Welcome to Heller Heritage on the Green
Join us in celebrating the legacy of Mayor Max Heller and his wife, Trude Heller, through the Heller Heritage on the Green Project. This collaborative effort brings together all the entities of Heritage Green to honor their enduring contributions to Greenville’s arts, culture, education, and community.
With a vision of creating a more accessible, inviting, and vibrant space, this project will enhance Heritage Green’s beauty, safety, recreational, and cultural opportunities for all who visit. Be a part of this meaningful tribute and help us shape a brighter, more inclusive future for Greenville.
About Heritage Green
Heritage Green is an urban arts and cultural campus located on College Street in downtown Greenville. Heritage Green is home to: Children’s Museum of the Upstate, Hughes Main Library of the Greenville County Library System, Greenville Theatre, Sigal Music Museum, Greenville County Museum of Art and Upcountry History Museum.
For over two hundred years, Heritage Green has served as a space to learn, reflect, and grow. Beginning with the founding of Greenville’s first academies for boys and girls in the 1820s, to the establishing of the Greenville Woman’s College and its Ramsay Building of Fine Arts, to the educational and cultural institutions that reside there today, Heritage Green has long invited the Greenville community and visitors alike to its grounds. The addition of Heller Heritage on the Green is not only a continuation of this community treasure but also an enhancement to it.
Permanent and semi-permanent exhibits include:
An interactive garden at the Children’s Museum in honor of Trude Heller, who was devoted to educating children. The garden will include a mural by Adam Schrimmer of Blank Canvas Mural Company and a scavenger hunt for children to engage in.
An interactive, digital exhibit showcasing Max and Trude's journey through papers and historical artifacts at the Upcountry History Museum created by Terra Incognita Productions.
A library exhibit titled “Dear Mrs. Heller” that will feature Trude Heller’s correspondence with children and people she spoke with and taught on her Holocaust education tour.
Elements on the paved walkable path connecting the entities of Heritage Green include:
A walkway with vibrant plantings of native flowering shrubs and trees that will complement the existing tree canopy. Mosaic steps will add an artistic element to all stair entryways.
Enhanced lighting and multiple seating areas for reflection, engraved with meaningful quotes from Max Heller.
A musical art sculpture, with plans for more art installations, sourced from the City of Greenville’s Arts in Public Places Commission.
Heller Heritage on the Green will pay tribute to the esteemed legacy of Mayor Max Heller and his wife, Trude Heller for their profound contributions to, and affection for, the arts, culture, community, and education in Greenville.
About Max & Trude Heller
A series of miraculous events while fleeing persecution during the Holocaust led Max and Trude to Greenville, where the community welcomed them with open arms. Max and Trude built an inspirational life in Greenville. After a successful business career, Max served on the Greenville City Council, followed by two terms as Mayor.
While Mayor, Max spearheaded downtown revitalization, worked to improve the quality of low-income housing, and desegregated City Hall. He also served as Chairman of the State Development Board, bringing industry, jobs, and hope to his beloved city and state. Trude was a Holocaust educator, speaking to youth and adults in schools, churches, and civic clubs.
Trude’s age-appropriate account of her harrowing experience always delivered the same message: respect others and stand up for what you believe. Throughout their lives, Max and Trude made profound contributions to the arts, creating the foundation for a culture in Greenville, where their impact continues today.
Heller Heritage on the Green is administered by the Community Foundation of Greenville.
Partner with us by donating today.
Donor Levels
Corporate:
Heritage Builder $250,000+
Heritage Champion $150,000-$249,999
Heritage Patron $50,000-$149,999
Heritage Benefactor $10,000-$49,999
Heritage Supporter Up to $9,999
Individual:
Heritage Champion $150,000-$249,999 +
Heritage Patron $50,000-$149,999
Heritage Benefactor $10,000-$49,999
Heritage Supporter $5,000 – $9,999
Heritage Friend $1,000 – $4,999
Heritage Advocate Up to $999
Advisory Committee
Betty Farr, Honorary Co-Chair
Community Leader
Dick Riley, Honorary Co-Chair
Community Leader
Susan Shi, Chair
Community Leader
Francie Heller
Heller Daughter
Susan Heller Moses
Heller Daughter
Lynne Garfinkel
Heller Granddaughter
Jake Hurvitz
Student Advisor
Lily Friedland
Student Advisor
Lauren Luneckas
The Children’s Museum of the Upstate
Dana Thorpe
Upcountry History Museum
David Sims
Sigal Music Museum
Max Quinlin
Greenville Theatre
Beverly James
Greenville County Library
Russell Stall
Greenville City Council
Minor Shaw
Community Leader
Liz Seman
Greenville County Council
Chandra Dillard
SC House of Representatives
Tracy Ramseur
City of Greenville
Nicole Wood
Greenville County Assistant County Administrator
Michelle Guevara
VisitGreenvilleSC
Fundraising Committee
Susan Shi, Chair
Community Leader
Francie Heller
Heller Daughter
Susan Heller Moses
Heller Daughter
Lynne Garfinkel
Heller Granddaughter
Courtney Tollison Hartness
Furman Professor
Ed Good
Community Leader
Frances Ellison
Community Leader
David Ellison
Community Leader
Russell Stall
Greenville City Council
Minor Shaw
Community Leader
Michelle Shain
Community Leader
Nancy Cooper
Community Leader
Nicole Wood
Greenville County Assistant County Administrator
Art Committee
Tracy Ramseur
City of Greenville
Jessie Amos
Little Victories Branding & Co.
Kerry Murphy
Artisphere
Thank you for supporting this meaningful initiative that will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on our community. The committee is currently seeking individual donors and corporate partners.
Stay Updated!
To stay updated on project progress and to express your interest, please fill out our Google form.
If you’re interested in partnering with Heller Heritage on the Green for fundraising efforts, please email us.