish pond near Anderson County, and the most popular species caught here are blue catfish, channel catfish, and flathead catfish. The lake is also home to largemouth bass and common carp. Broadway Creek is recognized for yellow-belly bream fishing, but anglers can also go bass, catfish, and crappie fishing here besides bream. Cupboard Creek and Cherokee Creek are fishing spots where largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, and pumpkinseed are commonly caught. Fish like spotted bass, book trout, flathead, channel catfish, and rainbow trout are also found in these locations.
Choosing the right bait and lure for the fish anglers want to catch is ideal. Anglers used familiar techniques such as bank fishing, baitcasting, light tackle fishing, fly fishing, and spinning when angling in lakes and creeks.
Tourists acknowledged Belton for the different festivities and sporting tournaments held in the city. Belton is South Carolina's Tennis Capital and is the origin of the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame. Belton hosts the annual SC Chili Cookoff. Chefs showcase their finest chili recipes, and the winner will be the qualifier in the ICS World Championship. One of the most awaited festivities in Belton is the Standpipe Heritage and Arts Festival, where local and regional performers conduct live onstage shows during the week-long celebration. Arts and crafts, local food, and various exhibits are available during the festivity.
The Belton Veterans Park is where families can spend a day of relaxation. The park opened in May 1997 and was designed by Belton resident Michael Edwards. The names of those who died in World War I, II, and the Vietnam War were inscribed in a black granite installed at the park's center.