Hope Baptist Church (HBC) has the amazing privilege of ministering in the Nicholtown neighborhood of Greenville, SC. While the beginnings of the neighborhood can be traced to a plantation that was subdivided, it soon became known as a thriving and prestigious African-American neighborhood. Nicholtown was the home of a great many of Greenville's African-American professions, and it enjoyed the status of being a completely self-sustaining neighborhood containing every local business that was necessary for everyday life.
While the passing years have witnessed many changes for Nicholtown, some of them difficult, the neighborhood has been enjoying a steady resurgence for several years. A significant amount of criminal activity that had been present for many years has been removed by the faithful partnship of the neighborhood residents with city law enforcement. For example, the land directly across the street from HBC is now a flourishing community garden after once being a center for criminal activity. This land is also the location of the newly-constructed Nicholtown memorial sign and patio. Housing companies have invested in the neighborhood as well by utilizing available funds to construct new dwellings for the betterment of the neighborhood.
Nicholtown has many valuable amenities including Sterling Elementary School, a highly productive community center, and its time-honored and highly involved neighborhood association. Nearby is easy access to the Swamp Rabbit Trail, Cleveland Park, Greenville's bustling downtown, and major roads. Truly, the highest honor enjoyed by the Neighborhood is the large number of residents who "go way back" and beyond. The engraved bricks at the Nicholtown memorial sign and patio testify to the richness of the neighborhood's history and the dedication of its residents.